I've blogged about them before. . . Those two-story family rooms that seem so majestic until you start trying to decorate them. For those of you still dealing with that predicament, I found a couple of inspiration rooms that took two very different approaches.
I would call this approach "bigger is better." Everything is oversized to fit the grand scale of the space. I do love the idea of stacking two round mirrors above the mantel.
And, Emily at Jones Design Company took a wide open space and made it cozy by installing molding around the entire room and used a darker paint color on the wall below, to create the illusion of a "ceiling." I think this is a fantastic idea, and makes the room seem so livable. Using oversized lighting (notice--at a lowered height) still makes the room feel grand.
images via Jones Design Company
Which approach do you like best?
I'd have to go for the molding and paint - what a delightful idea! It certainly cozied-up that room with very little effort. Well done to her and thanks to you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWell, as someone that lives with 8 1/2 foot ceilings throughout my entire home, I love the first approach! I would have to embrace the scale of the room and decorate accordingly. I do like the molding and paint effect, but for me the grass is greener. :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day!
You know it's hard b/c I like both looks for different reasons. I love the how 'grand' the first photo feels, but how 'cozy' the second photo feels. I guess if I had a limited budget, I'd consider the second option. It's amazing what paint & moldings can do!!!
ReplyDeleteWow!!! I LOVE the second room with the molding! I would have never thought of that and high ceilings were always a turn off when we were looking for homes. Now, I won't be so intimidated by them.
ReplyDeleteI think I like the 2nd room with the moldings. It does make it feel a little more cosy.
ReplyDeleteSusan
I like the second approach. It breaks up the room height but does not really take away from the sense of space. Incidentally, I love the rug in the first picture!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lminteriorsllc.blogspot.com
I'm all for approach #1. I think the moulding cuts off the room and defeats the purpose of having ginormous ceilings. The use of scale in the curtains and the double mirror are genius.
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with the 1st image. Love the idea and how stylish it feels. Sooo inspiring this one!
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Luciane at HomeBunch.com
I do like them both. However, I lean towards number one.
ReplyDeleteEmbrace the highness!
Rashon aka Mr. Goodwill Hunting
Oh... I really like that second approach and how the darker paint and moulding makes the tall walls fade into the ceiling. It feels like a cozier, more homey space.
ReplyDeleteI like the first room. The top window in the second room looks like it was forgotten. There was nothing done to it.
ReplyDeleteI like the double stacking of the mirrors and the way they filled the niche with sleek white shelving in option #1- but the overall effect is far to grandiose for my personal taste. I love everything about the second option- for real life living in a beautiful space. Brilliant concept, nice color scheme.
ReplyDeleteI am DYING over the two large mirrors on top of one another... this is such a great idea-- it brings up the eye and bounces around all of the natural light SO beautifully! This is also a very glamorous solution :)
ReplyDeleteabodelove.blogpsot.com
I have to go with the first approach! I am still drooling over those curtains and mirrors. L-O-V-E them.
ReplyDeleteThey both work! Love Eric's treatment, with the large modern elements with the interest side chairs thrown into the mix, but the molding is also incredibly effective. I've had spaces like these and they are incredibly challenging! Janell
ReplyDeleteGreat Images I love the first shot for sheer drama in a subtle way
ReplyDeleteI love very tall ceilings, wish mine were taller ( a measly 9 feet) in my first apt. in Chicago I had an old brownstone apt which had 14 feet ceilings and though I had very little to decorate with, the space still look incredible.
ReplyDeletethe 2 toned idea is really smart, but i like them both!
ReplyDeleteI like approach #1-- looks more grand!
ReplyDeleteI have high ceilings in my living room and struggled with how to decorate it. I love picture #1 because it embraces the magnitude of the room. I will now start a seearch for for a statement rug, curtains and an oversized light fixture. Thank you for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThe first approach was accomplished more to my taste, but I've actually used the second approach in my powder room to keep it from looking like an elevator shaft.
ReplyDeleteI think that I'd like the second more if there was more textural interest in the upper half of the room through the use of moulding/coffering/something. It's the same way I feel about my 1/2 bath. I've been debating whether or not to apply more detail, and looking at these pictures convinces me that it's the right decision.
I love the two round mirrors! It looks so great!
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you. This decorating issue has plagued me for years. I have vacillated between both ideas and just when i think I've decided, I change my mind.
ReplyDeleteWe looked at several houses with those beautiful (and scary when it comes to decorating) high ceilings. The thought of decorating them terrified me! I love the first inspiration room you pictured.
ReplyDeleteJen
We looked at several houses with those beautiful (and scary when it comes to decorating) high ceilings. The thought of decorating them terrified me! I love the first inspiration room you pictured.
ReplyDeleteJen
I have ceilings like that in the family room, and I have seriously considered lowering them and making the room normal size. These photos are great though...I do think the idea of adding the lower molding and two tone paint is a great one.
ReplyDeleteStacy
I love the first approach. I think it's better to decorate according to scale and embrace a wonderful feature rather than cutting the room off with a molding, which is kind of defeating the whole purpose of having a double story ceiling in the first place.
ReplyDeleteLove the mirrors and rug in the first room.
Jessie
www.mixandchic.com
I love the second one and the idea to paint half the wall the gray color then add the molding. Really draws your eye to the ceiling!
ReplyDeleteBoth rooms look great, but that second idea is brilliant! You don't lose the grandness of the room or the airy-ness (how does one spell that? :)) but gain the coziness. I wouldn't have thought it would work but seeing it applied looks fantastic!!
ReplyDeletehttp://bjdhausdesign.blogspot.com/
The 2nd idea is great. I have 10 foot ceiling right now and I always feel like I'm floating away with my beige walls, beige tile floors and beige furniture! She did a great job of using that molding and paint to ground her room. Genius.
ReplyDeleteAll I can think about is how many yards of fabric did they need for the drapes in the first room?!?!?!!?
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of the molding/paint version. It reminds me of Annisa's living room from Milk and Honey home.
ReplyDeletetotally second what court said!
ReplyDeleteI think room #1 seems much more appropriate. Room 2 kinda ignores the second half of the room and it makes it look almost like a fake room to me.
Both fantastic. Wow . . . never thought of the paint with the molding. I have a client right now with a skinny long room with super high ceilings. Such a challenge. Very cozy feeling to bring the paint color down like that.
ReplyDeleteThose are both good ideas . . . but neither one uses my favorite treatment: a custom-built catwalk with ship's ladder. How else are you going to appreciate the vantage point those high windows afford?
ReplyDeleteWe built a house with a two-story vaulted living room. It was glorious (especially with the lake and mountain views), but I always wanted to be able to see out of those top windows in the window wall . . .
As someone who just paid to have her two story great room painted, I think Emily's approach is brilliant. This way she can paint the lower portion herself if she wants to redecorate. Painting a 2 story room isn't a wise DIY project for obvious reasons.
ReplyDeleteI think they both look great. It really just depends on the look that you're going for in the room. The second one feels cozier than the first. My ceilings are high in my family room and I have the extra joy of a weird slope as well. Vaulted ceiling always look great 'til you move in and have to figure out how to decorate :)
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I have been searching for, I would love more inspirational rooms, PLEASE!!!
ReplyDeleteJust realized i didn't answer the questions, I love love number 1!!!
ReplyDeleteSo hard to make these spaces feel cozy... My preference is always to err on the side of art. But it would take SOME painting to not get lost on that wall. The mirrors are a fun idea that could be warmed up with some more personal accessories on the mantle.
ReplyDeleteI love the first image. They ran the panels all the way up for a WOW factor when you enter the room. The other image was not to my liking at all. It seemed like a sound stage at Universal Studios. Ignored the great bones of the room and the country feel was not appealing or went with the home.
ReplyDeleteMy friend just finished a mirror over her fireplace... She has super high ceilings. I'm diggin' what they have done so far.
ReplyDeleteThe previous owners crap was UUUGGGLLYYY.
http://lifewiththeps.wordpress.com/
WoW!! I love the first room!
ReplyDeleteIt's so glamorous and chic and i like the idea of the double mirror and the carpet...OMG.LOVE !!
I like the first one the most because I think it's embracing the architecture a bit more. I know that people respond to the volume of space when they walk into a two story room, so I'm all for playing it up.
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