long stationary drapery panels on either side.

Ignore the alcoves! Remove the wallpaper borders. Replace light fixtures. Add pillows and throws to furniture. Use table lamps and floor lamps. Stay away from sectional sofas since they're often difficult to work with.

Concur with leelee, but do not be afraid of large scale art work. The flags in the pic are 6 feet in length on a 14 foot wall.

Hello Junlin - I'd consider some color for the high walls. Deeper tones up there will keep your eye down a bit. As leelee suggests, though, I would not give the designed-in alcoves and columns any identifying attention. A different color for them would just pull your glance up into their high structure.

Another observation is that your high ceilings and hard floor will tend to make a loud, sound-echoing space. Fabrics, rugs, softer materials of various kinds will absorb sound and make the room sound as well as feel more comfortable and cozy.

I cannot see the full arrangement of the recessed space at upper left in your photo. But perhaps some sound-deadening material could fill this space - color-matched as well as possible to the surrounding walls.

Your dislike for high ceilings is well founded. Leelee's comments are dead on- do not decorate above 8-10 feet is a well known decorating axiom. These two story spaces often have the room dimensions wrong as well. It is best to concentrate on decorating the floor space as if you have a nine foot ceiling. You probably should utilize human scale groupings which can be cozy. (Ideal conversational distances are 8 feet or less). These large spaces must break down into spaces for one, two or three persons.

The hardwood floor would benefit from area rugs for color and sound.
Best of luck!

"A good place for a cathedral ceiling -- is in a cathedral."

Hi there, you should definitely consider installing some draperies for warmth and acoustic value. They will really pull your room together and give it a cohesive feel! Here are some examples:

Ok. Under no circumstances use dark, contrasting two-story draperies that will only emphasize the height of the ceilings...you may as well paint giant arrows pointing UP to the ceiling. If you want to go for drama with a capital D, two story draperies, color-coordinated to the wall color (as in the two previous photos) will work but don't use the valances at the top in the photo to the right...looks like ancient Greek columns with the capitals about to topple. Keep in mind, this route of giant draperies will require a steep budget. We are talking yards and yards and YARDS of fabric which will cost an arm and a leg even if you manage to be clever and find attractive fabric at 40$/yd since then you still have to get them made.
So, moving on from that subject, where do you live? A warm, sunny climate or more northerly with a true winter? You need, as previously mentioned, color on your walls. Visually cool grey is all the rage now, which you could use in a warmer climate...say South Carolina and south. But more north, to meet your cozy quotient, you'd have to at least use a warm taupe on the walls. Be careful using strong, deep colors on walls these tall. Deep blue or rusts might be your favorite color... If you want to use deeper colors, strong accent colors will be better suited to accent pillows, throws and perhaps area rugs. Since you are unsure of how to add cozy, let's stick to a simple background for the walls on which you can build. Lots of good general design suggestions above. But still and all, you have the tall ceilings...probably taller ceilings, you'll never own. Why not go for bit of gusto down the road and find some art appropriate to one of your big walls. We can't see any of your other walls so can't say which one could take the oversized art... In particular, I like the painting proportion of painting in left photo above. Sorry...these ideas are just tumbling out.
Lastly, yes, lose the wallpaper in the kitchen [there are marvelous new wallpapers out there now; pick one to create a jewel-box of a guest powder room.] Paint both kitchen and family spaces the same color. I assume the chandelier visible In kitchen is your dining area. Give the light fixture to a rehab store and buy a new one that will match your style... Too much from me...let someone else talk.

*L* Nothing says "cozy" like a two story drapery!! If you hang drapes, your curtain rod can help form a new ceiling line for the space, so you may wish to choose their height accordingly. You could trim out your (lower, at least) windows for added warmth, and use shades for large hits of pattern and colour, as well. I'll also draw your attention back to the Barclay photo above, as it gives a good example of the colour treatment Someone's has described for you.

And an even darker colour on the ceiling, if that is a possibility.
Ex. of rod redefining height:
[houzz=]

Keep your focus where you live especially to begin decorating.

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OK... lifting the petticoat here a bit so go easy on me. Am attaching photos of my living room and dining room, both of which are fairly small rooms: Living Room - 15 x 15', Dining Room - 15 x 11'. But both have 14' ceilings. So, in my instance, especially since I like color - which could be confining in smaller rooms - and have a philosophy of "More is More", I had all vertical planes painted wall color and horizontal planes painted ceiling color, thus emphasizing the height of the ceilings and making the most of the cubic feet...opposite of what you may want to do here.

Curtains at each end of the two rooms are matching fabrics to tie the two spaces together. Dimmer switch on Dining Room chandelier helps to bring ceiling down for more intimate feeling during dinner parties. We also installed additional dimming can lights in Living Room to highlight alternating seasonal art over fireplace as well as the antique platters over the built-in armoires. You should include lots of varied lighting for your family room to enable better lighting for game nights/ card playing or lower watts for movie night, etc. and, thinking ahead, perhaps add some accent lighting when you are having other lights changed out - while the electrician is already in your house - so, if you select a large wall for some art, it won't be swallowed by darkness at the higher "elevations".

Connect the Window and wall designs so it all looks like one piece it will bring the details lower. Wall panneling or pannels between the windows also use one piece of molding to connect the windows so it looks like one big window

Start by painting the ceiling a dark color…(brown just like your drapes).

I think I would paint the walls a darker color and add large pieces of art first of all. And yes to the drapery panels others have suggested.
And as iamjudy as suggested a darker color on the ceiling.

junlinhong, what is your style preference? Do you want this to be a modern space, or more traditional looking. The reason I'm asking this is because if you want something more traditional looking you could add a wainscoting on the bottom half of the walls to make it appear wider and shorter, instead of tall.Paint the lower half a lighter color and paint the upper walls a dark color or dark wallpaper of some kind.

[houzz=]

here's a good example of adding beam features to lower the feeling of the room.
and personally i think i would only do the drapery panels on the lower windows, not the uppers. that would visually bring the ceiling down too. It's trickery! An optical illusion.

Hi, mp, great examples….

I have the two story den. Long, straight, stationary panels close to the wall color help bring the ceiling down. I used a heavy fabric with texture instead of pattern. Also, I painted one wall two shades darker than my other wall. I've used a lot of textured fabric on my furniture in the same tone with the color coming from pillows and accents. It helps with the noise. (I originally used leather). I will say, now that I've had all the natural light that comes with a two story den, it will be hard to ever go back! Good luck.

Maybe a low hung series of wooden crosspieces. I'm picturing something like a pergola type look. Maybe some lighting....

That might create the illusion of a lower ceiling

A nice ideabook about high ceiling :
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-work-with-a-high-ceiling-stsetivw-vs~15861957

Make any decisions? =)

a painting or a big fall wreath on the wall going into the kitchen would give it some color and warmth .. maybe paint the walls to a light color. it will tone down the white ... curtains always add a home effect ....

i notice these are all answers from approx. 2013. my problem with the room is the noise and lack of coziness. there is no hardwood floor-it was carpeted about a month ago. have purchased $12,000 of fabric furniture and a leather recliner. have a custom designed-large unit with bookcases on the side and tv in center. the walls throught the main floor of the house, adjacent to this room are alla beautiful grayish green-neutral color. i have a banister overlooking the great room and i think i will put some kind of tapestry or something over it. also thinking perhaps putting things on top of shelves,might soften it a little. i have seen people decorate with old suitcases, etc but at this point have nothing that would make the very top of the bookshelf look more cozy. i don't need it to look smaller or shorter, i need it to be shorter. any current advice from 2015?

i don't need it to look smaller or shorter, i need it to be shorter. any current advice from 2015?

Well,yes: talk to a local architect.

We know, but thanks for reminding the non- readers. :)

i am getting confused. these answers from people are not all directed at my question. i think i need to send pics. i can decorate to make it cozy-i just want to make it quieter. we have carpeting (brand new), furniture-fabric and one leather piece (new) drapes, the wall is a neutral grayishgreen and we have had a custom shelving unit built that takes up the length of one wall but is only 6-7' high. we just want it quieter. i believe that the only thing that is going to help now is to lower the ceiling and i guess everyone's advice is to see an architect. i appreciate all the information and help from everyone and if any one else has any info, i be ever so grateful. thank you.

colby, why dont you make your own dilemma post and then folks wont be confused.

don't know how to do that. i just put it on HOUZZ as a question and then people started replying. so how do i do that?

when you click "advice" at the top it gives you a space to start a new dilemma. it says "what are you working on" or something like that.

Floor to ceiling drapes will help warm a room. Adding very large art pieces (over 7' high) will help also. Go bold colors for interest. Ck on line.