Have uplighters rather than downlighters. Declutter the space. Make sure the ceiling is white ....

Thanks for the reply. Its for my son's room. Was thinking of painting one or two walls in a blue turquoise. Do you think it will make the room smaller because of low ceiling ? The room is 10 by 10.

Hello Helen. How old is your son?

Thank you for that a good idea. And for the previous comment my son is 13.

Blue is a cooling colour and will make the room bigger than painting is for example Red. Maybe let your son pick a colour he likes, as he is the one living there!! (self selected colour therapy!). Personally I love white and add colour through soft furnishings, pictures, then I can easily change the feeling of the room, without having to get the decorating brush out. Mirrors, shiny things reflect light so make rooms feel bigger.
Happy Painting - change your home, change your life!

Hello Helen, if you are considering adding some millwork. You could keep the crown moulding shy of the ceiling and bring the ceiling colour down onto the wall above the new crown.

My son actually did pick the color. He likes nature. He also wants a picture of a mountain that we took in Europe to put up on his wall. Maybe make beach style. Do you have any suggestions ?

Good mornign Helen,
A dark paint can give the feeling of a higher ceiling! (I know, it goes against our common sense...but it's true!) I've attached a picture that is a great example of this effect! The ceiling feels endless....like a night sky.

Here's the same effect in a bedroom:

So if I were to paint one wall blue and the ceiling a darker shade it would make the ceiling high?

By the way the ceiling is a "popcorn" ceiling.

Consider placing a large cove molding at the ceiling and paint it and the ceiling white. Its diagonal and concave angle eliminates the 90 degree turn at the ceiling. It becomes a part of the ceiling adding visual height and expanse. The eye then follows a continuous, diagonal line vs. stopping at the 90 degree ceiling edges. Anything positioned on a diagonal adds more visual depth or distance.

Thank you Scott design that's a great idea.

I'm not sure if you're already settled with furniture for your son's room, but tall, narrow pieces will add vertical lines and give him more floor space.
Also, a cool color on the walls, but not bright. A warm or bright color will advance, cool will recede.

Yes, for example using a navy blue on the ceiling would create a "black hole" effect. The ceiling then looks much higher and further away!