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Vaulted ceiling decorating?

12 years ago
We just moved into this house and are having a disagreement on how much should be decorated. My husband thinks there should be big stuff hanging high up on the wall and sitting on the ledge above the TV/fireplace wall. I think it's too cluttered already but the items all have sentimental value so it's hard to figure out what to put where.

Comments (19)

  • 12 years ago
    I guess a southwest style rug would work. I feel like it would be too much with all of the little things hanging on the wall but the empty space seems strange too.
  • 12 years ago
    Your husband is right. The way you have it now looking like little people live here. Need to bring some height to your decorating.
  • 12 years ago
    I like this idea. You could use something other than an old pully to hang a large canvas or tapestry on the wall where the bookshelf is now. The idea is to make the hanger a part of the over all look. In this case it is an industrial look. Remove the bookshelf and take all of the little things off of the wall. Then decide where and how much of the wall you want to cover. You would probably need something low on that wall too. Maybe a console table with several candlesticks and a small piece of art propped against the wall. I would put only a few items of varying sizes on the shelf above the built in. I would also remove some of the things from the bookshelves. :)
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  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I like the tapestry, but all those little things on the wall will forever be misplaced on that wall due to the wrong scale. The little things need to find a much smaller wall. i would also paint the fireplace wall a darker color to keep it the focal point instead of the tapestry. Always think scale & balance. So on the ledge you need to put a LARGE vase with some baskets to the right of it, which will be lower than the vase. Not much more than that or you'll have too much with all the stuff in the bookcases. You need more books in the bookcases also so that you can spread around your decor items. Is there nowhere else for your TV??? I'd almost consider hanging the TV above the FP instead of blocking the bookcase.
  • 12 years ago
    I like that idea happyasaclam. Thank you! I didn't want all of the small stuff on the wall so maybe if I can find one big tapestry he'll be ok with taking some of it down.

    Oasis - we considered putting the tv in the alcove above the fireplace but it was slightly too big for the opening. There isn't anywhere else in the room that it fits so we went with what the people who used to live here did with their tv. At first I thought it was weird but it's grown on me. I'd love to get rid of the tv altogether but that'll never happen with my husband! I'm still working on the built in shelves as they are really deep so anything small gets lost.
  • 12 years ago
    I thought it was a pretty neat idea. I saved it to my ideabook when I found it. I have a similiar problem! Post pictures when you get it all fixed up! :)
  • 12 years ago
    Our vaulted ceilings are not as high as yours, but we found that hanging large prints higher on the wall took away the starkness of it. I also stencilled wisteria along the wall up at the ceiling and it added some extra interest. I will say that too much stuff up high becomes a cleaning nightmare :). It will only get dusted about two times a year... Blick. Just be cautious of that.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Does your husband like moose hunting?
  • 12 years ago
    haha Mark. He'd probably love it!
  • 12 years ago
    Agree with lefty -- using a large piece of artwork, treat the wall as though it were 8-9 feet. High ceilings provide a sense of space, and cluttering them up takes away from that.
  • 12 years ago
    I have a two story living room. My stairs is on the other side of the room and you can see the upstairs hallway to the bed rooms. There is a balcony too. I decided tho paint the lower level a warm sandy tone, Manchester tan from Benjamin Moore. I used the same color going up the steps. The higher second story is a blue from the pottery barn collection of Benjamin Moore. The upstairs hallway is painted the blue too. It really breaks up the height of such a big space. The inset over your fire place could be painted a complimentary color. Keeping in that same height as above the fireplace paint the same color on the wall left of the tv. I have three large portrait hung above the second story line. My mother, my daughter and myself ( I really didn't plan that it just happened to have the portraits). It worked well and was cluttered. Most people comment on the placement and choice of the three generations. Hope this helps you.
  • 12 years ago
    It looks to me that the tv could be installed all the way to the right or left of fireplace in front of the bookcase area. Are those two bookcases symmetrical? Can you hang the fireplace over what would be the opening and then cover the bottom of the opening with a chest for the time being? You could come in later and drywall a specific set up. I think you have plenty of room, you just need to reconfigure the openings and/or cover them up.

    Your husband cannot have it both ways: all that little stuff has to completely go, not partly go. Some of it can be displayed on the bookshelves? It looks really, really bad.
  • 8 years ago

    Larger statement pieces might make the area appear less cluttered and be more in proportion to the size of the wall. I have vaulted ceilings and have a 4pc Thai wood carving on that wall that takes up a great deal of the blank space.

  • 8 years ago
    Hang a large pint or tapestry. I would remove move some of the pieces lower to another space. You could always rotate them if you want to enjoy them all.
  • 8 years ago

    find a smaller wall for smaller items & use a large print or something more grand for the space, and rotate as suggested.

  • 8 years ago
    Oh my! So much stuff!
    I would remove the free standing bookcase.
    Put the albums on the bottom shelf of the book case.....or behind the tv to be brought out occasionally to ‘remember’. Same with all of
    the small knickknacks. Get photo boxes for them and have a remember night.
    Can you decorate a guest room in Southwest?
    Place the small stuff above the bookcase on a small wall there.
    I am not a fan of tapestry, but a handsome American Indian blanket hung correctly may work.
  • 8 years ago
    If you dont have books to put into the bookshelves ...take out some shelves and use it for tv ..and other storage ..take out all the little decorative items from wall and shelves ..
    Hang a big painting or a large grouping of photographs ..or put a large mirror .../ Navajo rug ...(or lookalike ) ...but get rid of all the sentimental little things and find a better place for them where you can enjoy them alone ,.but , where they don't cludder a beautiful new livingroom where you want to entertain your friends and family . make it more relaxing and generous ..you are lucky enough to have the space so make the changes that the new house requires and enjoy a new look .