High Ceiling Lighting Ideas

Hang Low

• High ceilings can make it difficult for light from standard fixtures to reach the floor, so have your lights hang low to help eliminate the problem. Install a large chandelier in the center of your ceiling to add a lot of light and a bit of elegant style. If you'd prefer your high ceiling lights work more like spotlights, pick up some long pendant lights to hang in a row from your ceiling. You can buy both pendant lights and chandeliers in a variety of styles at your local home improvement store.

Recess It

• If your room with a high ceiling is looking a little dim and needs some overall light, add recessed fixtures. Recessed lighting fixtures don't typically add a lot of light, but they can help keep your high ceiling room from looking like a large cave. Install recessed lights around the edge of the ceiling to get rid of dark corners. For extra overall light, place additional lights in a circle or square around your central fixture.

Add a Fan

• Rooms with high ceilings tend to stay cool, since hot air rises, but if your room could use a little circulation, add a fan with an attached light fixture to serve multiple purposes. Unlike the basic fans of yesteryear, ceiling fans today come in a variety of styles from simple black or white designs to more elaborate woven frond-type blades. Blade number and light fixture vary based on the fan. You can find a number of different styles of ceiling fans with light fixtures at your local home improvement store. Make sure when you choose a fan and a light fixture that you take the size of the room into consideration. Large rooms require larger fans to keep them cool.