Lighting Ideas for a Large Room With a Vaulted Ceiling

Skylights and Recessed Lights

• Skylights are often a feature of vaulted ceilings, offering illumination by the sun during the day. Lighting can be inserted in its frame to provide light on dark nights. Recessed lights, commonly found in vaulted ceilings, need to be spaced and located according to the pitch and the height of the vault. These alone cannot provide enough illumination for your room, because the light diffuses downward. You need a variety of different light sources in strategic areas.

Other Light Sources from the Ceiling

• If your vaulted ceiling has columns, use them as mounting platforms for spotlights to illumine the ceiling. Or, if it has beams, insert lighting along the beam next to the ceiling to accent its volume Beams can also function as the base for either pendant lighting or a large chandelier over a table or conversation area of the room.

Wall Lighting and Other Sources

• Sconces mounted about three-fourths of the way up a wall provide up-lighting to show off the ceiling. To highlight delineated areas of your large room, use track or cable lighting. A large room has focal points, such as art on the wall or a fireplace, that need to be spotlighted. Floor lamps and table lamps arranged in the seating areas add warmth and help break up the room's expanse.

Control the Lighting

• Work with a lighting specialist who can help you make the best selection for your needs and style. Install dimmers for the different areas of the room, including the ceiling lights, the sconces, the track or cable lights, and the floor and table lamps. With dimmers, you will be able to control the degree of illumination in the different areas, creating intimate groupings in some and spotlighting others.