Two-Story Wall Decorating Ideas for Better Flow

The trick with a double-height wall is to decorate in proportion to the room, not to fill every inch. Use oversized art, texture or millwork, tall drapery and a light fixture with real volume, and keep most of the decor in the lower two thirds of the wall.

It's very common to walk into a two-story living room, love the light, and then stare at 18 feet of blank drywall with no idea what to do. Below are eight wall decor ideas for a living room with tall ceilings, plus a few notes on the floor, since the two work together.

Save

How do you choose art for a very tall wall?

Scale is the usual problem. A standard 24x36-inch print on an 18-foot wall looks like a postage stamp, and it makes the wall look even bigger.

I recommend thinking in vertical thirds: the bottom is human scale, the middle is the bridge, and the top is the canopy. Put most of your decor in the bottom and middle. For a single piece, go big, at least 60 inches tall. If that's out of budget, a triptych with panels spaced about 2-3 inches apart reads as one large installation.

Heavy frames need proper hardware. Skip picture wire and use a French cleat (a Z-bar) screwed into the studs, which keeps the piece flush and secure.

Can millwork and paneling make a tall room feel cozier?

Yes. Texture and shadow lines break up a flat expanse of drywall. A grid of board and batten running up toward the ceiling gives the wall depth and looks finished even without art. Vertical wood slats also draw the eye up and add warmth, and they help with echo.

For a traditional look, a chair rail at about 36 inches and a picture rail at 9 or 10 feet work well. Paint the lower part a deeper color and keep the upper part lighter.

One thing to avoid: crown molding at the 8-foot mark in a 16-foot room. It draws a hard horizontal line that chops the wall in half. Any molding should relate to the full height of the space.

Where should the curtain rod go?

As high as you can reasonably mount it. On a two-story window wall, that means just under the ceiling, which makes a tall column of fabric that softens the corners. Over a lower row of windows with blank wall above, extend the rod 10-12 inches past the frame on each side so the curtains stack back without covering the glass.

Be realistic about operation, too. Nobody wants to haul 18-foot drapes across by hand every night, and dangling cords are a hazard for pets and kids. A motorized track is the practical choice, and battery-powered versions exist if you can't run wiring at that height.

Save

How big should a light fixture be in a two-story room?

Bigger than you'd choose for a normal ceiling. A tiny fixture gets lost in the volume. Look for a multi-tier chandelier or one with a long vertical drop to fill the space between furniture and ceiling.

A common sizing rule: add the room's length and width in feet, and read the total as inches for the fixture diameter. A 20 x 16 foot room suggests a fixture around 36 inches wide. If the fixture is not over a table, keep the bottom at least 7 feet off the floor. Over a coffee table in a seating group, I'd hang it a bit lower to make the area feel more intimate.

Tall rooms also trap shadows in the upper corners. A fixture that throws some light upward, or directional recessed lights aimed at the upper walls, keeps the room from feeling gloomy at night.

Do built-in shelves work on a double-height wall?

They do, and they add storage while giving the wall a focal point. Taking shelving up 10-12 feet looks intentional, and a rolling library ladder adds a diagonal line and a bit of metal that breaks up all that vertical.

Style the high shelves for distance. Small trinkets 12 feet up are invisible and collect dust. Use large vessels, baskets or stacks of big books. From the floor, three large vases read better than twenty small figurines.

If you have a cat, a tall bookshelf is a climbing frame. Anchor the unit to the wall, secure heavy objects with museum wax, and keep fragile pieces off the climbing route. For more ideas on flanking a focal point, see these wall decorating ideas for beside a fireplace.

Save

Which wall coverings suit a tall wall?

Paint can look flat across that much surface. Grasscloth, linen-look coverings and textured vinyl give a continuous surface that absorbs light and softens sound. If you choose a pattern, pick a large repeat of 24 inches or more, because a small print turns into visual noise from across the room.

Stone veneer from hearth to ceiling is another option. It anchors a fireplace wall and brings in a natural texture.

Color matters here too. For the best color combination for floors and walls, match undertones: warm wood floors sit well with warm whites, creams and muted earth tones, while cool gray floors suit cooler neutrals. Use a deeper shade on the lower wall and keep the upper wall light so the height stays airy. Flat or matte paint also hides drywall seams that glossy paint would highlight on a tall wall.

How do you fix echo in a two-story room?

Hard floors, glass and bare drywall bounce sound around, so part of your wall decor should be absorbing it. Heavy wool tapestries, felt panels and printed acoustic panels all count as art.

A hidden option is to fit a slab of 2-inch acoustic foam inside the back of a large stretched canvas. It catches sound bouncing off the parallel wall without changing how the piece looks.

Save

Where do mirrors belong?

At eye level. A mirror hung 15 feet up reflects the ceiling and little else. Center it around 60-65 inches from the floor, or lean a very tall floor mirror (7 feet or more) against the wall so it captures the furniture layout. Secure the top with an anti-tip strap, especially with kids or pets around.

What to put on the floor for decor in a tall room

A tall room makes the floor work harder. Floor decoration ideas start with a big rug, because a small one floats like an island and pushes the walls further away. I'd go for something like 10x14 or 12x15 feet, so the sofa and chairs sit at least partly on it.

Safety matters here. Researchers note that loose throw rugs and area carpets with curled edges or folds are among the factors most often cited as increasing fall risk. Use a proper rug pad, and replace any rug with curling corners.

Beyond the rug, heavy furniture with low, deep profiles and solid bases balances the height. Delicate spindly chairs look weak in a tall space. Add one element that breaks the 8-foot line, such as a ficus or olive tree, an arc floor lamp or the drapery. Then leave one cozy corner, like a reading chair with a lamp, where the ceiling height stops mattering.

Save

If you want more options, I cover a wider set of ideas in 19 ideas for decorating a two-story wall, and the same logic of scale and grounding applies to sofa layouts in large rooms.

Frequently asked questions