Decorate a double-volume space

When you live in a property that has a double-volume space it's difficult to know what to put on the walls. There are plenty of townhouses that are designed with a double-volume space, because it's easier for designers and builders to leave out interior walls and slap in a concrete slab for an elevated loft or bedroom. But how do you decorate this high-ceilinged area?

 

A double-volume lounge is probably the easiest space to work with. You have the option of drawing attention to the height by adding art or design that spans from floor to ceiling, drawing the eye upwards and making the space feel lofty and open.

 

If you are going for a more cosy look, mounting art or accessories at eye level, or just above this, has the opposite effect, by focusing attention on the lower level of a room and detracting from the high ceiling. Breaking up the space with a border or dado rail (source at your local Builders Warehouse), or painting the lower half in a shade darker than that above, also detracts from the height of a room and works to create the illusion of a less lofty space.

 

Lighting a double-volume space
However, not every double-volume space allows for this type of installation, and other options might be to suspend a collection of smaller - or a single large - pendants or a chandelier from the ceiling. While this type of lighting arrangement draws attention to the height of a ceiling, it also brings the eye down to where the pendants are hung, making a room feel less lofty but just as spacious.

 

 

ABOVE: Rather than detract from the double-volume space, this dining room accentuates the height with wall art. The pendant light above the table serves to create a cosy atmosphere for evening dining.

 

Built-in floor to ceiling shelves are another way to full up a wall in a double-volume space. Personally, this might look nice but I can't imagine getting up and down a ladder to dust those shelves!

 

ABOVE: A floor-to-ceiling bookcase in this study not only adds plenty of storage, it also adds warmth and texture to what would otherwise have been a sterile space. The artwork mounted halfway detracts from the height of the room.

Window treatments in a double-volume space
Choosing window treatments for a double-volume space can lead to many sleepless nights. Where windows are overlooked and privacy is an issue, you will want to install drapes or blinds. Because of the height of these window treatments, look at a motorised option that can be opened and closed with ease. Sandblasting glass windows allows for privacy without loss of natural light, as does having tinted glass fitted to window panes.

ABOVE: This living room receives plenty of natural light via windows throughout the open-plan double-volume space, and floor-to-ceiling curtains add detail to break up the monotony of a windowed-wall. The black trim ties together the wall art and detail on the upholstered furniture.

ABOVE: To design a cosy and comfortable lounge in a double-volume space, hang window treatments at conventional window height.