Interior lighting is a fundamental element of any good interior design project especially if your room has a vaulted ceiling or very tall ceilings. Combining a good mix of functional and feature light fixtures is often the key to a winning lighting scheme. Here we provide some lighting solutions and ideas for vaulted ceilings or tall ceilings. 

What is a vaulted ceiling?

Vaulted ceilings are architectural arched or pitched forms in your ceiling. Originally used in cathedral architecture, they offer the interior a sense of grandeur by providing large amounts of space and beautiful architectural lines.

A vaulted ceiling can be the most beautiful architectural feature in a large living space such as a kitchen, lounge or dining area. Often found in barn renovations with exposed beams to give the space a warm rustic style, they can bring large amounts of light and air into the space. With the additional space created by opening up a ceiling there is the opportunity to hang large feature lights such as this aluminium ceiling pendant by Baliga which is 46cm tall and 46cm wide. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lighting for difficult spaces

But pitched roofs can also be a tricky customer to contend with where space is a limited. If your bedrooms or bathroom is in the eaves of a pitched roof, it can be tricky to design the space to include the furniture whilst ensuring there is enough headroom to move around. This is where smaller functional wall lighting might come in really handy. These reclaimed industrial Russian aluminium micro spot lights are great to mount on walls where space is tight and they are waterproof as well, so can be used in bathrooms or outdoors. They can be mounted next to each other on multiples or spread around the room as singles. Lovely small industrial style feature lights to use instead of a standard modern recessed spot light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inject Character with Large Feature Lighting

Love them or hate them, a vaulted ceiling or pitched roof is an opportunity to add some fantastic feature lighting to make the most of the lofty space and stamp your character on the space. With the extra space of a vaulted ceiling comes the challenge of illuminating it perfectly. Using a standard ceiling pendant typically used in a room with a 8-9 foot ceiling would look odd. The room would dwarf the pendant and make it look tiny in the space. This is a great opportunity to inject your personal style into the room by using large statement ceiling light fixtures whether it’s a rustic, industrial or contemporary style interior décor you want to achieve. If you want to add some authentic industrial character these large black industrial ceiling pendants by EOW fit the bill. At 65cm tall they are a fantastic size to fill a tall ceiling. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hang in multiples
If you have the opportunity to hang multiple light fixtures in a row, this is a good way to spread the light throughout larger spaces. This reclaimed rustic conical ceiling pendant mimics the shape of a vaulted ceiling creating a lovely design aesthetic. This would work perfectly in a kitchen with high ceilings. Place over a kitchen island in a row of three for maximum rustic charm. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Include Industrial or Rustic Features
A vaulted ceiling is a lovely excuse to incorporate reclaimed beams or industrial style conduit and metal brackets to round out your look, too. If you love the authentic industrial look or rustic farmhouse appeal then a large cage light is a great feature light to create the character you're after. This aluminium cage ceiling pendant by Kukdong would make a statement as hallway lighting with tall ceilings. 

Tips for Hanging Lights in Vaulted Ceilings

• Ensure you can reach your light fitting to be able to change the bulb.
• Use LED bulbs so you don’t have to change them so often
• Check the weight of the light fixture and ensure you have adequate support. If you are unsure always ask a professional.
• Check the size of the light fixture. Make sure it is not too small. Remember size matters!

Your goal is not only to provide adequate lighting but also to create visual interest, adding a layer of style into an otherwise empty space. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To see more large ceiling pendant lighting ideas for your interior project click here

Is it possible to eliminate waste? The end goal for the theory of an ideal circular economy where we use resources sparingly and recycle endlessly is a future without waste. Waste is a design flaw. Our business of salvage and restoration of vintage industrial lighting is part of this circular economy.