A homeowner is unlikely to enjoy a room where it feels like the upper floor is bearing down on you. Rooms with soaring ceilings are preferable, and real estate listings often list this quality as one of the benefits of the property.

High ceilings can do a lot of good for your home. Joanna Tovia, writing for the home design site Houzz, says they can make a space seem much larger. In this way, a homeowner will feel much less claustrophobic even if a room is actually rather small.

There are certain disadvantages to high ceilings, though. Jayme Naciri, writing for Realty Times, says the large spaces created by these ceilings make the room harder to heat or cool. It can also be a challenge to reach the ceiling if you need to change a light bulb.

Decorating a room with a high ceiling can also be difficult. This arrangement also results in tall walls, which can look fairly destitute if you only hang pictures and other items closer to the ground. You might also put up some decorations and discover that they look out of place.

Take a look at the space to see how you might modify it. Scot Meacham Wood, writing for House Beautiful, says you may want to go with designs that capitalize on the room's height if the room features only basic building materials. Otherwise, you may be able to capitalize on the architectural features already in place.

Tall rooms often have exposed rafters or beams. Tovia says you can either leave these features as is or paint them to blend in with the room's color scheme. Ronique Gibson, writing for the home design and architecture site Freshome, says finishes such as plaster or clay can also help highlight a beam.

Ceiling panels can add an interesting new texture to the room. These choices can range from wood to metal to beautiful murals. Any of these options will create a look that draws more interest than a typical painted ceiling.

Consider experimenting with the color of the room. Dark colors will make a small room seem more cramped, but they will work better in places with high ceilings. If you aren't sure about changing the color of the entire room, you can create an accent wall to draw attention to one part of the space.

Rooms with high ceilings are particularly good candidates for windows. Tovia says the opportunity to install large windows, particularly on walls facing the south, allows you to benefit from the sun's natural light and warmth.

Installing louvered windows close to the ceiling will create an opening to let hot air escape. This design can be particularly beneficial for improving air flow during the summer and allowing steam to escape in bathrooms with high ceilings.

Larger windows will also result in a larger surface area for you to clean. Gibson says extension poles are available to aid in the task of washing the glass.

It might be best to leave the window unadorned, but you might prefer to have window treatments available as a design choice or to block the sun on warm days. These long drapes can easily add to the style of the room, and a large valance curtain over the window can also help fill the space.

High ceilings allow plenty of space to hang dramatic light fixtures. Wood suggests hanging the chandeliers and other fixtures so they reach close to the ground, thereby creating a more intimate space within the larger room. Having the light fixtures at this elevation also makes it more manageable to change a bulb.

A room with a high ceiling is a perfect place to display a large painting or other oversized pieces. Gibson says you might be able to work with the architecture of the room, hanging pictures or artwork in such a way that it accentuates the slope of the ceiling or other features.

Avoid keeping everything at the same general height. Wood says you can add more visual interest to a room by mixing taller items such as bookcases with smaller items located at a lower height.