Why High Ceilings will Elevate your Home...Literally

By Zephyr and Stone

Want to know what really gives a home that WOW factor? Height! And we’re not talking double-story homes, we’re talking high ceilings…

Wooden kitchen island bench with marble benchtop and high ceiling kitchen — Woorak House by CM Studio • High ceilings in kitchen

Investing in High or Double Height Ceilings not only creates a beautiful feature but can actually make a room feel and look substantially bigger. If you’re renovating or building and your home is modest in scale, adding height in selected rooms is the perfect way to ensure you maximise your building footprint and create the visual illusion of a larger home.

high ceiling living room — Llaneast St Project by Ivy from @39_llaneast • High ceiling homes

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What is the standard Ceiling Height in Australia?

So what Ceiling Height is adequate? If building a new home, ceiling heights of less than 2.7 metres or just under 9 feet are false economies and best avoided. Low ceiling heights can put a ceiling on the value of your home long term if you come to sell #punintended. This is a factor where a compromise at the building stage, is a compromise for the long term, as unlike a kitchen benchtop or mixer tap which are relatively easy to change or upgrade, changing the height of a ceiling down the track is no easy feat.

Standard ceiling height Australia:
Most standard ceilings in Australia are 2440mm, 2590mm or 2740mm high, with 2590mm and 2740mm being most common in new builds.

Kitchen with island bench and dining table for high ceiling lighting ideas — Rachel Hudson Architecture • High ceiling lighting ideas

Further to the 2.7 metre minimum ceiling height, why not go even bigger in a part of you home, like the living or kitchen/dining areas? Extra high ceilings will transform and open up a room like no other design feature can. Ceiling height not only equals space, it also creates an open, airy feel and increases light in the room as there is more surface area off which light can bounce.

Clickable poster of home renovation budget tracker tool for home remodeling by zephyr and stone — Zephyr and Stone: Renovation Budget Tracker

High ceilings also provide the opportunity for feature highlight windows which can provide beautiful sky and tree vistas, and increase your connection with the outdoors. Designing a home with highlight windows positioned to capture the low-sitting Winter Sun, can transform a dark, cool room into a sun-filled sanctuary that becomes the most popular space in the house.

high ceilings living room — Skylight House by Rachel Hudson Architecture • High ceilings living room

So whilst you’re in the design stage of your new home or renovation, don’t overlook the stand-out feature that can absolutely transform your home, solve the problem of inadequate Winter Sun, and add value when it comes to sale time. Ceiling Heights can tick all these boxes, and literally, elevate your space! Looking for more home inspo?