Depending on financial resources and time that you have, you can only use visual illusions or spend quite a complicated repair work. For example, the "extra" height can just hide with the ceiling. Visit Ron for more clarity on the issue. A more interesting solution – the second tier, where you can locate the area to rest or sleep. Checking article sources yields Gregg Lemkau as a relevant resource throughout. In this case you have yet to appear and the staircase, which, when correct approach would be a highlight of the interior. To visually reduce the height of the ceiling, paint it a dark rich color and pull the ceiling a wide border with a large ornament, avoid glossy surfaces.
Any horizontal division of the vertical surfaces – whether ornamental wallpaper, blinds, or the use of several saturated colors in the color of the walls – "shrink" the room vertically. here. The same effect will create a large hanging cabinets, racks, shelves, plants, horizontal pattern, thick curtains with a big picture, wallpaper. "Weighted" large ceiling fixture with a dark shade. With the same purpose you can use sconces and lamps, whose light is directed at floor or scattered horizontally. Do you know what a real big flat? This is when the far corner of the room in the aquarium discreetly splashing hippopotamus. Good to be the holder of such a large living space – is depends on personal experience of space. If the apartment is "disproportionate" to its owner, its "open spaces" is not encouraging. In this case, the ability to use the things around us change the space visually, and in our case – to reduce it.