Renovating your ceilings could be the best thing for your home, according to design experts
- Leanne and Steve Ford spoke to Insider ahead of the premiere of "Home Again With the Fords."
- They told Insider that raising your ceiling can make your home feel bigger.
- Their new show premieres Tuesday on HGTV at 9 p.m. ET.
Brother-sister duo Leanne and Steve Ford are teaming up on HGTV again.
After the success of "Restored by the Fords," the siblings are returning to the home-decor TV scene with their new show, "Home Again With The Fords."
In the new series, the Fords are renovating houses in their hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for other Steel City-natives who are moving back home.
Ahead of the premiere, the Fords spoke to Insider about how to make your home as functional as possible for your life as you renovate it.
If you want your space to feel bigger, look up
As people renovate their spaces, they often have the goal of making their home feel more spacious.
Many people turn to open-concept floor plans to create that larger feel, particularly since many HGTV shows spotlight the style.
But Leanne told Insider that taking down walls isn't always the right move.
"I like that in the right home, but I always liked to go up," Leanne said of open floor plans.
Whether you realize it or not, the ceiling plays a big role in how you view a space, according to Leanne.
"When you're looking straight ahead, you see everything in the space," she said, which is why making changes to the ceiling can make such a difference in the overall feel of a room.
"I think that people kind of ignore the ceiling when, in fact, it's just as important as the walls," she added.
Leanne suggests exposing the rafters, raising the ceiling, or adding texture to a ceiling to make a room feel more spacious and inviting.
With any renovation you do, remember to think about the big picture
Whether you're making changes to your ceiling or painting a wall, it's important to keep in mind why you're making adjustments in your home.
"Think big picture first," Leanne advises. "As you are going to do a renovation think, 'What's the vision for the home? How do I want to live here? How do I want to enjoy it?'"
"I think a big mistake people make is renovating for a life they don't actually have," Leanne said. "That's kind of a waste of space."
For instance, if you're someone who spends more time in your living room than your kitchen, it doesn't make sense to invest a lot of money in creating more counter space.
"When you're looking at style and design, don't try to do what your friends and family think you should do," Leanne told Insider. "Think about what you're drawn to and do what makes you happy."
"Home Again With The Fords" is premiering on HGTV on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. You can learn more about the series here.
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