"Many people are faced with ceilings that are lower than desired, but you can make ceilings look higher with tall pieces of furniture," says Gilles Clement, an interior designer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. "A tall piece in a low height room will add dimension, interest and will make the room look higher height wise."
Conversely, he says that short furnishings will actually make the ceiling feel lower to the ground. Measure your walls and then shop accordingly.