How to Choose
Ceiling Colors

Ceiling colors is perhaps the most neglected part of home decorating color schemes. Learn how to choose the color of your ceiling for a more polished look...

Professional decorators devote just as much time to choosing ceiling colors as they do to selecting paint colors for the walls.

They realize that the color of your ceiling can make or break the overall effect, so they treat a ceiling as the fifth wall - which it is!

Besides, in bedrooms, you often spend more time looking at the ceiling anyway - why not paint it a pretty, complementing color, or maybe even use some decorative painting techniques, so that you will actually enjoy looking at it?

Tips for Choosing Ceiling Paint Colors

• if your home has an open floor plan, keep the ceiling in all areas the same color - for consistency and flow



• in bedrooms and bathrooms, it's perfectly fine to use different ceiling colors (these rooms have doors, so the flow of your home color scheme will not be interrupted)

• popcorn ceilings should be painted white or cream - you don't want to draw attention to the texture (which is considered dated these days)

• if you want to keep your ceiling and woodwork white, use the same shade of white both on the ceiling and woodwork (otherwise you will get a mismatched, jumpy look)

• if you have white elements in your decor (white painted furniture, fabrics, accents, etc), it's better to match your ceiling paint color to the other white shades



• a pale blue ceiling will appear higher (providing your wall color is light also)

• small rooms can really benefit from the same light color both on the walls and ceiling

• to create a feeling of flow and space in a room where walls are painted with a mid-tone or deep/dark color, tint your ceiling paint with the wall color

• to pull your room color scheme together, match the color of your ceiling to the lightest shade found in your drapes, fabrics or wallpaper that you use in the room

• if you want to visually lower your ceiling and create a cozier atmosphere, consider painting your ceilings with the wall color, a shade darker or a different, complementing color



• when the color of your ceiling is different from the wall paint color, make sure it relates to and coordinates with the walls and the rest of your decor

• coffered and tray ceilings should never be painted plain white - these beautiful architectural features should be emphasized with a complementing color

• remember that the same color you use on the walls, will usually look darker on the ceiling (because you'll be seeing the color on different planes)

• don't forget about paint color undertones when choosing and coordinating ceiling colors with your decor - not all shades of white (or any other color for that matter) are created equal!

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