Why are all your ceilings plain boring white?
Your ceiling is your 5th wall and should not be ignored.
Consider painting your ceilings a color for a more personalized and unique home.
Painted ceilings are especially important when you have crown molding or a tray ceiling, else your moldings or architectural details will visually disappear.
Here are a few options for selecting a ceiling paint color to give your home an interior design magazine worthy style.
photo courtesy of Paula Henry flickr.com/photos/indyagent/2609350884/A little darker or lighter
You can paint your ceiling a bit darker or lighter than your walls.
To do this, simply look at the paint color strip with your paint color on it.
Select a color one or two up or down the strip from your wall color.
Make sure the color is noticeably different else painting the ceiling will be a waste of your time.
An easy option for adding a little color to your ceiling is to purchase plain white ceiling paint and add a little of your wall paint to the ceiling paint in order to create a lighter version of your wall color.
Add just a little wall color to start with, then gradually add in more to get your desired color.
Since this will be a custom color, make sure that you have plenty of paint to complete the job.
A dramatic color
For a special room, you can paint your ceiling a dramatic color, such as a teal, chocolate brown, or metallic color.
This would work well in a powder bathroom, dining room, or primary bedroom.
A neutral color
If you would like to keep the ceiling a neutral color, simply select a light khaki, cream, or light gray color for the ceiling.
Make sure that the color is noticeably different than your white moldings.
Same color as your walls
You can also use the same paint color on your ceilings as on your walls.
Using the same paint makes the task of painting easier since you do not have to tape off between the walls and ceilings.
It is also cheaper since you will only have to purchase one color of paint.
Here are some interior designer tips & tricks....
- Flat paint hides the most wall imperfections (and it is the cheapest sheen), so it is the paint sheen that is generally preferred for a ceiling.
- If you are unfamiliar with no VOC paints, check out the article Eco-Friendly Paint.
- Make sure that you do not paint your smoke detectors, else they may not function properly.
- For tips and tricks for painting a ceiling, check out the article How to Paint a Ceiling.
