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These gorgeous ceiling design ideas are sure to convince you to add some drama to your ceiling.
Should I paint my ceiling a color other than white?
While it is hard to go wrong with a white ceiling, you shouldn’t feel limited to the “safe” choice. Ceilings comprise 1/6 of the surfaces enclosing a room, yet are often overlooked when choosing the color scheme for a space. Considering your ceiling in your overall design aesthetic – whether you go bold or stay neutral – will help create a more cohesive finished space. This post features a compilation of the best ceiling design ideas in addition to the tips you need to copy these looks.
What to consider before painting your ceiling
Before you start painting, you should consider the condition of your ceiling and ceiling type. Is your ceiling smooth drywall? Is it plaster with cracks? Do you have exposed beams or a coffered ceiling? Do you have decorative moulding? Are you dealing with an unsightly textured ceiling?
Your answers to these questions will help determine which design choices will work best for your space and the prep work that will be required.
Common types of ceilings and how to prep them
Smooth Ceilings
If your ceiling falls into this category, consider yourself lucky! This is the most versatile ceiling to work with and little prep work is required. Address any cracked paint and clean your ceiling prior to priming.
Damaged Ceilings
If the plaster or drywall on your ceiling is damaged, make sure the root cause has been rectified before proceeding. It is expected that plaster ceilings may sag or crack with time due to structural settling, water damage, or temperature fluctuations. A low-sheen paint, which has a minimally reflective finish, or wallpaper can both help to minimize the appearance of cosmetic imperfections.
Textured ceilings
Some say the purpose of these ceilings is to dampen sound in a room. Others say that the texture adds visual interest, elevating the décor in the space….but who actually believes either? The real purpose of these ceilings is to hide issues like shoddy drywall seams and water damage. Unfortunately, textured ceilings that date prior to around 1980 have the potential to contain asbestos.
So, before you scrape it off your ceiling, get it tested so you don’t inhale asbestos dust! You can use at home test kits like these. If your ceiling tests positive, your best course of action is to consult a certified asbestos abatement contractor. Asbestos is not inherently dangerous when left undisturbed. So, opting to cover your ceiling with wallpaper or beadboard can be an option if removing it is not feasible.
Ceiling Design Ideas
Painted Ceilings
Paint is probably the easiest way to dress up your ceiling.
If you are using wallpaper on the walls, paint the trim and ceiling either a complimentary or contrasting color. To conceal any minor imperfections in the ceiling and to provide delineation between the trim and ceiling, you can choose a flat finish for the ceiling and a glossy finish for the trim.
Using the same color paint for the walls and ceiling serves as a striking backdrop to highlight statement art or lighting. Choosing a dark ceiling and wall color can make a small space feel larger; dark colors appear to recede, while light colors appear visually closer.
If you’re designing a space rich in color and texture, why stop at your ceiling? Make a statement with a bold ceiling color.
In this case, a pink ceiling is a perfect compliment to the centerpiece of the room – the canopy bed, featuring Lee Jofa Hollyhock fabric. As you may remember, I’m quite partial to this print.
Pale blue ceilings have long been the color of choice for southern porches. This tradition began because the Gullah Geechee people believed it helped ward off malicious spirits. Now, it is done primarily for aesthetic purposes. However, blue ceilings don’t need to be saved for the porch because they look just as beautiful inside your home!
This soft blue ceiling paint complements the background of this incredible Gracie Studio mural wallpaper. It also serves as a continuation of the sky in the mural, opening up this dining room.
As you can see, I’m a big fan of using bold ceiling colors in my own home too! For our recent guest bathroom renovation, I chose to paint the trim of my Hitchcock ceiling the same color as the trim throughout the rest of the room (Sommerville Red). Then, I used the same deep burgundy shade I used on the walls, on the ceiling (New London Burgundy).
This room has quite a small footprint, but the use of a color darker than the trim on the ceiling, makes the ceiling and walls recede, enlarging the appearance of this room.
While I mentioned painting the ceiling the same color as the walls to make a room feel larger, if you really want to give the impression that your ceiling reaches the heavens, look no further! You can be dining under the stars from the comfort of your own dining room by painting a mural of the sky on your ceiling.
Wallpapered Ceilings
Paint isn’t the only way to add interest to your ceiling. Wallpaper is a fun way to introduce patterns into a space. Installing it on your ceiling is also an excellent way to ensure you get a shoulder workout 😉
The awkward angles that result from dormers may pose a design dilemma. People often wonder, “Do I paint the ceiling the same color as the walls or do I paint the low walls and dormers one color and the ceiling another?
To mix things up, try adding wallpaper to the dormers and ceiling and painting the trim and doors a complementary color. Use the same print for accents throughout the space. In this room, the combination of the Colefax & Fowler Bowood pillows and bedspread help tie the space together and complement the pale blue paint.
If you find a print you love, why limit yourself to fabric? Use it on your walls and ceilings too! This charming bedroom uses the Sister Parish Dolly wallpaper on the ceiling and walls and the same pattern for the half tester canopy and bed skirt.
Wallpaper can also be used on the ceiling as a more subtle accent.
You probably don’t live in a castle, but that doesn’t have to stop you from feeling like you do, by using gold wallpaper on the ceiling.
In this elegant, blue butler’s pantry, grasscloth wallpaper on the ceiling provides a more subtle gold accent.
Another way to use a patterned wallpaper on the ceiling, without drawing the room’s entire focus upwards, is to mirror the colors in the ceiling wallpaper, in your rug for balance.
Exposed Beam Ceiling Ideas
If you own an older home that contains exposed beams, you may have wondered what color you should paint the ceiling beams. You can either paint the ceiling beams or restore their natural wood finish. If you choose to paint yours, there are a few different approaches that will help you choose the right color to create a balanced space.
Two basic options are to to paint them the same color as the rest of your walls or paint them the same color as your trim. In my sunroom, I opted to paint my ceiling beam the same color as my trim.
You must also consider how the color of your ceiling will play with the color of your beams.
In this eye-catching hallway by Miles Redd, the ceiling beams are painted white to match the trim and the ceiling is painted blue, serving as a continuation of the sky in the mural on the walls. The white beams offer a beautiful contrast to the blue ceiling and are reminiscent of clouds in a sky.
High Gloss / Lacquer Ceilings
While you may need a few additional skim coats to ensure your ceiling is smooth as glass before proceeding, a lacquered ceiling can elevate a room, without overpowering it.
This lacquered ceiling adds unexpected drama to this beautiful, neutral space.
Other Ceiling Design Ideas
If you still haven’t seen what you’re looking for, check out these unique design ideas that will add interest to your ceiling!
The white lattice design on this porch ceiling really pops against the green ceiling paint.
If you’re looking for a way to cover a textured ceiling, try installing beadboard! A high gloss paint will emphasize the beadboard, drawing your eye to the ceiling, even if you paint it white.
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