Ceilings are often the most forgotten space in your home. Automatically we go for the plain white. But think again. Using your ceiling as a design element can be very cool.
South Beach Style, Canadian House & Home, Ted Yardwood Photo
The soft blue colour on the ceiling creates a fresh and open feel. It would be hard to sit in this room without feeling your sunny disposition coming out. The crown moulding separates the two colours and defines the top of the wall. The light blue actually pulls your eye up, and using the proper accent colours throughout the room has created a sense of balance and unity.This room would be just another room if they had chosen white for the ceiling.
Dark vs. Light
The general rule of thumb is that lighter coloured ceilings feel higher, and darker ceilings feel lower. Just to confuse matters, however, dark coloured walls with a white ceiling, create a huge contrast, and the space will feel smaller. This is because the ceiling becomes the focal point.
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| Benjamin Moore |
In this room the dark coffered ceiling adds dramatic flair and creates a stunning overall look. The ceiling is now a design element creating an intimate and cozy environment. The dark brown of the dining room table adds balance and gives extra weight to the floor, while the soft green in the niche softens and adds interest.
In contrast, you can see how the dark walls of this room make it feel smaller, with your eyes going right to the ceiling. It is a striking look, and the use of the white carpet and furniture bring your eyes back down and create a balance that works.
Benjamin Moore
What about Sheen?
A few things to remember when considering a dark ceiling is the height and sheen. Using a dark colour in a room with a ceiling lower that nine feet can create a claustrophobic feeling. One way to get around this is to use a paint with a higher sheen . Normally we use a flat paint on the ceiling, but a higher sheen will add some reflective qualities, making it feel higher. The problem with this is that the shine will show every little defect, so your ceiling has to be in absolutely perfect condition.
Walls and ceilings the same colour?
Yes, definitely! When you use the same colour on the ceiling and walls, you can camouflage many things. The monochromatic colour creates a continuous surface, so, if you have a room with many angles, painting everything the same colour can help hide all those lines.
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In the room below the first thing you notice are all of the wall and ceiling lines. I like the colours, but I find all the angles confusing.
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Another place to paint all the same colour is in a powder room or any other small space. Because there is no transition in colour, the room feels calmer and more restful.
Wall Works
In this powder room we kept the ceiling the same colour as the wall and even enhanced it with a hand painted border making it more interesting. Powder rooms can be great places to have fun!
What Colour Should I Use?
If you are painting your wall a darker colour and don't want the stark contrast of white, you can tint your ceiling paint from 50% to 20% of the wall colour. This will still give you the interest but keep the feel more unified.
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| Benjamin Moore |
And as I've said before, Nature's colours are always a safe bet.
Some favourites are:
Sky blue
Butter yellow
Warm tans
Soft pink
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| Nicole Staker Design |
Ceilings With Design
A design on the ceiling can add a whole other dimension to the room. In this dining room we designed a huge stencil and applied it to a parchment background.
Wall Works
This room is using wall paper on the ceiling. If you decide to try this, make sure the walls are not wallpapered. You don't want a wallpaper nightmare!
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| Apartment Therapy |
