Including a Painted Ceiling in Your Scheme
When painting a room, consider the ceiling within your colour scheme. The ceiling is often forgotten about or painted white out of habit. But simply changing your ceiling colour and integrating it within your scheme will have a big impact on the way that a room feels.
Whether you use coordinating shades or a contrasting colour, ceilings also offer the perfect opportunity to make a design statement.
Discover our inspiration to create an impactful interior scheme.
Choosing a ceiling colour
Create a focal point with a statement ceiling
Perhaps the most impactful approach is to pick a bold, contrasting colour. Paint the ceiling in a contrasting shade for a strong colour highlight and create a focal point that draws the eye upwards.
Pink and green is a classic colour combination that sits comfortably in any space due to its association with nature. Blush pairs beautifully with Sir Lutyens' Sage and Invisible Green to introduce a pop of colour to an otherwise tonal scheme.
If your room has coving or cornicing, consider highlighting these features by carrying the ceiling shade beyond the edges of the ceiling. Here, Blush accentuates the decorative cornicing and creates a canopy of colour. The warm dusky tone adds a feeling of warmth and makes the large living room feel cosier.
Ceiling: Blush
Upper Wall: Sir Lutyens' Sage
Lower Wall: Invisible Green
Hallways are another great place to introduce a statement shade on the ceiling. Use a bright colour that welcomes guests inside and instantly reflects your personal style.
Pair the vibrant yellow-green, Citrine, with Sky Blue on the ceiling for a colour scheme inspired by nature. Incorporate botanical features to create a real sense of connection with the outdoors.
Walls: Citrine
Ceiling: Sky Blue
Make your space feel larger with coordinated ceiling and walls
Don’t be tempted to paint the ceiling in brilliant white, as this will create a harsh line that cuts off the space.
Using the same colour across the whole space can trick the eye and extend the walls upwards. This approach works particularly well in narrow hallways that may be lacking in natural light.
Painting the walls and ceiling in one shade of white will make a scheme feel complete. Shallows is a cool, understated grey that contains a very small amount of pigment. Paint both walls and ceilings in this reflective colour to bring a sense of brightness to your hallway space. Consider painting the floor in a bold colour like Air Force Blue to ground the scheme and yet retain a light, airy feel.
Ceiling & Walls: Shallows
Trim: Jack Black
Door Inset: Smalt
Floor: Air Force Blue
Using the same shade for the walls and ceiling doesn’t necessarily mean using neutrals. Choose a bold colour and use all over for an impactful, ‘colour drenched’ look that really maximises the space.
Kitchens are the perfect places to use vibrant shades that reflect the fast-paced energy of this area of the home. Combine Garden walls with the lighter Pea Green on the ceiling for an earthy, natural kitchen space. Or use the uncompromising yellow, Giallo, in an all-over scheme to immerse family and friends in a joyful atmosphere.
Ceiling: Pea Green, Walls & Larded Cupboards: Garden, Far Walls & Door: Scullery
Ceiling, Walls & Cupboard: Giallo, Left Wall: Bone China Blue - Faint
If you are using wallpaper in your scheme, pick a colour highlight from within the wallpaper and paint the woodwork and ceiling in this colour. Consider choosing a rich, deep hue to create a cosy, cocooning effect with a dark ceiling. Combine Lovers’ Toile - Puck with Puck on the woodwork and ceiling to bring a luxurious feel to your bedroom space.
Walls: Lovers' Toile - Puck
Woodwork: Puck
Discover more ideas on how to refresh interior woodwork
Use a neutral ceiling colour
Choosing a neutral shade for your ceiling can also help to highlight other features within the scheme. Carefully select a complementary shade that doesn’t create any harsh lines but delivers a harmonious, cohesive space.
Keep the walls as the main focus by using a natural, off-white such as Linen Wash on the ceiling. Pair the shade with vibrant colours like Green Verditer and Pale Lupin. Accessorise with thriving greenery to create the effect of an indoor garden.
Ceiling: Linen Wash
Wall: Pale Lupin
Left Wall: Green Verditer
Here the soft, plaster-like shade, Castell Pink, combines with Arras and Nether Red in a bold colour blocking design that creates a focal point in the space. The elegant, understated warm white, Ferdinand, coordinates beautifully on the ceiling to provide balance.
Ceiling & Cornicing: Ferdinand
Upper Wall: Castell Pink
Lower Wall: Nether Red
Skirting and Shutters: Arras
Expert advice for painting a ceiling
Painting a ceiling requires many of the same preparations and processes as painting a wall. Follow our step-by-step guide to painting walls and ceilings within your home.
When painting a ceiling, be careful not to saturate the paint roller to minimise potential drips. Protect floors and furniture with a drop cloth and paint walls after applying two coats of paint to the ceiling.
If painting a textured ceiling, you may need to use a high-quality brush for even coverage.
Browse our image gallery for more interior inspiration.
Or request a complimentary colour card to begin planning your scheme.