It’s a much “bolder statement,” as Almonte puts it, to paint your ceiling an entirely different color than your walls.
Going dark, even black, says Johnson, “adds visual depth and actually makes the room appear larger and taller.” But softer hues also have benefits. Kelley Proxmire, an interior decorator in Bethesda, Md., suggests sky blue or light peach. “I paint a lot of ceilings, particularly in bedrooms,” she says. “When you’re in bed, you’re looking up.”
Soft pink is particularly flattering: “It just makes everyone glow, similar to sitting in candlelight,” Whiteside says.
For wallpapered rooms, a painted ceiling can bring the whole look together. “Pick a color that mimics the mood of the wallpaper,” says Johnson, who suggests going with the dominant color in a pattern.
You can also use paint to add texture. In one recent project, Almonte applied a coat of paint to the ceiling, then pressed it with a broom before it dried. “It just gives a little bit of dimension to the space rather than just a flat feeling,” he says. Plus, texture can help hide imperfections.
Nina Farmer, owner of Nina Farmer Interiors in Boston, says she often uses Moroccan plaster on ceilings. “There is a reflective quality, but not in the same way that you would get out of, like, a lacquer or high gloss,” she says. “It creates a nice, tranquil, subdued feeling.”
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