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Paint is an inexpensive way to change the feel of any room in your home. Home owners develop focal walls, add murals and paint complex patterns around rooms. The rooms can look great, but usually something is missing. That’s because those home owners choose ceiling paint color that doesn’t wow anybody.
If you want your home to make a statement, look up. Instead of that boring, flat white ceiling paint, use ceiling paint color schemes that accentuate your style.
Not sure where to start? Here are 10 ceiling paint color ideas – and a bonus creative option — to help you find the best ceiling paint or other creative solutions for the most neglected “wall” in your home.
Embrace Color
The easiest solution to the dull-ceiling dilemma? Pick a color other than white. If your ceilings are lower, a pale hue such as sage, peach or sky blue draws the eye upward and creates the illusion of space. On the other hand, taller ceilings can sometimes make a room feel cavernous. So, a deeper hue such as cranberry or eggplant can create a cozy feeling.
In bedrooms, particularly children’s bedrooms, bright colors such as turquoise, bright green or orange can add fun to the room. Just make sure the color isn’t so bright that it keeps little ones awake.
Go Faux
Sometimes, a room needs more than a blanket of color on the ceiling. In these cases, dramatic applications of ceiling paint color schemes can go a long way toward adding interest to the room. Here are some ideas for using faux finishes on your ceilings:
– Sponging: As the name implies, you use sponges to apply at least two different paint colors. The technique leaves a soft texture on your ceiling and is ideal in a bedroom or bathroom.
– Crackle finish: If you’ve ever seen shabby-chic furniture, you’ve probably seen a crackle finish in action. To get the look, apply a crackle glaze over your paint color to create an aged appearance.
– Faux marble or faux leather look: Similar to the crackle finish, you can get a faux marble or leather finish by combining paint and special glazes. This treatment looks wonderful in any room that lends itself to comfort, such as a study, family room or even hallways.
– Textured tone: For a subtle, textured look, try painting the ceiling using the color scheme of your choice. Then, add a layer of glaze and, before the glaze dries, run a comb uniformly through the glaze to create a tone-on-tone effect.
Use the Ceiling as an Accent Wall
Just like an accent wall in a neutral room, an accent ceiling in a stand-out color adds visual interest. Choose your ceiling paint color to complement rugs or other major elements in the room. That way, the color on the ceiling fits the feel of the rest of the room. Choose your ceiling paint color schemes to help influence the mood of a room – a child’s room can benefit from bold, bright colors, while a bathroom can become a peaceful oasis in your house when you use a calming shade on the ceiling.
Stick to It
Of course, you can always use adhesive to apply cutouts, tiles or medallions on your ceiling. If you are handy with a scroll saw, you can make your own custom wood pieces, or you can buy premade ones from a local seller. Depending on your budget, you may have better luck at flea markets or building supply stores. Get creative and have fun!
Make a Metal Ceiling – without the Metal
If you love the look of tin or copper ceilings but don’t want to mount those heavy tiles to your ceiling, try a metallic paint instead. You can even use stencils to emulate a tiled look without the effort. Almost any room looks great with a metallic ceiling, so try it in more than just the traditional kitchen spaces.
Follow a Pattern
You’ve seen polka dots, pin stripes and other simple patterns work well on walls. Well, they look great on the ceiling, too. Larger stripes in contrasting colors also look wonderful on the ceiling.
From formal damask to playfully modern chevron, patterns across the ceiling offer more visual appeal and extend the style of a room. Try a couple of your ceiling paint color ideas together! (If you’re unsure whether you’d like a combination, paint a miniature version of your pattern on a piece of plywood first.)
Go All In with One Hue
Do you absolutely love lavender? Does sky blue soothe you? You may want to consider painting your walls, ceilings and baseboards the exact same color. Then, use furniture and linens in contrasting colors or variations on the paint color you choose, depending on the effect you seek.
Naturally, you should think about exactly how much you adore a color before you commit to living in a cocoon of it. If your favorite color is fuchsia, you may have a harder time living with the constant stimulation than you might with, say, a pale pink.
Turn Arts and Crafts on its Ear
If you appreciate the classic styling of the Arts and Crafts movement, you can use traditional color schemes to your advantage and find the best ceiling paint color for you. Arts and Crafts is based in nature. So, instead of using the dark wood panelling and nature-inspired wall paint combination of the times, paint the ceilings in those paint colors and use white panelling, crown molding and baseboards to create a traditional look.
Head to the Woods
One way to add warmth to a room is to invoke a log cabin feel. If you are into the rustic look, search for recycled wood you can mount on your ceiling. Not only does the old, recycled wood feel inviting, it also helps the environment by keeping wood out of landfills and protecting new trees from being harvested prematurely to meet demand.
Be Da Vinci
Ok, maybe you aren’t Sistine Chapel good at painting. You still can use a ceiling mural to make your home stand out. Bring the outdoors inside with a night-sky mural complete with metallic stars and swirls of purple and cobalt blue, or lighten a room with a pale blue sky and puffy clouds. For a child’s room, whimsy rules the day – paint a fish bowl, circus tent, jungle, safari. Your only limit is your imagination.
Hang Art (Yes, Really)
One emerging trend in decorating is hanging focal pieces, such as photos, reclaimed doors, window panes or other unique elements from the ceiling itself. Renters are especially fond of this technique because of the easy cleanup involved – removing some screws and packing up the artwork is all the effort needed at moving time.
If you have unsightly flaws in your ceiling, a large piece of wood hanging as art flat on the ceiling is a unique way to mask the issues.
Remember, you must attach anything heavy on your ceiling to the studs in the ceiling, just like you would hang a heavy painting on a wall stud.
Also, play close attention to electrical wiring and proximity to light fixtures. The heat from a ceiling fixture can be deceptive. Err on the side of caution.
No matter which option you choose, looking to your ceiling to improve your home’s overall look is a great choice.