If you’re redecorating your home, your ceiling is an asset that you may be overlooking. You can draw attention to accents in your room or create a unified look.
For many people, the easiest way to decorate their ceiling is to paint it the same color as their walls. This saves them from searching for a complementary color or buying multiple paint cans that will then hang around the house half-full. What color you paint your ceiling will depend on the size of your room and your decor preferences.
Pros of Painting Your Ceiling the Same Color
Keeping the same color for all your walls and your ceiling can help create a cohesive look for your room. If you already have many contrasting details in your room, such as trims, molding, or colorful furniture, a monochrome look allows those other details to stand out.
Painting your ceiling the same color as your walls also creates an optical illusion that changes the perception of your space. If you have sloping or asymmetrical ceilings, the monochrome look evens them out. Keeping the same color for your ceilings and walls also creates the illusion that your space is smaller and cozier.
If you choose the right shade, it can even lengthen your room. Instead of breaking up the eye between the ceiling and the walls, it creates an optical illusion that the ceiling is higher than it is, making the room look bigger. This works particularly well in rooms with plenty of light sources.
If you decide to paint your ceiling the same color as your walls, there are a few color rules that you should keep in mind. Go for lighter tones to enhance the space in your room or darker tones for a more cohesive look. Mid-tones don’t work as well for a monochrome look.
Cons of a Monochrome Room
Painting the ceiling the same color as the walls does not work for every room. If the decor is already minimalistic, this can create a boring decorative scheme.
If your room is already cramped with few light sources, keeping the same color on your ceilings might make it look even smaller.
Options for Painting Your Ceiling
If you decide that you shouldn’t paint your ceiling the same color as your walls, you have a few options for decorating.
Instead of going for the standard white ceiling, you can simply lighten the shade that you used for your walls. Usually, the ratio is 80% white to 20% color. This draws the eye upwards and lengthens your ceiling.
Other people choose to paint the ceiling a few shades darker than the walls. This works if you are using a neutral color and want to create a decorative accent.
Painting your ceiling the same color as your walls can be a strong decorative choice that makes your room look completely different. However, whether this is the right choice for your home depends on your decor preferences and the setup of your room.
Marc Poulos began his real estate and financial services career, but he soon realized that his true passion was beautifying homes. He started working with various small craftsman shops before serving an apprenticeship with the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago. His commitment to excellence won him Top Apprentice from Washburne trade school in Chicago – the country’s premier school of its kind.
