Does a ceiling have to be white?

<br />That's an easy one.  Of course the answer is no, but very few people veer away from this standard. If you're feeling adventurous and want to break away from the pack  here are some suggestions.<br /><br /><b>Consider practicalities </b><br />When you decide to paint your ceiling a colour you need to think about  how that colour will flow into other rooms both physically and visually.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Is there a place (e.g., molding or beam) where you can stop the colour? </i></div><ul></ul><ul></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/59364/Minimalist-kitchen-design-modern-kitchen-new-york"><img alt="Minimalist kitchen design modern kitchen" border="0" height="374" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/59364_0_8-1463-modern-kitchen.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="color: #444444;"><div style="text-align: center;"><small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/professionals/kitchen-and-bath/new-york" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;"></a> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/urbanhome/urban-homes" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Urban Homes</a></small></div><small> <span style="font-size: small;">The ceiling in the kitchen is on a different plane than the living room, thus providing an easy break for painting.</span></small><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>How will the colour look when viewed from the next room or rooms?</i></div><ul style="text-align: center;"></ul>In the room above the ceiling is acting as an "accent wall" and flows nicely into the living room.  The same blue is used in hints around the room creating a visual flow.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Will you have to  change the colour again when you paint your walls? </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chances are you will.  Are you up to painting several coats to cover a colour? <i></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Is your ceiling in good condition?  </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Flaws will show up more with darker colours. <b><br /></b></div><ul></ul><br /></div><b>Consider ceiling height</b><br />How high is your ceiling?  Nine feet or above will provide lots of height for darker or warmer colours.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/56312/Beverly-Bradshaw-Interiors--Seattle--WA-eclectic-dining-room-seattle"><img alt="Beverly Bradshaw Interiors, Seattle, WA eclectic dining room" border="0" height="425" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/56312_0_8-5976-eclectic-dining-room.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><small> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/professional/7147/Beverly-Bradshaw-Interiors" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Beverly Bradshaw Interiors</a></small></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/80339/Luxurious-Gold-and-Silver-Painted-Dining-Room-Ceiling-traditional-dining-room-san-francisco"><img alt="Luxurious Gold and Silver Painted Dining Room Ceiling traditional dining room" border="0" height="640" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/80339_0_8-2611-traditional-dining-room.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><div style="color: #444444;"><div style="text-align: center;"><small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/allisoncosmos/allison-cosmos" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Allison Cosmos</a></small></div><br /><small> </small>However, if you have standard ceilings (8 feet) and your rooms are smallish you might consider lighter, cooler colours to help the ceiling recede and give the feeling of greater distance.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOOkT_hG5Bia_E-ty1R8Krg8ROafqE5GNhtlPa7DsYzZumHq62hqfFEBApY0Vvn46TNCJYrDDrI9muFXda_dpT2od8mqswLz-yvDj7ICtzWbuxKzrGVOSLtmuVzMSC1v1GYQndmkGQjzr/s1600/painted+ceiling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOOkT_hG5Bia_E-ty1R8Krg8ROafqE5GNhtlPa7DsYzZumHq62hqfFEBApY0Vvn46TNCJYrDDrI9muFXda_dpT2od8mqswLz-yvDj7ICtzWbuxKzrGVOSLtmuVzMSC1v1GYQndmkGQjzr/s640/painted+ceiling.jpg" width="448" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">via <a href="http://www.gusandlula.com/2011/01/things-are-looking-up-very-loosely.html">Gus and Lulu</a></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbU1GjyhtkrwU7apHjMFTWve5Qh7xv1DAB7Ify0p5snVsgFFVGTCNkKr8dcNMefjfhSjuQNm6lirqY3BAOdYXu6RKfJOPCszLk9CEvLwmTIcqOSdDL5b_ZEpoCzZJ7ltcWmFscaPAjECY/s1600/blue-ceiling-traditional-home.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbU1GjyhtkrwU7apHjMFTWve5Qh7xv1DAB7Ify0p5snVsgFFVGTCNkKr8dcNMefjfhSjuQNm6lirqY3BAOdYXu6RKfJOPCszLk9CEvLwmTIcqOSdDL5b_ZEpoCzZJ7ltcWmFscaPAjECY/s640/blue-ceiling-traditional-home.jpg" width="459" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Traditional Home</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Blue seems to be a popular ceiling colour. </div><br /><br /><b>Consider your  wall colour</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FPFUqBthFGdn2MSc7jpq14r22nV4_mayklq2xhgRwqDoXVNzU8Q-o_EMZ_-N0xWPxT9bMoOb-y9Ybm8uFP_orQPYDkVNBA3kUCBihhauoSetUqm-FkmMRjY4T5WBa-OkqUaFwN0C2nid/s1600/171277592048259532_IUih3kLR_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FPFUqBthFGdn2MSc7jpq14r22nV4_mayklq2xhgRwqDoXVNzU8Q-o_EMZ_-N0xWPxT9bMoOb-y9Ybm8uFP_orQPYDkVNBA3kUCBihhauoSetUqm-FkmMRjY4T5WBa-OkqUaFwN0C2nid/s640/171277592048259532_IUih3kLR_b.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=88283&index=4&currentPage=1&searchQuery=painted%20ceiling&searchType=photos">DecorPad</a></span></div>If you really want to paint your ceiling and aren't sure which colour to choose, take the cue from your wall colour and simply go several values lighter. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS_70-fcVFRhTwzDj-lejBxPMlAKrXpyHbOLgDFD0_dYUgYWwyXlQNaRbQ4gnhB2bbZqoIRiNZ9qLee0_0LJMLP13w65DMtMo5iaURqUGNXiuQvIcnkc4phLNcsQm2hpP1AaBAjuxXaBG/s1600/Tobi-Fairley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS_70-fcVFRhTwzDj-lejBxPMlAKrXpyHbOLgDFD0_dYUgYWwyXlQNaRbQ4gnhB2bbZqoIRiNZ9qLee0_0LJMLP13w65DMtMo5iaURqUGNXiuQvIcnkc4phLNcsQm2hpP1AaBAjuxXaBG/s640/Tobi-Fairley.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Toby Fairley </span><br /><br />Or keep the ceiling and walls the same colour and break it up with crown moulding.....<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMf_1zv3JY0qGuRW3PN9qy7jbjeB04_9NBnFgb7usehW9s9_jiScGAarh9uc1iW1qt7bWH-ARXVJyLBNnCpkm-djs-PJ_2RCnTN-CjrftaKr5YBLDFUKt9ObLqLeCKsP8wKOnNXBF-xvy/s1600/Untitled-11+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMf_1zv3JY0qGuRW3PN9qy7jbjeB04_9NBnFgb7usehW9s9_jiScGAarh9uc1iW1qt7bWH-ARXVJyLBNnCpkm-djs-PJ_2RCnTN-CjrftaKr5YBLDFUKt9ObLqLeCKsP8wKOnNXBF-xvy/s640/Untitled-11+copy.jpg" width="586" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> or go a value or two darker for the ceiling.</div><b></b><br /><br /><b>Consider your trim colour</b><br /> If you have a trim colour other than white/cream, look to it for ideas for your ceiling.<span style="font-size: small;">These room</span> have a very pulled together look by using the trim  colour  as a branching off point. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm-dycKvGYjsrvL6rZqjMb1qYdVcCVBdpEys2YJjIZMOCpD2vuZNbd6Z13rs4nhInPeFP_u88h7oKrZg4zpBTF_K0XwAEr1ggy62gGXQNArdVP2M-vJwew4nViFBS7YUvpax8gHHlBJo2/s1600/171277592048256752_IoeVNhAM_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm-dycKvGYjsrvL6rZqjMb1qYdVcCVBdpEys2YJjIZMOCpD2vuZNbd6Z13rs4nhInPeFP_u88h7oKrZg4zpBTF_K0XwAEr1ggy62gGXQNArdVP2M-vJwew4nViFBS7YUvpax8gHHlBJo2/s640/171277592048256752_IoeVNhAM_b.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Real Simple</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The ceiling is darker than the trim colour</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/242371/Residences-in-DeBordieu-Colony--Georgetown--SC-traditional-living-room-charleston"><img alt="Residences in DeBordieu Colony, Georgetown, SC traditional living room" border="0" height="512" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/242371_0_8-2171-traditional-living-room.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="color: #444444;"><div style="text-align: center;"><small> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/wayne-rogers/catalyst-architects-llc" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Catalyst Architects, LLC</a></small></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><small><span style="font-size: small;"> The ceiling is the same colour as the trim. </span></small></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><small><b><span style="font-size: small;">Consider your accessories </span></b></small></div><div style="text-align: left;"><small><span style="font-size: small;">This is where things could get exciting... </span></small></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/139013/tineke-triggs-contemporary-bedroom-san-francisco"><img alt="tineke triggs contemporary bedroom" border="0" height="480" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/139013_0_8-7385-contemporary-bedroom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="color: #444444;"><div style="text-align: center;"><small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/tineke/artistic-designs-for-living-tineke-triggs" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;"> Tineke Triggs</a></small></div><br /><small><span style="font-size: small;">Can you imagine this room with a red ceiling?</span></small></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/110029/Hollywood-Residence-eclectic-dining-room-los-angeles"><img alt="Hollywood Residence eclectic dining room" border="0" height="427" src="http://st.houzz.com/simages/110029_0_8-9166-eclectic-dining-room.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="color: #444444; text-align: center;"><small> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/elizgordon/elizabeth-gordon" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Elizabeth Gordon</a></small></div>

Does a ceiling have to be white?

That's an easy one.  Of course the answer is no, but very few people veer away from this standard. If you're feeling adventurous and...

Read more »