Close-up of kitchen walls and cupboard doors drenched in the vibrant yellow shade 'Giallo', with plates and bowls on a shelf.

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

Green floral mural wallpaper featuring birds and butterflies (Bird & Bluebell - Pea Green) with a lamp and plant on a desk.

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 Bird & Bluebell - Pea Green wallpaper and Puck on woodwork to introduce a pop of colour to a tonal green scheme.

If your room has coving or crown molding, consider highlighting these features by carrying the ceiling shade beyond the edges of the ceiling. Here, Blush accentuates the decorative crown molding and creates a canopy of colour. The warm dusky tone adds a feeling of warmth and makes the light-filled study space feel a little cosier.

Wallpaper: Bird & Bluebell – Pea Green

Ceiling: Dorchester Pink

Window Frame: Green Stone - Light

Baseboard: Puck

Explore more cosy living room colour schemes

Hallway with vibrant green (Citrine) on the walls, a white front door to the left and a side table with a plant and lamp.

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

Hallway with an Air Force Blue painted floor, contrasting white (Shallows) walls and a window at the end of the corridor.

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.

Deep green (Garden) dining space with contrasting brown door and a dining room table with chairs.

Ceiling: Pea Green, Walls & Larded Cupboards: Garden, Far Walls & Door: Scullery

Kitchen color drenched in vibrant yellow shade 'Giallo', with a wooden table and chairs.

Ceiling, Walls & Cupboard: Giallo, Left Wall: Bone China Blue - Faint

Read our guide on how to use paint to make rooms look larger

Doorway entrance with a grey-green (Livid) painted door and doorframe with a contrasting pale pink (Confetti) wall.

Coordinate the ceiling with interior woodwork

For something a little bolder, use the same paint colour on the woodwork and ceiling for a coordinated finish. Here, Livid has been used alongside Confetti to soften the sweetness of the pink and to ground the scheme.

Walls: Confetti
Woodwork: Livid
Door Inset: Gauze

Bedroom with dark green French Toile wallpaper (Lovers' Toile - Puck), dark green (Puck) door and ceiling and white bedding.

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

Garden room with purple blue (Pale Lupin) wall, a contrasting green left wall and blue armchair surrounded by potted plants.

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 being surrounded by nature.

Ceiling: Linen Wash
Wall: Pale Lupin
Left Wall: Green Verditer

Explore more tips on how to bring nature indoors with colour

Warm neutral (Castell Pink) home study area with a red (Arras) door next to a wooden desk and chair.

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 & Crown Molding: Ferdinand

Upper Wall: Castell Pink

Lower Wall: Nether Red

Baseboard 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 inspiration.

Or request a complimentary colour card to begin planning your scheme.