Dark Colors

Ceilings painted dark gray, navy or black create a dramatic and intimate feeling in a room. Since they can make the ceiling feel lower, spaces with high ceilings or abundant natural light are an excellent choice to experiment with a darker colour.

To highlight your dark ceiling, select a pale colors for your walls that nicely contrasts with the ceiling, and opt for furnishings that are lighter or neutral in colour. Add a glittery or contrasting light fixture to properly showcase your dramatic ceiling.

Bright Colors

Painting the ceiling a bold or bright colour, such as turquoise, orange or yellow, adds energy and interest to any space. This is a great choice if you have white walls and neutral furniture.

Brightly colour ceilings are perfect for fun, happy spaces, and also terrific in bathrooms or kitchens where the finishes and furniture (tile, counter, floors, tub, sink) are usually white or monochromatic.

Specific Suggestions

While keeping these tips in mind, here are some inspiring color ideas for your next ceiling adventure:

Pale aqua. A pale aqua or turquoise (think Robin’s Egg or Tiffany Blue) is a fantastic color choice for the ceiling in almost any space. From the bedroom to the bathroom or even the kitchen, a ceiling this color gives a light and airy feel to the plainest space. It also adds an appropriate amount of fresh color to existing neutrals such as white, beige, gray and wood tones.

Metallic. A shimmery ceiling not only adds a little glitz to any room, but also adds depth, thanks to its reflective quality. Muted silver and gold are on trend and will glam up almost any room in your house.

To transform your powder room into a reflective jewel box, replace your chrome fixtures with brass elements and give the ceiling a coat of gold paint. The same can be done to almost any room in your home. Just make sure you carefully select the right golden touches — and don’t over accessorize.

Black. It’s not the most obvious choice for ceiling color, but a black or charcoal gray ceiling definitely has its benefits. For one, it’s an inexpensive way to conceal unwanted elements, such as pipes or old beams. Many basement rec rooms have matte black ceilings.

A black ceiling adds elegant drama to a refined room such as the dining room or bedroom, especially if it features details such as decorative crown molding. It also superbly highlights existing black accents in the room, like a black lampshade, or can help tone down high-contrast colors such as gold or yellow.

Navy. As with black, a navy ceiling can add depth and drama to a room while giving it a more regal feel. Navy looks absolutely brilliant with shades of white or gray; if your walls are already one of those popular colors, try infusing navy into your design scheme by starting with the ceiling.

Yellow. A yellow ceiling brings a bright, refreshing punch of color to any room. With its warmth and energy, yellow transforms an ordinary space into an interesting and happy space. A yellow ceiling allows your eye to dance around the room. It can amp up a stark white space or complement an already colorful room.