The ceiling is the biggest surface in most rooms, and usually the most overlooked. A fresh coat brightens a room on its own, and a little color up top can change how the whole space feels.
Classic white, done right
White ceilings make rooms feel taller and brighter, and they work with any wall color. Even if you stick with white, a fresh coat makes a difference: ceilings slowly yellow and gray from light, cooking, and dust, and you often don’t notice until the new paint goes on.
Color on the ceiling
- A lighter version of the wall color keeps the room feeling open but more finished than plain white.
- The same color as the walls wraps the room in one color for a calm, cozy look, especially in bedrooms and dens.
- A deeper color makes a large or very tall room feel more intimate.
- A soft sky blue on a porch ceiling is a Southern classic that brightens the space.
Tray and coffered ceilings
Ceilings with steps, beams, or recessed panels are made for contrast. Paint the recessed part a shade darker or lighter than the surrounding trim, or pick out the beams in your trim color, so the architecture stands out.
Why we use a flat finish
We use a flat finish on ceilings. Ceilings catch light from every angle, and flat paint doesn’t reflect it, so seams, patches, and roller marks disappear. For more on sheens, see our guide to interior paint finishes.
Fix it before you paint it
Cracks, nail pops, and old water stains show right through new paint. Cracks and nail pops need patching, and water stains need a stain-blocking primer, or they bleed back through the new coat. If a stain came from a leak, make sure the leak is fixed first. Drywall patching and repairs are part of our interior work.
Ready to look up?
See what’s included in our interior painting, or get a free estimate.
