Design Tip Tuesday - Heavenly Ceilings!

I know I promised the next part to our series on small spaces, but I thought I'd do a quick tip this week on something I get asked about a lot and seems to scare and confuse a lot of homeowners ... painting the ceiling something other than white.

I have a three ways I like to handle ceilings and it depends on what look or mood I am trying to create in a space.

To create the illusion of space in a room, I will usually go with a cooler colour or tint the ceiling paint with the wall colour - a couple of shades lighter. This vertically elongates the room and adds a sense of spaciousness.

To create a more intimate feel in a room or to lower a high ceiling, I tend to go with a warmer tone on the ceiling or a dramatic darker colour. This brings the ceiling lower creating a more cosy environment.

To add some real drama to a space I will add a distinct colour to the ceiling - something that compliments the wall colour or adds to the theme of the room. Why not a gold washed ceiling in an elegant, dramatic deco inspired dining room.

Like these ideas but still aren't sure about painting that ceiling just yet? Well, another one of my tricks is to
wrap the trim colour (if there is crown molding) right up onto the ceiling. This gets rid of any harsh lines and creates a nice 'wrap' at the top of the room creating a softer ceiling.

Hope these ideas inspire you to get creative with your painting and add that fifth wall to the mix!

Happy decorating!
Lenore

(Images - top, bottom)