Should You Paint a High Ceiling White or Wall Color? -

Before you start slappin’ any ole color on your ceiling, do you know which one is BEST for your room? It might not be white, and it might not even be your wall color – it could be something else entirely. But don’t worry, there is some method to the madness (albeit it’s a bit of method and a lot of madness).

In previous blog posts, we discussed how to make a high ceiling look lower, cozier, and warmer with paint colors and decor, as well as adding trims and beams. This one is dedicated entirely to paint colors and high ceilings that are perfectly flat/horizontal at the top – no angles.

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If your ceiling looks more like this shape, read this.

First, if your ceiling has texture (including popcorn), let me make it easy for you…

Paint it the same color as your trim.

Of course, that’s assuming your trim is the right color for your room. If not, then you may have a bigger project on your hands. Textured ceilings often look a bit weird when painted the same color as the wall – I don’t even know why, it’s just a thing (especially in light depths and darker).

If you have wood trim, find a shade of white that coordinates with your wall color. While unicorns exist (a good-looking, non-white textured/popcorn ceiling), white is usually right.

Now, for those of you with flat (non-textured ceilings), let’s check out the options…

1. PAINT YOUR CEILING THE SAME COLOR AS THE WALLS

While it’s not at the top of the list, painting your high ceiling the same color as your walls is doable. However, if you ask this opinionated little Ginger, it’s not the best option.

Why shouldn’t you paint your ceiling the same as the walls?

You know how I love to hear myself talk (and type), so let’s bullet point this bad boy…

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PROS & CONS OF PAINTING YOUR CEILING THE SAME AS THE WALLS

CON: Some high ceilings are naturally shaded because they don’t get much natural light; what looks like the perfect depth on your walls can look too dark on your ceiling.
PRO: Matching your ceiling to your walls creates a seamless look that suits some styles (zen).
PRO: If your ceiling line isn’t straight where it meets the walls, using the same color helps hide imperfections.
PRO: If you’re DIY’ing it, it’s WAY easier to use the same color (less cutting in). It can also save money if you’re hiring a professional painter.
HARD TO SAY: Due to the ceiling height/lighting situation, some white ceilings look similar to the walls once the natural shading occurs; whether this is good or bad is open to perception.
HUGE CON: If you want to change your wall color in the future, you have to paint the ceiling, too – and that’s one darn high ceiling.
HUGE CON: If your high-ceilinged room connects to a low-ceilinged room (with no door between them), it can look disconnected if the lower ceiling is white or a different color.

Here’s an example of that last point in action…

While we can’t see the ceiling in the living area, it’s up there, and I bet it’s white (as it should be).

In this next room, it would be a shame to paint the ceiling the same as the walls…

Why?

The soft white ceiling helps contrast the beams
The white ceiling shows off the warmth and softness of the wall color

Just remember…

Wall colors LOVE having white trims or ceilings to play with – whether the contrast is high or low.

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2. PAINT YOUR HIGH CEILING THE SAME COLOR AS YOUR TRIM

While getting all artsy-fartsy is tempting, if you want a classic look that will let you change your wall color on a whim, paint your ceiling the same color as your trim.

This next ceiling is an off-white beige that doesn’t work with the more yellow-beige walls. Something was lost in translation, whereas if the ceiling matched the trim, it would be a non-issue…

Also, if your room isn’t super bright, a non-white ceiling can make it look darker and heavier. For example, it was smart to leave this next ceiling white, given the upper hallway’s low light…

Notice that even though it’s painted white, the darkness of this area makes it look grayish.

However, the higher the ceiling is, the greater the inclination seems to be to paint it the same color as the walls, whether to make the ceiling look lower or to avoid a clean cut-in on a high ladder.

But do you really want to repaint a ceiling like this (below) every time you change the wall color? That said, not everyone changes their wall color as often as I do.

Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White walls (darkened), Benjamin Moore White Dove trim and ceiling.

PROS & CONS OF MATCHING YOUR WALLS & CEILING

PRO: Easier cutting in, which matters when you’re 18′ in the air
PRO: It’s a more seamless, simple look
CON: Unless your ceiling color is massively flexible, you’ll probably have to repaint the ceiling if/when you change the wall color
CON: Some wall colors look best when they have a white ceiling to contrast with and play with

How do you make a high ceiling look lower, cozier, and warmer? You read this.

If the ceiling in this next room were the same color as the walls, the whole thing would look washed-out – the white ceiling helps the wall color ‘show up at the party’ more…

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3. SHOULD YOU PAINT YOUR HIGH CEILING A DARK COLOR?

You do you, boo, but I wouldn’t (for most homes). Sure, some rooms can pull off a moody, dark, dramatic ceiling or even a more moderate one. However, the average room in the average home suits white.

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If you see a dark accent color on a ceiling (often color-drenched to match the walls), it’s more often…

In a room with crown molding (especially bedrooms and dining rooms)
Found in homes with Tuscan-style finishes
Generally, in rooms with lower ceilings, including small, boutique-style bathrooms
Rooms that have a particular mood or vibe (below)

While I might recommend them to the odd client when it suits their space, style, and architectural details, a high ceiling is usually painted lighter or white.

With a vibe like this, a darker ceiling would be right at home

If you have a tall, dark ceiling that you love, I’d love to see photos – they’re few and far between!

If you’d like to paint your high ceiling a dark color, consider crown molding to separate the ceiling and wall. Otherwise, the effect can look a bit bush-league if your room’s style doesn’t support it.

As for coffered ceilings like this, painting the drywall areas a darker color creates a more graphic pattern. It’s not my personal fave, but you do you…

PROS & CONS OF PAINTING YOUR HIGH CEILING A DARK COLOR

CON: It can visually weigh a room down and look too harsh
CON: If you change the wall color, you might have to repaint the ceiling
PRO: A darker ceiling can make a room look cozier, and the ceiling lower
CON: If your ceiling has moldings, it can create a high contrast pattern

3. PAINT YOUR HIGH CEILING A LIGHTER/DARKER VERSION OF THE WALL COLOR

Second in line to whites are off-whites. Whether you choose a lighter shade of your wall or a coordinating color, soft colors on ceilings can work if you want a lower contrast look.

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If you want to soften the mood in your room, you can also consider a darker shade of your wall color. Again, crown molding helps for both of these approaches, but it isn’t as necessary as it is with most dark ceilings.

Why?

If your ceiling line isn’t straight but the color contrast is low, it won’t be as obvious. However, if you paint your ceiling a dark color while keeping the walls light, any crooked lines will be noticeable.

Assuming you know your wall color, ask the paint store to make sample pots 50% and 75% lighter or darker. Undertones can SHIFT as you adjust colors, so make sure it still jibes! Paint up a nice big piece of poster board and hang it on your ceiling where it meets the wall. Move it to different spots to see how the natural and interior lighting affects it.

4. PAINT YOUR CEILING A COORDINATING COLOR

This approach isn’t for the faint of heart. And while it depends on the room, some rooms can pull off a ceiling color that doesn’t match the walls OR the trim.

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If your room has crown molding, painting the ceiling a different color – an accent color or a lighter version of the wall – can offer a soft look compared to a white ceiling. While we discussed dark colors earlier, this approach is geared towards more moderate approaches. Whether you have dark walls and want a lightish ceiling or light walls and want a subtle depth on your ‘fifth wall,’ this idea treats your ceiling more like an accent wall.

Just remember, cool colors recede (make something look further away), warm colors advance

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WHEN PAINTING YOUR CEILINGS & TRIMS THE SAME COLOR IS THE BEST CHOICE

While it’s not for every home, sometimes, painting the ceilings and walls the same color makes the most sense…

While it’s not the best approach for EVERY home, it sure as heck suits the average space.

If the line where your ceiling and walls meet isn’t straight, painting them the same color helps blend it
When your walls are a soft, warm white, painting the ceiling a brighter white could make your walls look more yellow

However, if the owner of this next traditional living room wants a darker ceiling, it would make it look more intimate (I love how it is, personally)…

Why could a darker accent ceiling work in the above living room and not in some of the others?

This room is separate from the others, so the flow doesn’t require the ceilings to match – it’s its own space.
Crown molding serves as a border between the walls and the ceiling. This isn’t ALWAYS necessary, but it sure helps!
While the room would need a few darker accents (rug/cushions) to help an accent ceiling feel at home, it’s the type of space that SUITS a bit more drama and depth.
The great thing about the above room is that it looks stunning with a white ceiling. It just has other options to consider, which is fun when you want to switch things up without rewriting your entire palette.
A darker color would lean into the inviting, intimate look of this space.

Let’s make a quick segue to talk about cream trim…

WHAT IF YOUR TRIM IS CREAM COLORED? WHAT COLOR SHOULD THE CEILING BE?

Cream-colored trim (and cabinets). Ooof, this is a creature unto itself. Often, the cream on your trim isn’t suitable as a ceiling color, as it’s too yellow. While cream cabinets are a topic unto themselves, I see two scenarios in my Online Color Consulting regarding cream trim…

My clients WISH they had white trim and don’t want to use their current creamy trim color on their ceiling.
2. They like their cream trim but want a lighter, brighter look on the ceiling.

The same challenge applies if the cabinets are cream and aren’t much lower than the ceiling.

Remember, cream isn’t ‘just cream’; it’s a yellow paint color with a neutral base to calm it down (either a little or a lot).

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While this ceiling isn’t low, notice how the ceiling plays with the warm cabinets – it’s not ideal…

One main reason people don’t use a cream color on their ceiling is that the yellow can show up at the party on a larger scale – there’s a bigger expanse for it to cover and come to life. Like me wearing a white headband versus white underwear, the white has a WAY LARGER SURFACE TO COVER on this big ole booty and looks way brighter because of it.

In this next living room, all drywall areas on the ceiling are the wall color, and all trims are off-white. While this can make the ceiling look lower, it’s a busier look. I’d lean into painting at least the top level of the ceiling, the trim color…

My next client hired me to fix her Tuscan-style bathroom, which was a holy hot mess of colors. The teal? It’s a topic unto itself. As for the creamy-beige-colored trim, it’s great with the travertine tile, but notice how dingy it looks compared to the white ceiling…

I can’t wait to see the AFTER photo!

As shown above, be cautious with painting your ceiling any old (or new) shade of white, as it can make your trim look fugly in comparison (fugly being a super professional word, I know).

Long story short, if you have cream trim (and absolutely CAN’T paint it white), you might have to paint your ceiling cream, too. However, ask your paint store to lighten your paint color by 50% and 75% (sample pots) and see how that looks. The intentions can change as you lighten a color, so make sure it doesn’t flash even more yellow.

IF YOU HAVE CREAM TRIMS & A HIGH CEILING

Paint the ceiling to match the trim, knowing it could be a bit yellow/strong
Try lightening your trim color by 25% and 50%, and see how it looks
See if there’s a similar color that’s a shade of 2 lighter
Look at a range of warm whites from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams and see if there’s one that offers a low-key shift with your cream trim/cabinets, while brightening up your ceiling
Match your walls
Paint the ceiling a different color entirely

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Aside from color, there are always more questions about ceilings…

WHAT SHEEN/FINISH SHOULD THE CEILING BE?

By the way, when painting your ceiling, use a flat sheen paint. As shown in this next photo, an eggshell or satin finish can be the wrong look for an area that’s not supposed to be glossy…

So there you have it! And while I’d love to say this rounds up my CEILING SERIES, lucky for you, there’s more to come!

SHOULD CROWN MOLDING MATCH THE CEILING OR THE WALLS?

Most of the time, crown molding should match the trim. However, if your ceiling and trim are the same color, that makes things easy. Most people don’t want to blend their crown molding into the walls.

Also, because these ceilings are textured, keeping the ceiling/trim color is best.

WHAT COLORS MAKE A HIGH CEILING LOOK COZIER?

While I covered this topic more here, the gist is that warm colors advance, as do dark colors. So, painting your ceiling a warmer, darker color can make your vaulted or high ceiling look lower and cozier.

SHOULD HIGH CEILINGS BE LIGHTER OR DARKER THAN THE WALLS?

The most popular choice is to paint a high ceiling lighter than the walls, assuming the walls aren’t white. This means the ceiling is often white (matching the trim).

One common exception is wood trim, as white ceilings can look a bit stark in some homes with wood trims and moldings. In this case, the ceiling is often the same color as the walls or a tone or 2 lighter.

If you paint the ceiling darker than the walls, it depends on the temperature and depth, but generally, this CAN make a ceiling feel lower.

A CEILING-INSPIRED SUMMARY

The most common approach is to paint the ceiling white, regardless of wall color.
Some people choose to paint their high ceilings the same color as the walls, but more often with white to light-medium depths. This isn’t as common with darker colors (unless a room is being color-drenched).
Others paint their ceiling a lighter or darker version of the wall color. This is more common in homes with cream cabinets and trims, as white can be too harsh.
If you have wood trim, it’s more common to match the ceiling to the walls, or paint the ceiling a lighter version of the wall color.

The Best Ceiling Paint Colors: Light, Medium, & More: PART 2

Vaulted & Angled Ceilings: What Color Goes Where? PART 3

TRAY CEILINGS: What Color Goes Where? PART 4

Lower High Ceilings With Beams, Moldings, & Trims

Get the expert paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Color Consulting.