What color should I paint the ceiling? Designer tips

Often when performing renovation work, beginners make a serious mistake: they carefully think through the color and texture of finishing materials that will be used to decorate the walls and floors in the kitchen, hallway, living room or bedroom, without thinking about what color to paint the ceiling. This can be explained by the fact that previously it was customary to leave the ceiling white. You may already know what color you can paint the ceiling, but nevertheless, we recommend reading the article before making your final decision.

Today, a boring, colorless plasterboard ceiling is no longer fashionable. To decorate it, you should choose special materials, paying attention to texture, shade, pattern or ornament.

How does color change your mood? Research by specialists

The question of the influence of colors in an apartment has worried medical scientists for a long time. As a result of numerous studies conducted in different countries, patterns were identified.

Room with a light ceiling 2.

Room with a dark ceiling

Interaction

Creating a harmonious interior is not at all easy. To choose the right colors and adjust the space of the room, you need to have creative thinking, taste, and certain knowledge. Remember that the main thing when choosing a color is a sense of proportion! If you have it, it will be much easier to comprehend the basics of design art. And here in front of you is a plastered, plank or plasterboard ceiling: “What color should I paint it?”

The role of lighting in color selection

However, each person reacts differently to certain shades of colors. It depends on the type of character. In addition, the choice of color is influenced by the lighting and proportions of the room. A general recommendation is that when choosing a color for the ceiling, you need to take into account the natural lighting of the room.

Also its purpose, height, floor dimensions and location of the room relative to the cardinal points.

Room with a yellow ceiling 2.

Room with golden-orange ceiling 3.

Artificial light from lamps distorts the color of the ceiling. For example, cream and light yellow appear dirty, and white also “turns yellow.” The difference between dark blue and black colors disappears. Blue becomes green, red becomes yellowish, and violet becomes purple.

What paint should I use?

Different types of paint are used to paint the ceiling. Their characteristics and scope of application are determined by the basis. There are water-based coatings (water-based) and coatings based on varnishes, oils and drying oils (oil-based).

Water-based paints are used for painting concrete, plastered and brick surfaces. It dries quickly, has almost no smell, and has good adhesion. You can even wash the tool after water-based emulsion with water, and working with it is not hazardous to health. Among these finishing materials are:

Acrylic paints that create a waterproof film and hide cracks up to 1 mm.
Silicate paints, characterized by durability and resistance to changes in humidity and temperature.
Silicone coatings suitable for damp areas and prevent the development of fungi.
Mineral paints containing lime or cement. This coating easily gets dirty, scratched and washed off.

Water-based paints hide minor defects and irregularities, are easy to apply and have a long service life. The use of such materials allows you to achieve excellent results.

Oil compositions and enamels have a low price. The pungent odor, long drying time, low vapor permeability and tendency to cracks make you think about the feasibility of such savings.

Paints are classified into washable and non-washable. To choose what paint to paint the surface of the ceiling, you need to decide whether it will be exposed to moisture and cleaned with household chemicals.

The influence of colors on the proportions of a room

Blue and blue ceilings make the room more spacious 2.

If the ceiling is darker than the walls, then the room appears lower than 3.

Monochrome ceilings and walls are good for small rooms 4.
Cold and light colors visually enlarge small rooms, for example, a bathroom. These colors can be: silver-gray, light blue and light green.

The silver-gray ceiling visibly expands the room 5.

Light beige ceiling in a miniature room 6.

Ideas for painted ceilings in the interior

A bright ceiling will serve as an accent or harmoniously support the color scheme of the room. The following ideas will help make the decoration even more original and expressive.

When painting, you can create simple geometric patterns or stripes. This will require two or more shades. You can mark the areas to be painted using masking tape.
You can paint around the chandelier. A floral or geometric pattern looks unusual, so it will become a real decoration of the room.
The ceiling can match the color of the accent wall. This will create the feeling of a canopy. This painting technique visually stretches the space, drawing all attention to the painted area.

Painting your ceiling is an easy way to update your home decor. The tips, photographs and video tutorial offered in the article will help you think through the design and do simple painting work yourself.

What colors look good next to each other?

Solid color combination 2.

Combination of complementary colors 3.

Complex combination of complementary colors 4.

Three color combination

Selection principles

The answer to this question cannot be unambiguous, because much depends on the configuration and illumination of the room, its purpose, height, and the personal perception of the person in it. Let's get back to the basics of design. When choosing a color scheme, two principles are most often used. The first of them is based on contrast, the second - on the use of one, but different shades. This finishing method is called the principle of similarity.

How to choose the color of the ceiling in the hall: the principle of similarity

So:

Color in the interior is not presented separately; it should always interact, creating a certain flavor. Shades are conventionally divided into cold and warm, which can even be within the same color range. Take, for example, the color green: turquoise belongs to cool shades, and light green belongs to a warm palette. And since we're talking about green tones, let's think about what color to paint the ceiling to get a cool shade.
One of the most popular shades of green can be considered sea green. It belongs to a cold palette and is used mainly when decorating a room in a marine style - most often, these are children's rooms and bathrooms. A marine theme is often present in the Provence architectural style, where living rooms are decorated in this manner.

Two-level ceiling

In the example above you can see exactly this kind of finish. The turquoise ceiling with white beams echoes the color of the furniture, lampshade and textiles. And the contrast to it is a dark blue wall. It should be said that a person’s perception largely depends on the climate of the region in which he lives.
Cool shades of blue and green in decoration are more harmonious in southern latitudes, where high temperatures prevail - they symbolize coolness and sea freshness. But a person living in a cold climate zone is unlikely to be pleased with coolness and freshness. Warm shades should prevail in his home, making up for the lack of warmth, light and vegetation.

To achieve this goal, the color of the ceilings is selected in a warm palette. It can be a shade of young foliage, mustard, eucalyptus. What’s most interesting is that variations of green colors harmonize perfectly with yellow and orange colors, creating the very color needed in cold climates.

Harmony of shades

There are more than 30 shades in the orange-brown range alone: terracotta, apricot, coffee caramel, orange - you can’t count them all. Their combinations can create a “fun traffic light” in the interior. This is where a sense of proportion is required first of all:

It is not at all necessary to make a multi-colored ceiling. It can be, for example, monochromatic, but the colors of interior items can belong to different color schemes. And if the color is applied in doses, without excesses, bright colors for the ceiling will enliven the room without making it overly colorful.

Colored ceilings: mustard shade

And it certainly won’t be boring. In the example above you see an interior, the design of which focuses on furniture of different colors. It brings variety to the kitchen, the ceiling and walls of which are painted in one tone, chosen from among avant-garde shades.
When starting to paint the ceiling with your own hands (see Which roller to paint the ceiling), do not experiment with any bright color until you are sure that it will fit harmoniously into the interior. Try to create a sketch first. The program will help advanced computer users with this; you can also model the shape of the ceiling.

Bedroom: paint the ceiling, what color

When choosing, for example, the color of the ceiling in the bedroom, you need to take into account that bright and aggressive shades should not fall into the field of view of the resting person. And if you want to make a bright accent in the interior, let it be the wall at the head of the bed. For the bedroom ceiling, it is better to choose pastel shades, you can even use dark ones, or use neutral colors.
Neutral colors include: white, black and all shades of gray. They never go out of fashion and are actively used both to create contrast and as a dominant shade. You won’t surprise anyone with the white color of the ceiling - this, as they say, is a classic of the genre. A black ceiling is less common, but for a bedroom, for example, this is a great option. It just needs to be played up correctly with the color of wallpaper and textiles.

Colored ceiling: stylish bedroom

So it doesn’t matter what the ceiling is, but most importantly how it interacts with the wall decoration and interior items. By the way, about interaction: in order for the space of the room to be organized, you need to place accents by dividing it into zones. In this case, a certain composition must be obtained, otherwise harmony cannot be achieved. The layout of an apartment or house plays a big role; the height and configuration of the room depends on it.

What colors are considered warm?

Red

If you paint the ceiling red, you will feel cheerful and in high spirits. Shades of red are more appropriate in a children's playroom, hallway, living room and kitchen.

And in the bedroom, a red ceiling will look rough and vulgar.

If the room is decorated in cool shades of colors, then a red ceiling will make it more comfortable and cozy. In addition, red color has a positive effect on the nervous system.

Red ceiling - warm ceiling

Orange

The color orange is associated with tasty and aromatic exotic fruits. Designers advise not to paint the ceiling pure orange, as it quickly becomes boring. It is better to choose bright orange or peach colors.

Shades of orange are perfect for painting the ceiling in the cold north side of the apartment.

Orange ceiling - will give the room warm tones

Yellow

According to psychologists, a yellow ceiling is more suitable for active and determined people.

If the apartment is located in the northern part, then the yellow ceiling will give the impression that the rooms are sunny and “cheerful”. Although the color yellow irritates some people. It all depends on its specific shades.

Basic rules, important nuances

The shades that we choose to decorate the kitchen or living room have a direct impact on our mood, well-being, and vitality. Therefore, it is preferable to decorate the walls using a calm, eye-pleasing color scheme. It is best to choose natural shades: blue, olive green, light green, beige, deep yellow, terracotta. If the walls in the bedroom, living room, hallway or kitchen are already painted in one color or another or wallpaper is pasted, the choice is small. The shade of the plasterboard ceiling should be harmoniously combined with the color of the walls and furniture.

Consider some nuances when choosing a shade:

poisonous shades are not the best solution for the ceiling;
a bright, voluminous pattern or ornament will look good in a spacious bedroom, but it cannot be used to decorate a cramped hallway or small kitchen;
by using the right combination of shades and textures, it will be possible to easily zone the space, for example, by using colored drywall;
if you can’t decide on a color, choose the same shade you used to paint the walls, only 1-2 shades lighter;
The walls in the hall, bedroom or hallway should be dressed in a darker and richer shade than the ceiling. This will eliminate the visual sensation of pressure. The only exception may be a bathroom or toilet, where you can safely decorate the walls and ceiling in the same color scheme.

Related article: Orange is a shade of joy (+42 photos)

If you want to brighten up a boring interior, do not decorate the walls, floor and ceiling using the same shade. However, a bright contrast can only be created in spacious rooms where there is no shortage of free space.

Light green ceiling

Light green is currently the newfangled feng shui bedroom ceiling color trend. Young color is believed to restore energy and rhythm to daily life. This color is sure to suit any size room.

The design and decor of your room will go harmoniously with a light green ceiling.

Orange ceiling

Orange ranks first among bedroom ceiling color ideas. Orange with the charm of red and joyful yellow will awaken enthusiasm and charge your daily life with determination. Your days will begin with creativity and end with harmony.

Exclusive ideas for the ceiling

The uncertainty of experimenting in the bedroom is very real. In this case, you don't have to stay in a pale room. You can only paint the edge of the ceiling. Choose a strong color, leave the center blank and paint only the margins.

The result of this bedroom ceiling color idea is impressive and popular all over the world.

What to consider when choosing ceiling paint

Texture. First of all, you need to pay attention to the texture effect, that is, how the emulsion will look on a plane. Manufacturers usually indicate this data on the container.

Washable

Some paints may need to be wiped with a dry cloth; in this case, the container indicates “wear-resistant.” If you run your hand over the painted surface, a small imprint remains.

Such a coating can be used in rooms with low operating data, i.e. in the bedroom, guest room, corridor.

There are paints that can be washed and wiped with a wet cloth.
Information about this is also indicated on the packaging. Most often, these paints include the most expensive varieties.
They can be used in the kitchen and bathroom; high moisture and vapors do not affect the ceiling at all.
A mark on fungicidal properties indicates that the product prevents the formation of mold and mildew.

Covering power

This is a very significant indicator - hiding power - in how many layers the bright composition will cover the tone of the base. There are 4 classes, among which the 1st is considered the best. In order to repaint a dark plane into a light one (and vice versa), you will need 2 layers of a substance of this class.

In other words: The greater the hiding power, the fewer layers are required to paint the previous tone. This means that less product will be consumed.

Saving on this is rarely justified. As a result, the cost of 3 cans of the cheapest emulsion will be similar to the cost of 1 can of expensive emulsion.

How to paint a ceiling with a roller

The roller has subtypes. Tools differ in materials and shape. Of the first, natural fur is preferred. of how to paint the ceiling without streaks disappears . With a natural roller, the pigment is transferred to the surface more evenly. On the other hand, rollers made of artificial pile and foam rubber are cheaper.

If the surface of the ceiling is rough or textured, you need a roller with long pile. The short one “does not fit” into the recesses. As for the elasticity and flexibility of the pile, they increase when the roller gets wet. Therefore, before painting, it is wetted. The instrument is lowered into the cuvette with the mixture, already moistened.

The preferred type of fur roller is sheep wool. It is suitable for any paints, blocks their clumping, and minimizes consumption. Plush rollers are an affordable substitute for sheepskin products.

And the last option in painting ceilings is a tool with foam rubber. It doesn't absorb paint well. It flows off the roller. The result is increased coverage consumption. In addition, foam rollers cause paint to bubble on the ceiling. This spoils its texture.

Relief tools stand apart. They are used after the base, decorated with ordinary rollers, has dried. On the relief ones there is a drawing. This is how stars, flowers, and geometric shapes appear on the ceilings.

The weight of the roller is also important. The instrument must be held above your head. A light roller is needed. Only professionals can handle heavy ones.

When painting with a roller, it is important to roll it out on a special surface of the tray. The procedure ensures uniform distribution of the mixture. Without rolling, white spots remain on both the roller and the ceiling.

Sky blue ceiling color

No matter how upset you are, if you stand under the blue sky and look at it, the sudden rush will be felt instantly. A bedroom ceiling of the same color will create an equivalent scene.

Looking at the blue painted ceiling will definitely make you feel calm. For added definition, add cloud patterns if desired.

Starry night on the ceiling

Who doesn't love falling asleep under an open sky full of stars? So, you can paint the ceiling like on a starry night. Special paints for the starry night effect have luminescent inclusions, so it glows at night.

Now you can have heaven in your own bedroom in all weather conditions.

What to do at the very beginning

In order for the hall ceiling to be able to emphasize the advantages of the room and highlight or even hide its possible shortcomings, it is necessary to design it in accordance with the construction requirements imposed on it.

To do this, you will need to follow several mandatory steps:

First you need to carefully measure the height of the room. This will make it possible to figure out how best to arrange the intended design of the room. If the ceiling of the room is relatively high, this will give the designer a chance to take a multi-level design approach, focusing on the aesthetics of the ceiling edge, and if the height is not too high, this will encourage paying special attention to the possibilities and ways to visually enlarge the entire space below it.
The role played by the room should be especially appreciated. Not only the need for zoning, but also the degree of illumination will depend on its purpose. If the living room and kitchen are combined, it will be necessary to clearly separate the areas that are related to the kitchen and those related to the living room. When combining a living room and a bedroom, the level of lighting must be carefully considered.
It is better to first create a design project, thoughtfully considering all the possibilities for its implementation. And only after this can you begin to actually implement the chosen design in the room.

It is recommended to remember: Only the right start can lead to a quality result.

How to spray paint a ceiling

The device that sprays pigment onto the ceiling is called a spray gun. It's like a spray bottle. They work quickly and conveniently. There is no need to frequently move the stepladder. The spray gun has a large spray radius. At the same time, the device dispenses paint. It goes on in an even and thin layer. There are no stripes on it. There are leaks, so blot them with foam rubber.

The spray gun is ideal for uneven ceilings with complex geometry. Spraying the mixture into hard-to-reach areas is easier than getting there with a roller. The stucco molding (embossed ceiling plinth) should not be painted last.

Spray guns can be manual or electric. The former are cheaper and operate using a conventional pump. The air from it passes into the tank. Accumulating in it and being under pressure, the gas pushes the paint out of the apparatus.

The first spray from the spray gun is a test one. Adjust the intensity of the jet. Next, the ceiling treatment begins. 200 square meters are painted in an hour. In the hands of professionals, the efficiency of mechanical spray guns is 2 times greater. At the same time, simple models of spray guns cost from 1,300 rubles.

Color combination of walls, floor and ceiling

The apartment will become comfortable to live in if the color combination of the floor and walls in the interior is correctly selected.

Looking at the color chart, you will notice the following.

The contrast of a dark floor, bright wallpaper and a white matte ceiling can significantly change the height of the room. Furniture in such rooms is installed in pastel shades, in small quantities, so as not to clutter the floor.
Using the same color in different tones gives harmony and peace. Mostly cream colors are used. In the classic style, this is the most common palette. It applies to any type of housing.
Having chosen the floor color mahogany, wenge or chocolate for a small room, the remaining surfaces should be done in a light, almost white color. Soft colors will optically push back the walls and raise the ceiling. Absolutely white matte painting will make the surrounding volume faceless. It will completely lose its shape.
Opposite surfaces attract, giving different sensations. Such tinting can be suitable for any room, depending on what result you want to get in the end. For a high apartment, a dark floor is ideal, the ceiling and cream walls match it. Low rooms will be lifted by a white glossy ceiling and a light floor with rich side planes.

Combination of floor and doors

An important role in the design is played by the color of the floor and the texture of the doors. It is a mistaken belief that they must be the same color. Depending on the design decision, these interior elements can be:

in one color;
in a contrasting solution;
white or painted doors and any floors.

Made in contrast, the doors are framed with a platband matching the color of the floor, or skirting boards are used to match their texture. The furnishings and decoration in such rooms are selected to match the door panels. It fits perfectly into the overall layout.

Block painting of the ceiling

Just like walls, there is a huge variety of designs for ceilings. You must be thinking why this approach is included in the list of bedroom ceiling colors and not in the ceiling design.

This is because most people avoid dyeing patterns that interfere with beauty. No matter what pattern you choose, a pop of color can change the overall look of your ceiling.

For example, a brick pattern, paint each alternate brick with a contrasting color of the same shade.

Painting ceiling beams instead of the entire ceiling

The question often arises of how to make a ceiling with beams attractive. You don't even have to invest in painting the entire piece.

Simply paint one side of the beam with a bright color, like this:

Green,
Orange,
Turquoise, etc. Your cheerful bedroom is ready.