High on style: The power of a painted ceiling

By
Elizabeth Clarke
February 25, 2025
“You can’t go wrong with a pink ceiling, whether it is the palest blush or a bold coral,” designer Carolyn Burns-McCrave says. Photo: Sean Fennessy

Designer Greg Natale has a fondness for ceilings. “I find they’re too often overlooked,” he says. “Just like walls, they shape a room’s proportions, light and personality. Treating them as the ‘fifth wall’ unlocks their full potential.”

Regardless of a home’s style or size, painted ceilings celebrate the architectural design of a space, creating ambience and enhancing volume by drawing the eye upward. “It’s more than just a bold design move,” he says. “A painted ceiling is an unexpected touch that makes a space feel considered and complete.”

Interior decorator and colour consultant Lauren Egan agrees. “I love playing with how a room feels, and colour contributes to this,” she says. “Ceilings are under-utilised spaces, and colour is a cool way to add interest.”

Designer Greg Natale used Tiffany's iconic blue box as inspiration for his Mosman ll project.

Into the light

The location and colour choice for a painted ceiling will largely depend on how well-lit a space is.

“Rooms with ample natural light can handle darker ceilings without feeling cramped, as the light balances the intensity of the colour,” Natale says.

Colour experts say darker ceilings pair well with natural light and smaller spaces. Photo: glenn hester

While smaller rooms with low ceilings often feel more spacious when painted in softer, muted tones, intimate spaces like powder rooms can be perfect for experimenting with daring colours. “In modern, minimalist spaces, a painted ceiling provides contrast or a pop of colour without disrupting clean lines,” Natale says. “In more traditional homes, detailed or textured ceilings in complementary colours enhance the design.”

Colour cues

Designer Rebecca Jansma looks to a space’s art and rugs for colour inspiration. “You can’t go wrong using these as your guide,” she says. For her Prospect Road project, she selected a caramel shade for the ceiling, drawing inspiration from the brown accents in the floor rug, vivid artwork and a sumptuous, similarly coloured velvet sofa. This choice creates a sense of harmony among the room’s elements.

Painted ceilings can create cohesion with other design elements, as Jansma's Prospect Road project shows. Photo: Timothy Kaye

Ceilings in various colours can magically create a sense of either volume or intimacy, enhance detail and correct proportions. “Lighter colours enlarge a space by lifting the ceiling while darker colours make it feel more enclosed,” says Julia Cox from JcHQ Architecture and Interiors. “Depending on the room, a painted ceiling can enlarge a space by making the walls and ceiling more continuous and make modern low ceilings and boring cornices disappear.”

Matching a ceiling’s colour to the wallpaper or tiles is another simple way to create uniformity. “In the en suite of our London House project, we matched a pink ceiling paint to the Norwegian Rose marble floor and wall tiles,” Natale says. “Pink elevates the design by tying all the elements together cohesively.”

In Natale's London House project, the en suite ceiling matched its tiles and floor. Photo: Stephan Juillard

Designer Carolyn Burns-McCrave also advocates for pink and recommends it to those trying coloured ceilings for the first time. “You can’t go wrong with a pink ceiling, whether it is the palest blush or a bold coral,” she says. “Paint it yourself; it’s the perfect DIY project as long as you have a sturdy extension pole and plenty of drop sheets.”

Reflected glory

Harmonising ceilings and walls is known as “colour drenching”, a technique popular in design right now and for good reason, Natale says. “It’s a powerful way to create a bold, cohesive design that feels immersive and intentional.”

Shades like pink create a sense of whimsy and are perfect for beginners. Photo: Sean Fennessy

For his Mosman II project, he drew inspiration from Tiffany & Co.’s iconic blue box and enveloped the entire space for a gorgeous jewel-box effect. When designing a chic home theatre, Natale selected a ruby red colour for the ceiling that informs the entire space, making it feel dramatic.

Colour drenching can make a room appear larger because the eye moves across the space instead of pausing at the junction between the wall and ceiling. “When the same colour is used on both, they reflect off each other, appearing more intense,” Burns-McCrave adds. “So, keep this in mind when choosing your colour.”

Painted ceilings can make a room feel more complete and intentional in its design. Photo: Martina Gemmola

When designing a sumptuous lounge room, Egan picked an earthy blue hue for the ceiling, walls and sofa. “The biggest ‘ah-ha’ for me was not seeing that change in colour from the walls to the ceilings,” she recalls. “It made it feel complete and comfortable.”

Jansma says it’s essential to consider the space’s ambience when choosing a colour and be sure to test it on the walls and ceiling first. “Order A4 swatches and paint on large plaster offcuts to look at in different lights,” she suggests. “If you want to heighten the space, go a half shade lighter, or to make it feel cosier, try a darker shade. If it’s too complicated, paint it all the same colour, or to create instant fabulousness, just paint it gold! Be brave.”

So, does this mean white ceilings are on the out? “Honestly, we still love a crisp white ceiling!” Jansma admits. “But if you crave individuality and love colour, take the leap. The decision will empower you and create a warmth and ambience that enhances your life.”

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