Should ceilings be painted the same colour as walls?

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Should ceilings be painted the same colour as walls?

Photograph by Andrew Lehmann/ACP Digital Library

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House & Garden Indoor advice Decorating Renovations Paint Colour

I am about to paint our new house extension in a neutral colour. Can you please tell me if the trend these days is to paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls or to paint it white?

Creating a seamless look in rooms today is all about avoiding contrasts. Unless the rooms in your house are especially small or you have seriously high ceilings, then paint your ceilings in 25 percent of the tint of your wall colour. Off-white or a warm yellow-based white in any case is preferable to a stark cold white ceiling, unless you are complementing a contemporary minimalist style.