hacks

the best ceiling design advice we got all year

Blue and green office/Photography: Aaron Leitz/An up close look of a ceiling Susan Marinello Interiors designed. Scroll to see the full space!

Some of our favorite expert tips from this year focused on the "fifth wall" of the room. Give it the attention it deserves! We've rounded up our favorite ceiling paint tips of 2021 to help you tackle your paint project. Take a look... and get sampling!

Wallpaper the ceiling.

As designer Tish Mills explained, "I use wallpaper on both walls and ceiling. I love how it can set the narrative for the interiors, or add the perfect drama to a small space." Designer Lesley Myrick agreed: "A wallpapered ceiling is a fun, unexpected accent and a definite conversation-starter."

A blue office/Photography: Aaron Leitz/Susan Marinello Interiors designed this Northwest home with two Benjamin Moore colors contrasting chicly in the study: Vanderberg Blue for the walls, and Boca Raton Blue for the ceiling.

Or, keep the ceiling simple.

Designer Prudence Bailey doesn't shy away from dramatic ceilings—just check out some of the ones she's shared with us before. But that doesn't mean she always keeps it bold. "Sometimes, it makes sense to paint the ceiling white and let the rest of the room shine."

Paint with purpose.

Color consultant Bonnie Krims recommended painting ceilings the same color as the walls. "People often believe that painting ceilings a color will make the room look smaller. In fact, it will actually make the room look bigger by pushing the walls out," she told us. "Pale blue is a favorite choice, but consider painting the ceiling the same color as the walls to negate their boundaries."