Painting Rooms

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Odd question but got into a weird discussion with someone and thought I would throw it out here. I value this group. Painting rooms in a home. How many people paint their ceilings white and walls another color??  How many people paint the entire room the same color including the ceiling. Is one way more modern or more acceptable or is it just a matter of taste. I think it is a matter of taste. But the person I talked to mentioned a few things. One is with white ceilings it makes the room look larger. They also said that to have one wall a different color makes the room more interesting along with a white ceiling. Thoughts please. Thanks.

Asking these questions because I am about to paint the rooms in my house after I get the bath and kitchen remodeled this year. Right now all rooms the walls and ceilings are the same color. Just a carry over from when I lived at parents house and that was the way my Dad did it. Should mention woodwork is a med brown stain and will stay that way. So no painting woodwork or doors or windows.

[KC]

I've always been a 'ceiling the same color' guy, but also a 'no dark walls' guy.

[R Clark]

I read the post several times and then I cheated and posted the question on google.  

 - The first article I came across said that painting the ceiling the same color as the wall makes the room look larger.  Obviously a different opinion than you've already heard.

 - Another site gave pros and cons for ceiling darker/lighter but same color palette.

 - Sherwin Williams had an article on their site that seemed to be well thought out.  Maybe read it and see if it helps guide your decision.  

When we moved to this house in 2014, LOML wanted her own color choices in every room, but all ceilings white.  She chose some fairly bold (for us) colors.  Even better -- she did all the painting.  My involvement was limited to finishing every conversation on the subject with two words:  "Yes, Dear."  


Bottom line:  I think it's a taste thing.

[rschissler]

For me, it is paint the ceiling and walls the same color.  With the white crown molding, it really sets it off.

[jamesglenn]

Lighting levels plays a big role in this discussion. If the room is well lit and/or has a lot of natural light, then painting the ceilings a color would work great. If the room is smallish and normal light (most rooms in houses are not well lit, or to say, tend to keep to the warmer color scale of lighting), not in the 3,700k and up light color which is brighter white like the sun; then the room will feel smaller and darker. 

The white ceilings are for reflecting light and making the room seem larger due to walls typically being a color. Same reason ceiling tiles are normally white, although with the newer lighting and open concepts we have been able to start using colored tile as well.

All of the above assumes the wall color is not a shade of white, to which there are hundreds, but an actual color. A white with a hint of yellow is not really a yellow room per se.

[Phil Thien]

I've always been a 'ceiling the same color' guy, but also a 'no dark walls' guy.

For me, it is paint the ceiling and walls the same color.  With the white crown molding, it really sets it off.

Ceilings, walls, trim all painted with satin-finish parchment color.

Makes the rooms seem larger.

[Woodenfish]

In my home the walls are painted Benjamin Moore 919 Buttermilk in matte finish but in my great room I painted the ceiling a darker shade called 208 Da Vinci’s Canvas in ultra flat ceiling paint. It looks awesome both daytime and evening. I also have a bedroom with a vaulted ceiling that I painted a sky blue. I took out the original builders grade shelving from every closet in my home and repaired and repainted the walls and ceiling’s and upgraded the light fixtures. I then painted the back walls of non walk-in closets a different color that goes well but is really strong for an accent. I then installed new Elfa shelving from Container Store. Every time you open a closet you get a beautiful color that is accenting your clothing and the room. Container store has different colored plastic hangers of high quality. You can match those to the closet and that’s another decorative accent.

[toolmiser]

We have an enclosed breezeway with lots of glass and a 10' ceiling. I painted it sky blue. I think it makes you feel like you are outside. I won't even ask if I can do that in any other room!

[Eurekan]

I paint the ceilings white and then the walls. I moved into a house once that that walls and ceilings painted the same. So, I had to paint the ceiling too when I didn't want to. If you ever redecorate you just increase your work load. As for esthetics, I'm a guy so I don't care really but that house made me feel as if the ceiling was only 7ft tall. Made me want to hunch my shoulders.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

As I said this will be the last time I paint the rooms. Being I am having new bath and kitchen done I need to freshen house. I can still handle the painting. I use a rollers and roller with extention sticks for ceiling so just need to cut in. Not that hard. If I do one room a day that will be just fine with me. The living room is the largest room and I need to do some work in there anyway.