A marbled look for the fifth wall

Dubbed the ‘fifth wall’, ceilings are having a moment. No longer condemned to a quick lick of white paint, interior designers are realising their potential in transforming a room. Granted it’s not the easiest space to decorate, but these ceiling decor ideas reap plenty of benefits, from making your room feel bigger and cosier to enhancing period features in your property…

1. Bright ceiling decor ideas

A bold ceiling decor idea is to go for something really bright, especially if you have high ceilings. When done well, bright painted ceilings offer a contemporary look. If you have a pared back room with a lot of white (this look can work well with an all-white kitchen), a yellow ceiling can bring a fun and playful feel.

‘Try something a little different by using a really bright colour such as Crown’s Mustard Jar on the ceiling so the colour visually spills onto plain white walls below,’ says Justyna.

Photo: Crown

2. Colour drenched ceilings

Colour drenching has been big news in 2022, and it’s becoming one of the strongest ceiling decor trends of 2022. Colour drenching is where you take one colour (or shades of a single colour) and use it all over – walls, woodwork, furnishings and, of course, the ceiling. Using dusky, terracotta shades can bring warmth to a room and give you the option to bring in some textured pieces in your furniture, like a velvet statement bed or sofa.

‘Using a single shade in this way adds a feeling of grandeur as well as providing a chic, minimalist base,’ says Helen Shaw of Benjamin Moore paints.

‘If you paint walls, skirting, doors, cupboards, radiators – and even window frames – in the same colour it will look thoughtful and sophisticated,’ adds says Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown.

Photo: Crown

3. Dark ceilings

There’s a cocooning feel to dark ceiling decor that invites hibernation. Living rooms and bathrooms work perfectly with a darker ceiling as they create a room that you feel ensconced in, where you can just relax and unwind. If you’re going for dark ceilings and walls, then add some lighter coloured accessories and furnishings into the mix.

‘Working with bold, dark colours should be all about balance,’ says Justyna. ‘Always make sure you incorporate neutral and pale features into the room, whether that’s through furniture, accessories or other paint colours, that will light up the space. Add a few brighter pops with soft furnishings or decorative accessories.’

Photo: Shutterstock

4. Colourful coving

If painting the ceiling feels a step too bold, why not add interest and a subtle look by painting your coving? Interior designer Sally Chater painted hers a soft gold when renovating her Edwardian home to add warmth and enhance the character of the rooms.

Painting the coving the same colour can draw the eye upwards, adding height to your rooms. If you don’t want the coving to reflect too much light, then try a matte paint, or an eggshell paint, which will give a pearl-like finish. For a truly luxurious feel, try decorating your coving with gold leaf.

Sally Chater’s Edwardian home reno featured soft gold-painted coving. Photo: Colin Poole

5. Timber-clad ceiling ideas

When Rupert Scott and Leo Woods converted a gin distillery in East London, their open-plan living, kitchen and dining space featured a timber-clad ceiling. There are numerous benefits to using timber in this way. Not only does wood add character and warmth, it can help insulate a room, camouflage old or uneven surfaces and it has natural acoustic properties. Soft woods like pine are budget-friendly, light and easy to work with.

Rupert Scott and Leo Woods’ converted a gin distillery in East London. Photo: David Butler

6. Panelled ceilings

Wall panels have been a big interiors trend for 2022, whether it’s an original feature of your period home and you’re enhancing it, or you fancy a DIY project to add your own. It’s a brilliant way to add character and depth and gives an elegant look to an otherwise plain ceiling. Coffered ceilings – featuring a series of recessed panels, usually in a rectangular or square grid – date back to ancient Roman times, but have been quietly making a comeback.

Photo: Pooky

7. Ceiling paper decor ideas

It might seem a daunting prospect to paper a non-vertical surface (and it may take a little practice), but if you persevere, a papered ceiling can create a bold, statement look. Property developers St Modwen Homes recently revealed that Google searches for ‘ceiling paper’ have never been higher: ‘In fact, in 2022, searches are 16% up on their five-year average,’ said a spokesperson.

Wallsauce offers a huge range of vibrant ceiling mural prints. Many of their wallpapers are peel and stick, which will make it easier when papering the ceiling. Quick, simple and impressive, this has to be one of our favourite ceiling decor ideas!

Photo: Wallsauce

How to paint your ceiling

Painting your ceiling is one of the quickest and easiest ways to decorate your fifth wall. Before you start, check out this quick, helpful How to Paint a Ceiling video from Crown:

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