Look up and what do you see? We can almost guarantee the surface above your head will be painted white but ceilings don’t have to be plain and unadorned. You can use this space to express your creativity and add colour. Here’s how.

Match ceilings with walls

Painting your ceiling the same colour as your walls falls into the colour drenching design category. Whether you choose a dark or light paint shade depends on the look you want to achieve – airy and bright or atmospheric and cosseted. True colour drenching involves painting any coving and mouldings the same colour but you could make a design statement by painting ceiling details a contrasting hue.

Play with perceptions

If you’re not happy with how a room feels, painting the ceiling can help you address the space’s issues (your walls can be a different colour). If you want a low ceiling to feel loftier, paint it a light colour using a high sheen/gloss or reflective paint. If you have high ceilings that leave a room feeling too empty and cold, a rich, dark shade will create the illusion of a lower ceiling and a warmer space.

Apply pattern up above

On trend for 2025 is wallpaper just on the ceiling. This works especially well in bedrooms and living rooms, where colours and patterns can mirror the choice of fabrics and accessories. Wallpapering the ceiling is a good idea if the pattern you have chosen is very bold or when the price of the wallpaper prohibits purchasing multiple rolls.

Wallpaper everywhere

If you have fallen in love with a wallpaper pattern and are confident in your design choices, it’s possible to create a fully immersive experience by wallpapering the walls and the ceiling in the same design, taking the pattern up the wall and across. It’s the paper version of colour drenching, where almost every surface is highly decorated.

It’s all in the preparation

Some advance planning can reduce any apprehension about decorating your ceiling. There are several online guides and video tutorials to help, and we also suggest the following:

Ceiling preparation (before painting and wallpapering)

Inspect for water stains. Address the root cause, such as a leak, and apply a stain blocking paint
Use plasterboard joint tape to cover any visible seams
Fill holes and sand back patches until they’re smooth
Apply a layer of specialist, flexible paint to fill hairline cracks
Wash the ceiling with sugar soap and leave to dry
If the ceiling is textured, use a stiff brush to remove dirt and debris

Painting tips

Use a roller instead of a brush for faster, more even coverage
Wear protective goggles to prevent paint going in your eyes
Use a secure ladder or consider a roller extension pole
Start by ‘cutting in’ around coving, or where the wall meets the ceiling, using a brush
When using a roller, start in one corner

Wallpapering tips

Opt for a wallpaper where you paste the surface and not the paper
Apply a layer of ‘size’ to the ceiling and let it dry before you start – this is diluted wallpaper paste that increases adhesiveness
Mark straight lines on the ceiling using a chalk line or spirit level
If using patterned wallpaper, centre the paper in the middle of the ceiling for the best pattern repeat
Use painter’s tape to hold the panels in place while you smooth out bubbles and cut the overhang
Affix the first length of wallpaper at the side closest to the wall to avoid any overlapping edges and shadows