Ceiling Paint Colours
Browse our collection of ceiling paint colours to find your perfect shade for your room or project.
Heavenly Blue 709
Collector's Item AF-45
Blue Spa 2052-40
Pale Moon OC-108
Palladian Blue HC-144
Copley Gray HC-104
Most Popular Ceiling Paint Colours From Benjamin Moore
Add personality and depth to any space with a beautifully painted ceiling.
While white ceilings are classic, choosing an unexpected colour for your ceiling can add personality and architectural interest to your space. A beautifully painted ceiling can highlight details like crown mouldings or vaulted ceilings, transforming the entire room. White and off-white ceilings are always fresh and clean, making a room feel larger and more open.
For a cozy, intimate feeling, darker hues like navy blue or charcoal look striking, especially in rooms with high ceilings. For a more dramatic look, choose a ceiling colour that’s a few shades darker than your walls. Drench the space with colour to create an enveloping feel while enhancing its overall character.
How to Choose Your Best Ceiling Paint Colours
Considered by many homeowners and designers to be the “fifth wall,” ceilings offer an expansive canvas to get creative with colour. Whether you go with a tried-and-true white paint colour or add personality and architectural interest with a vibrant hue, ensure you’re choosing the best ceiling colour for your space with our helpful tips.
We love a classic white ceiling, but there’s something about an unexpected ceiling paint colour that can enhance the character of your room in a refreshing, charismatic way.
Keep in mind that lighting and the direction your room faces will have a large effect on how ceiling paint colours appear, so we highly suggest sampling your choices before you make a final decision.
Chantilly Lace OC-65
1. Time-Tested & True: White Ceiling Paint Colours
Ceiling paint colour trends come and go, but white ceilings are beloved for a reason: Not only do white ceilings make smaller spaces feel larger, but they provide a blank canvas for any decor and set off vibrant wall colours beautifully.
For seamless colour flow, select a white paint colour for your ceiling that shares a similar undertone as the walls. Some of our tried-and-true favorite white paint colours for ceilings:
Chantilly Lace OC-65, shown here
White Dove OC-17
Decorator’s White OC-149
Chelsea Gray HC-168
2. The Best Grey Ceiling Paint Colours
We love a grey paint colour for its innate ability to balance any space. From bedrooms to living rooms to mudrooms, grey is versatile and sensible while fitting the design of many homes.
Given the range of grey paint colours that Benjamin Moore offers, choosing a hue for your ceiling may feel daunting. Think about what mood you’re trying to set: Lighter greys like Classic Gray 1548, Gray Mist 962, and Wish AF-680 soothe and relax, while darker hues like Dash of Pepper 1554, Chelsea Gray HC-168, and Ashwood Moss 1484 add sumptuous luxury.
Monterey White HC-27
3. Look at Lighter Ceiling Colours
A lighter painted ceiling can help to visually “raise the roof” in any size room. Painting the ceiling with a lighter shade — often a variant of the wall colour — is a clever design choice.
Benjamin Moore offers a balanced catalogue that provides gradations of colour, making it easy to find hues that provide subtle contrast and depth while maintaining the unity of existing colours.
Savannah Green 2150-30
4. Contrasting Ceiling Paint Colours
Nothing says “look up” more than a contrasting ceiling colour scheme. Whether you opt for bright walls and a neutral ceiling or a vibrant ceiling with lighter-hued walls, you’ll be creating a lively space for friends and family to gather.
We love these contrasting colour combinations for ceilings:
White Heron OC-57 (walls) with Savannah Green 2150-30 (ceiling), shown here
Collingwood OC-28 (walls) with Hampshire Gray HC-101 (ceiling)
Cloud White OC-130 (walls) with Cumulus Cotton 2063-70 (ceiling)
Naples Blue 2057-30
5. Celebrate the Celestial: Blue Ceiling Paint Colours
Reminiscent of open skies and serene, tranquil environments, a blue ceiling is a long-standing design tradition and a homeowner favourite. Rich navy and deep blue or blue-green tones, like Naples Blue 2057-30, shown here, blur the boundaries of a room, making it look endless yet intimate, while lighter blues are fresh and airy, helping to bring the outdoors in and encourage reflection at the end of the day.
Some of our favorite blue paint colours for ceilings:
Iceberg 2122-50
Soft Chinchilla 2135-50
Stained Glass CSP-685
Chesapeake Blue CW-595
6. Embrace Pastel Paint Colours for Ceilings
Pale and pastel paint colours are known to flatter walls, so why wouldn’t they do the same for ceilings? With a refreshing, positive vibe and endless versatility, pastel ceilings can bring Zen to bathrooms, bedrooms, and anywhere that needs a little extra light. Try one in a nursery or kids’ room for a supremely soothing space.
Pastel hues for ceilings we love:
Palest Pistachio 2122-60
You Are My Sunshine 302
First Light 2102-70
Gloucester Sage HC-100
7. The Case for the Dark Ceiling Paint Colour
A darker ceiling can be a great design feature and push the “wow factor” of any room. If you want to go with a darker colour on your ceiling, consider using a paint colour that is two to three shades darker than your walls. Rooms with dark ceilings feel cozy and comfortable, making them a welcoming respite.
Some of our go-to dark ceiling colours:
Chambourd AF-645
Luxe AF-580
Narragansett Green HC-157
Regent Green 2136-20
8. Highlight Architectural Details
A beautifully painted ceiling attracts attention to architectural features like crown moulding and tray or vaulted ceilings. Elegant colour choices like dark green or black help to highlight both the height and angles of distinct ceilings. Here, Regent Green 2136-20 on the ceiling and trim comes to life against White Dove OC-17 on the walls, lending breathtaking openness to this living room.
Try one of these eye-catching ceiling paint colours to elevate your space:
Shadow 2117-30
Colonial Verdigris CW-530
Modern Romance CSP-435
Antique Pewter 1560
9. Cozy Ceiling Paint Colours
Like a warm blanket of colour, cozy ceiling paint colours will bring a blissful atmosphere to any room, no matter how large or small. Blue, white, or grey is an excellent place to start — and add versatility for decorating — but for extra comfort, try a hue in our hygge colour palette or use a monochromatic colour scheme, like we did here with Antique Pewter 1560.
Our coziest paint colours for ceilings include these soothing hues:
Thundercloud Gray 2124-40
Angelica AF-665
Gray Cashmere 2138-60
Savannah Green 2150-30
10. Painting Ceilings and Walls the Same Colour
A monochromatic wall and ceiling combination — especially in a vibrant hue like Savannah Green 2150-30 — evokes a warm vibe. Other hues we love building monochromatic colour schemes around include Hale Navy HC-154, Almond Beige 2101-40, and Pashmina AF-100.
If you move forward with an all-one-colour look, consider using an ultra-flat finish on the ceiling to create subtle design interest against higher-sheen walls.
Teacup Rose 2170-50
What Is the Best Paint for Ceilings?
For virtually flawless ceilings in any colour, we recommend ultra-flat Anti-mould Ceiling Paint. This paint hides common imperfections and reduces glare, is formulated to minimize spatter, and dries quickly so you can get back to enjoying your space faster.
Get Advice & Complimentary Swatches
If you need help in choosing your colour, come by any of our stores today to see all our colours on display. Our colour experts will also be glad to assist you in choosing the shade that truly suits your space. Also, you get to bring home complimentary swatches which are true to colour for your consideration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best colour to paint a ceiling?
The best colour to paint your ceiling is a colour you love, but a general thought to keep in mind is the mood you want to set in the room. Lighter paint colours, like white or neutrals, add airiness, making rooms feel larger and more open, while darker paint colours can make things feel cozier or add a touch of drama and mystery.
Is there a standard ceiling paint colour?
White is a classic choice for ceiling paint - the standard white that we usually recommend is Chantilly Lace OC-65.
What is the best paint colour for a low ceiling?
For low ceilings or small spaces, you can’t go wrong with a white paint colour like Chantilly Lace OC-65, Simply White OC-117, or Steam AF-15. These hues will help to visually open the room, giving the illusion of higher ceilings and ample space.
Should you paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls?
A monochromatic wall and ceiling combination — especially in jewel tones — makes even large rooms feel intimate and cozy. For luxurious ambience, try a purple like Sanctuary AF-620 or Black Raspberry 2072-20, or layer in a white paint colour in different sheens for dimension and texture.