Set the Mood: Wall and Ceiling Color Combos for All Your Rooms

Most of us learned about complementary colors in an elementary school art class. They are color combinations that create the greatest degree of contrast when put next to each other. In other words, they’re colors that look brighter and more vibrant together than they do apart.

This idea is simple but profound when it comes to interior design. Combining two colors in a space—complementary or not—can create an entirely different look. And a great way to use this idea to your advantage is by being selective about the paint color you choose for your walls and ceilings. That’s why we’ve compiled our favorite wall and ceiling color combos for all your rooms in one place.

Matching Colors

The word “combination” refers to blending two different things, so technically, choosing the same color for your wall and ceiling isn’t a “color combo.” Even so, the choice can create a vibrant and visually interesting space. This is especially true if you are straying from pale neutrals like white or off-white.

Even if you choose matching colors, it’s a good idea to create a subtle contrast between the walls and ceiling. The best way to do this is by choosing a paint that is either just a shade lighter or has a higher gloss. This will help keep the room from feeling dark or closed in.

Same Color, Different Shade

Any grade school student will tell you that there are seven colors in the rainbow, not including black and white. But within every one of those seven colors is a whole host of other colors. For example, under the umbrella of blue, you can have robin’s-egg blue, cerulean, navy blue, or cornflower.

For a cohesive look that still adds a sense of visual interest, try these different-shade color combinations using our ECOS Paints colors:

• Different shades of blue, like our “Blue Parlor” and “Parkwater.”
• Different shades of yellow, like our “Lemon Tint” and “Sun Touched.”
• Different shades of pink, like our “Pink Heath” and “Bridesmaid.”
• Different shades of orange, like our “November Leaf” and “Orange Ballad.”
• Different shades of gray, like our “Let It Rain” and “Slate Tint.”
• Different shades of brown or beige, like our “Golden Buff” and “Key Keeper.”

Keep in mind that just because you are choosing two shades of the same color doesn’t mean they will automatically go together well. Different shades have different undertones, and those undertones may clash. Your best bet is to choose a single color and look for other colors along the same gradient.

Same Temperature Color Combos

The color wheel is divided between warm and cool colors, and colors on the same side of the spectrum tend to work well together.

For instance, doing an orange and red color combination will create a room that calls to mind sunsets or desert imagery, which is especially ideal if you want to capture a Southwest theme. On the other hand, blues and greens can create a natural, calming feeling in a room. Keep in mind that even cool colors can have warm undertones and vice versa, and you don’t want the undertones to clash.

Color Combos Built To Contrast

Choosing highly contrasting colors between the walls and ceiling can do several things in your room. The contrast can make the ceiling look higher up, giving the illusion that your room is larger. If you choose a darker color for the ceiling, it can also make an overly tall room feel comforting and more intimate.

There is a wide variety of color options for highly contrasting wall-ceiling combinations.

Bold Color With a Neutral

The first is choosing a bold, vibrant color and light-colored neutral like white, off-white, or beige. This will help keep your design grounded. Putting the neutral on the ceiling with the vibrant color on the walls will help the room seem open and airy. This is true even if you choose a dark color like royal purple or forest green.

On the other hand, if you keep your walls a light color and paint the ceiling a bold color, it may make the room seem more intimate. And because most people expect a room to have a neutral ceiling, it will give the room a dramatic flair that guests in your home are sure to remember.

Two Bold Colors

Choosing two different bold colors can be challenging. After all, two colors may look good next to each other on paper or as part of someone’s clothing ensemble but be too much on someone’s walls. If you are looking for some no-fail wall and ceiling color combos for any room, here are a few we enjoy:

• Goldenrod and brown, like our “Buttered Popcorn” and “Rare Happening.”
• Pale yellow and navy blue, like our “Lemon Sponge Cake” and “Dancing Sea.”
• Warm greens and yellows, like our “Hyper” and “Yellow Tail.”
• Warm or cool green and brown, like our “Glass Bottle” and “Becker Gold.”
• Pale pink and dark blue, like our “A Lot of Love” and “Peninsula.”

Pro Tip: Remember the Trim and Rafters

The walls and ceiling aren’t the only colors to consider when choosing a color combination for your walls and ceiling. If you have trim going along the edges of your room or across the walls, painting it light or neutral colors can help break up colors and ground the room.

Tips for Choosing a Wall-Ceiling Color Combo for Your Room

With so many color combinations available, trying to match one to every room in your house can be challenging. Finding the “right” color for any room comes down to personal preference. But here are a few factors to keep in mind when making your choice:

• How high a room’s ceiling is. Dark- or warm-colored ceilings tend to seem closer, which can make some rooms feel cozy and others feel claustrophobic.
• How much natural light comes into a room. Color can either maximize a space’s light or suck it up.
• The type of light coming into your room. Rooms with north-facing windows will have cooler light, while south-facing windows will have warmer light. This will change how the colors in your room appear.
• The color of your flooring and furniture. Remember: color looks different depending on other colors in the surroundings.

Also, think about the emotions you want to evoke in a room. Combining colors has a way of calling specific images to mind. For example, green and brown tend to make people think of the great outdoors, while a blue ceiling with white walls will immediately call to mind the sky.

Whatever color combination you choose, ECOS Paints has an enchanting collection of interior wall paints to help you make your vision a reality.