What Color Do You Paint A Sloped Ceiling?

A sloped ceiling makes a room feel more visually appealing. It adds character, creating a sense of drama and openness. However, what is the best color to paint a sloped ceiling? We researched suggested color treatments for a ceiling that has an angle to learn how the color of a room's ceiling and walls impacts a viewer's perception of lighting, roominess, and energy.

When you have a gorgeous sloped ceiling that needs a lovely coat of paint, it's ideal to choose lighter colors for the best results. A slanted ceiling provides a welcome space to create contrast and should complement the main walls. A lighter paint makes a room feel more spacious and helps amplify light. However, darker colors can create a chic, contemporary room, too. Check out the following suggested colors for a beautifully executed slanted ceiling:

White
Beige
Gray
Navy
Black
Chocolate Brown

Continue reading to learn when it is better to use a lighter or darker color paint on your ceiling for stunning results.

Color Treatments For A Sloped Ceiling

Sloped ceilings are an attractive detail in a home that provides a host of benefits. A vaulted ceiling might fit an extra window or skylight, create a unique dynamic to how a room is perceived, and allow for hot air to better circulate. It is important to utilize color wisely to make a room with a sloped ceiling seem more impressive, working with the height of the ceiling.

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If a room feels overly spacious because of a high vaulted ceiling, it is better to choose a darker color, so it makes the space feel cozier. Choose a color treatment in a trending palette to make an antiquated sloped ceiling look more modern and refreshed. When in doubt, painting all of the walls and ceiling in the same color or using neutral colors for the ceiling work well in most situations.

Make a bold move, familiarize yourself with color theory to understand what paint works best for your interior. Opt for a vibrant sunny yellow or electric blue paint for the ceiling, paired with eggshell or bright white walls for sharp contrast. Paint a vaulted ceiling in a rich black or velvety chocolate brown for a chic touch, coupled with slightly lighter shade of walls. Be adventurous, work with the lighting in the room, and create a desirable focal point to keep the energy moving in a home.

White Sloped Ceiling

Amplify the light in a modern, minimalist kitchen with a coat of bright white for a sloped ceiling. The sense of open space and the skylight lets plenty of natural light in and highlights the vintage-inspired industrial hanging lighting in this example. Choosing a matte white or a coat with a satin finish helps reflect light, keeps things clean, sharp, and is always in style.

Beige Sloped Ceiling

Add a pop of soft color to a ceiling with a bit of warmth without overwhelming neutral white walls, using beige. Beige is an excellent choice because it is a light, sandy color with hint of yellow-gray, an off-tan, or a taupe. Use this color for a classic, contemporary aesthetic that is pleasing.

Gray Sloped Ceiling

Gray is a solid choice for a ceiling because you can create a different vibe using a lighter gray or a charcoal hue. In this example, note how the high sloped ceilings appear cozy and not imposing because the same dark gray coat is applied on the walls. Using the same color paint makes a room appear more grand, expensive, and cohesive. Following the color treatment, the focal point can rest on the lighting and flooring for contrast and heightened visual appeal.

Blue Sloped Ceiling

Take inspiration from the sea, the sky, and classic jewel tones in blue for a sloped ceiling. A modern, bedroom looks slightly Scandinavian with a blue-green coat of paint for the ceiling and the walls. Blue offers a sense of calm, makes windows and white areas look brighter, and works well with natural wood, neutral carpet, and ornate area rugs.

Black Sloped Ceiling

Consider coating a high sloped ceiling in a generous coat of rich black paint, but avoid doing so if the room has lower ceilings. A darker color makes a room feel more intimate and luxurious if it is spacious but cramped if it is small. Create an eye-popping room with high contrast using black paint for the ceiling and bright white for the walls. Be mindful of sun exposure as it can fade darker color paints, and dust and flaws may be more visible.

Chocolate Brown Sloped Ceiling

Move over, gray, black, or white; opt for chocolate brown paint to warm up a room and a vaulted ceiling. Highlight details and accents on the ceiling. Add a touch of luxury, show off an ornate chandelier, minimalist recessed lighting, or a modern aesthetic treatment.

Should Ceiling Paint Be Flat Or Eggshell?

When you are painting a sloped ceiling, make the best decision based on whether the surface is textured or not. A flat coat paint is better for ceilings with a popcorn feel and look. If a ceiling is completely smooth, choose an eggshell with a satin or glossy finish. Remember, glossy or satin paint on the ceiling helps reflect light and makes a room look polished.

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How Many Coats Of Paint Does A Sloped Ceiling Need?

The number of coats a ceiling will need depends on the type of paint you use for the job. If you prime the ceiling beforehand or use a paint with built-in primer, one coat is typically sufficient. However, if the ceiling is porous, has a lot of flaws that need hiding, or you are painting fresh drywall, paint more two to three coats.

Darker color paint should be applied to a ceiling more than once so it looks perfect. Typically, two to three coats of paint make the treatment last longer than if you rely on a single application of paint. If a paint is difficult to work with, you may need a minimum of three coats for the ceiling.

What Is The Easiest Way To Paint A Ceiling?

Wider is better when painting a ceiling fast. You may want to enlist help with painting, but opt for a paint roller that is 18 inches wide if you can handle it. The wider your paint roller, you can quickly cover more space with paint in less time than with a smaller roller, taking care of the ceiling and the walls.

Other options include installing an extender for your roller or paint brush, using a ladder, and keep your brushes clean while you work. Don't forget to protect your workspace with drop cloths and keep buckets, water, and cleaning rags close at hand to keep tidy and work fast.

Check out this handy paint roller on Amazon.

How Do You Make A Slanted Ceiling Look Taller?

There are more than a few tricks to make a slanted ceiling look taller. Consider choosing from the following methods if your ceiling is eight feet or higher:

Add full decorative molding or crown molding.
Install hanging lights as a complementary focal point that draws the eye in a vertical direction.
Install full-length curtains for drama on any windows.
Any furniture in the room should have a lower profile.
Use recessed lighting.
Paint the ceiling white or use the same color for all of the walls and ceiling.
Add vertical stripes to the walls and a matte or glossy finish to the ceiling.

No matter if you use one method or a combination of two or more, you can elevate the height of your room with these visual tricks.

In Closing

We hope you have a more in-depth understanding of color theory and why certain shades and hues of paint work best for a sloped ceiling. You can create a more dynamic and open-feeling attic bedroom, transform a chic, upscale living room complete with skylights, or revamp a dining room with slanted ceilings. No matter your particular aesthetic treatment for a room, you can't go wrong choosing a neutral color palette or turning up the drama with a bold, colorful or darker paint.

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