Add Some Interest And Color To Your Kitchen By Painting This Essential Feature

A kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a house, but you seldom get to let your personality shine in this space. Sure, you get to choose the cabinets, backsplashes, countertop material, sink, and lighting; however, these choices are often dictated by a fixture's functionality. Fortunately, you can add some interest and color to your kitchen by painting one overlooked feature – the ceiling. Although the fifth wall commands ⅙ of the cooking room, its potential is seldom realized.

Painting your ceilings white is an easy way out. After all, the shade goes with practically everything and you won't have to make tough decisions. But putting in a little effort to choose a color, paint type, and finish that goes with other decor elements in your kitchen will give the ceiling a much-needed facelift and transform the space. Better yet, if the tall ceilings stand out too much (and not in a good way), painting them a dark shade will make them appear shorter while infusing the room with a cozy feel.

When choosing a color for the ceiling, consider the height of the ceiling. To illustrate, a lower ceiling will benefit from a lighter shade, whereas a darker shade works best for a tall fifth wall. You don't necessarily have to go for a solid shade, either. Patterned ceilings and accents will add visual interest to the room. But if that seems like too much work, take inspiration from the walls. A rule of thumb is to choose a shade that's 20% lighter than the wall color on the ceiling. You can always ask the store to mix 50% white color into the original shade.

While the decided ceiling color will add interest (or intrigue) to your kitchen, it's the paint type that will make or break the color. For instance, ceiling paint is the best option for a fifth wall since it's specifically formulated for these walls, lasts long, isn't too glossy, and doesn't require much maintenance. However, a textured paint finish is your best friend if you have textured ceilings, like popcorn. A flat latex paint can work, too, in case you have a few cases lying around. Another thing to consider is the paint finish for your ceiling. Generally, a flat finish is preferred since it'll conceal the bumps in the fifth wall. But if you need a finish with a little bit of shine, eggshell and satin work, too.