Here's Why You Might Want To Paint Your Ceiling Brown

For many years, accent walls have given our rooms a bold, but safe, splash of color. We are even seeing a wider range of accent wall ideas that showcase geometric designs, wallpaper, and texture. But one unexpected way to add a pop of color is to incorporate an accent ceiling. Several reasons you should be painting your ceilings are that it can change the feel of a room, making it feel bigger or cozier, or work as a way to show off unique design elements. But just like the color options for walls is immense, the same goes for your ceiling. While a House Digest survey revealed that there is one ceiling color that 70% of homeowners think is best, we spoke exclusively with Sarah Bilotta, House Digest's design historian, to understand why homeowners should consider brown for their ceilings, even if fewer than 6% of people in the survey agreed.

"Rich, dark, saturated colors can look marvelous on the ceiling of almost any room — large or small," Bilotta said. "The key is creating a sense of visual balance between light and dark colors. A rich, saturated brown can work especially well with a room that has lots of natural wood accents with dark knots or grain. The all-white look is quickly going out of fashion, and balancing lights and darks is key to keeping your home looking up to date. Adding a deep, warm color like brown to your ceiling is a quirky and unique way to add some dimension to your space and change things up for a fresh look."

Since a brown ceiling is such a bold move, Sarah Bilotta encourages homeowners to not be afraid of dark colors and to embrace the trend of maximalist tones. For example, pair a dark chocolate brown ceiling with a navy blue crown molding or with walls covered in emerald green brocaded wallpaper. You could also extend the length of your ceiling by matching the color of your molding with the ceiling.

"You don't have to reach for other shades of brown to get a cohesive look with a brown ceiling," Bilotta said in her exclusive interview with House Digest. "Search for other saturated, warm tones as an alternative. Deep burgundies and rich olive greens can complement dark brown splendidly. Take inspo from the Pantone color of the year! If you want to work a neutral grayish brown into your design, there are ample guides to how to effectively use 'mocha mousse' paint."

Not sure which room to choose for a brown accent ceiling? Bilotta said that this color can work in almost any room, but the shade matters. She recommended a deep terra-cotta tone for a boho-style space featuring natural fiber textiles, or mocha mousse for an area decorated with a contemporary palette rich in grays and beiges.

To ensure that the brown accent ceiling doesn't feel out of place in the room, Sarah Bilotta shared specific complementary colors in her exclusive interview with House Digest. If your chocolate brown ceiling has cool undertones, try Benjamin Moore's Midnight Navy or Old Navy. If the brown leans more neutral, pair it with Benjamin Moore's grayish-green Vintage Vogue. A gray-brown ceiling goes well with Benjamin Moore's classic burgundy, or for a more subtle look, opt for cream walls with window cases and baseboards that match your accent ceiling.

"For a sultry pop with an orangey-brown ceiling, pair Farrow & Ball's rich Hague Blue (one of my favorites)," Bilotta said, referencing the wall color pictured above. "Just keep in mind that painting a ceiling requires more physical effort than painting walls, so you may want to bring in a professional. Also — a dark color is harder to cover than a light color, so be prepared to live with your new ceiling for a while."