Painting your home this weekend? How a statement ceiling could transform your interiors in just two days

Long light evenings and mini home makeovers are a dream team. But, with sunshine forecast, to make sure you can finish what you start, choose a project that will make a big impact but won’t take up every sunny moment.

Paint is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to transform a space.

Our Instagram feeds have been taken over by dramatic, dark walls, brightly-coloured doors and two-toned staircases in recent months. And now, it’s all about statement ceilings.

More subtle than a feature wall in every room, it's a clever way to add your individual style to your home. It’s also the perfect project for those who can't decide which wall to paint, or don't fancy tackling an entire room.

Before you commit, it pays to put in some groundwork. You will need to move or cover the furniture in the room and cover your flooring.

Be prepared for the space to be out of action while you prep the edges, set up the ladder and wait for several coats of your chosen colour to dry.

“Ceilings are the most neglected part of a room when it comes to decorating and yet they are the biggest opportunity we have to create more interest without adding more clutter,” says Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux.

“By adding a bit of colour to the ceiling we free up the walls and create a sense of delicious cocooning.”

Use colour on ceilings in spaces where you can relax and look up: “Think soaking in the bath, dreaming in bed and lying on the sofa in the living room," says Shillingford.

Colours don't have to be very strong or dark to make a real impact, she adds, "All rooms work well with a bit of colour on the ceiling but try the smallest room out first – like the toilet, cloakroom or bathroom – and see how amazing it looks before trying it in the bedroom and living room."

"Choosing the right colour for the right room depends on the things that you have in the room. Get inspiration from flooring, furnishings and artwork."

If you have low ceilings, you can still paint them in a colourful hue — just try the same as that which you have used on your walls. This makes the ceiling height less defined and can make the room seem bigger than it is.

For high ceilings, you can paint the ceiling in a contrasting, darker shade for a cocoon-like feel.

Interior designers Nicola Keenan and Nicola Lindsell, co-founders of Boxx Creative design studio, recommend choosing a flat matt emulsion paint for colourful ceilings, “A high sheen or gloss finish will reflect around the room and produce glare.”

“There is a common misconception that dark ceilings make a room feel gloomy and closed in, small and claustrophobic. Its actually the exact opposite,” says Keenan.

“If you have high ceilings, and you wish to create a cosier, more intimate feeling, paint the ceiling darker so its feels like it’s closer to you and the room feels smaller and more intimate.”

Once you’ve chosen your ceiling colour, you’ve painted it and you’re sticking with it, there are other ways to incorporate the colour in the space without going overboard. Crucially, these don’t all have to be added at once.

“Lighting really helps to create an impressive wow factor and bold design statement,” says Keenan. “Lighting fixtures, such as a glass chandelier or coloured fabric or metal pendant light, look far better against a coloured ceiling as they stand out more than on a white ceiling.”

“Use pops of lighter or brighter accents colours [elsewhere in the room] to break up the scheme and provide visual interest,” adds Keenan, “It’s a good idea to play with patterns and textures.”

Scroll through our gallery above for key accessories to dot throughout your space to tie in with bold painted ceiling projects.