We often get asked which paints are the best for specific applications and based on our 30+ years of experience, below are three great ceiling paint options that we have found provide a high quality finish while being easy to apply and touch-up:
All three of these latex ceiling paint provide a dead flat finish, which is what you want to hide any imperfections in the drywall. There is a current trend for higher sheens on walls & ceilings at the moment, and we are receiving more requests for matte or eggshell on ceilings. Shine, however, requires so much more from the substrate, meaning that the drywall needs to be a Level 5 finish with very few imperfections in order for it to look good. When most people think about high shine, they think about a polished car surface and this shine does not translate well on drywall surfaces. Stick with a flat to create that powdery soft look that floats above your rooms.
BEST CEILING COLORS
For ceilings, ceiling color is usually one of these options:
*A match to the enameled trim color in the house
*Standard Ceiling White (each product comes in a base white)
*A match to wall color
*Two or more shades lighter than the wall color
Matching to the wall color can be stunning - in many cases it does not make the room feel smaller and it can sometimes make the look more cohesive, especially when there are different ceiling levels or soffits. It's actually quite gorgeous when there is crown molding or when the ceilings are high. It's a great way to push the paint color to the perfect background of a well designed room.
Going with a few shades lighter than the wall color on the ceilings can create a beautiful look, especially if using a stark white would be too much contrast. Avoid the thought of cutting the wall color by 25-50% - although it sounds like a good idea, often the color will swing to one of the base tones (too pink or blue for example) and doesn't translate to 50% lighter as imagined. Select a color that is 2-3 shades lighter than the wall color on the fan deck strip. Avoid going with a color too close the walls as it could make the ceiling appear dirty or just "off".
COST
Don't let the lower cost of these products fool you - they are affordable, but they're so good! We use these in most of our homes, including high end new construction. Sometimes the best really isn't the highest priced option. Which is always a good thing, wouldn't you agree?
