The best white for a ceiling is rarely the brightest one. A softened white with a little warmth, or one that relates to your wall colour, looks calm overhead, while a pure brilliant white can look cold and slightly blue in shadow, which is where most ceilings sit. Warm whites such as Wimborne White (239), Fuji (102) and Slaked Lime (105) suit most homes; cleaner whites such as All White (2005) and Loft White (222) suit cooler, brighter schemes.
Ceilings get less direct light than any wall in the room, so whatever white you choose will look a shade or two darker and greyer than it does on a sample card. That is why the choice matters more than it seems.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: School House White (291)
Why brilliant white can look stark
Standard brilliant whites often contain a touch of blue to make them look whiter in the tin. Farrow & Ball make this point about their own All White (2005), which contains no pigments of any other colour and is softer than brilliant whites that appear cooler because of added blue. On a ceiling in shadow, that blue can read as grey and a little clinical, especially next to warm walls.
A white with a whisper of yellow, red or earth in it holds its warmth in low light. It will not look creamy overhead; it simply looks like a white that belongs in the room.
Warm whites that do not look yellow
- Wimborne White (239). One of the brightest whites in the Farrow & Ball palette, with a small hint of yellow that gives it warmth while staying fresh.
- Pointing (2003). A pale yet warm white from Farrow & Ball's Red Based Neutrals, lovely above traditional, strong colours.
- School House White (291). A soft off-white without strong undertones, which Farrow & Ball describe as the impression of a brighter white seen in shade.
- Slaked Lime (105). A pure, neutral white with a warm, mineral softness.
- China Clay (1). A soft, warm white with subtle earthy undertones.
- Fuji (102). A softly broken warm white that Paint & Paper Library describe as a perfect ceiling shade for warmer schemes.
Photo Credit: Paint & Paper Library; Colour Used: Fuji (102)
Clean and cool whites
In a south-facing room, or a scheme of greys, blues and greens, a cleaner white can be the better partner.
- All White (2005). Clean and simple, with no other pigments, so it is bright without the chill of a brilliant white.
- Strong White (2001). Sits between a white and a pale grey, with the subtle lilac undertone of Farrow & Ball's Contemporary Neutrals.
- Loft White (222). A near-pure white with clean, fresh clarity, which Little Greene suggest in place of brilliant white.
- Wood Ash (229). A pale grey just off-white, which Little Greene recommend as a ceiling colour in warm rooms.
- Clean White (101). A pure white with no added undertones, crisp and bright.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: All White (2005)
Relating the ceiling to the walls
The simplest rule is to choose a white from the same family as your wall colour. Above a warm red-based neutral, a warm white such as Pointing; above cool greys and blues, something cleaner such as All White or Loft White. A few other approaches work well:
- Match the woodwork. Using the same white on the ceiling and the joinery ties a room together.
- Go a shade lighter than the walls. In a pale scheme, a lighter tone of the wall colour on the ceiling feels softer than any white.
- Leave white behind. Painting the ceiling the wall colour can make a room feel taller and more enveloping, as we explore in why colour drenching works.
For more on whites in general, see can white be a colour of the year. And because ceilings are seen in shadow, always look at sample pots held up overhead, not just against the wall.
Which finish for a ceiling
A flat matt hides the small imperfections that ceilings always have. Farrow & Ball recommend Estate Emulsion for low-traffic walls and ceilings, Little Greene describe Absolute Matt Emulsion as perfect for interior walls and ceilings, and Paint & Paper Library make Pure Flat Emulsion for plaster walls and ceilings. In kitchens and bathrooms, where steam rises, choose the washable Modern Emulsion, Intelligent Matt Emulsion or Architects' Matt instead.
Questions we are often asked
Will a warm white look yellow on the ceiling?
Rarely. Ceilings are seen in shade, which cools every colour. A white that looks a little creamy in the tin usually reads as a soft, natural white overhead.
Should I use a special ceiling paint?
There is no need. The matt emulsions above are made for walls and ceilings alike, and every colour can be mixed in them.
