We tackled a few projects recently, including some updates for the children’s hospital, but a lot of you noticed the foyer ceiling change in the background of yesterday’s post, so here are the details. We actually finished the ceiling before our big kitchen paint day, but that post jumped the queue because it was way too exciting to wait. We usually dread painting ceilings—large rooms equal sore backs—but the foyer is fairly small, so I rolled the whole surface while Sherry handled the cutting in around the edges.
If you want to see ceiling painting in action, we have a video of us painting our nearby office that shows our technique and tools.
After two coats we were thrilled with the result—high-fives all around under the star chandelier. For months the foyer looked like it had a nice outfit (freshly painted walls) with dirty, matted hair (a yellowed ceiling). Definitely not the look we wanted.
Sherry convinced me to go one shade darker on the ceiling after spotting an image in Traditional Home. We already had leftover Revere Pewter from painting the walls and ceiling in our sink nook. Revere Pewter is the slightly darker square on the same swatch as Edgecomb Gray, which is what we used on the foyer walls. Both are popular greige choices, so it felt like an easy, low-risk update.
We really like how the ceiling turned out, though getting photos that match what it looks like in person has been a little tricky.
Sometimes photos make the ceiling look darker or cooler than it appears in real life. In person it’s clearly a bit darker than the walls, but not in an oppressive way—more like a complementary contrast that adds depth.
Usually we use a flat finish for ceilings, but the paint we had leftover from the bathroom was eggshell. We ended up liking the slight sheen: it catches the window light and gives the ceiling a subtle glow, so it still feels airy. You can see the effect in the photo below.
That said, we’re not ready to abandon flat ceilings entirely. Any added sheen makes imperfections—dings, seams, uneven spots—more visible. We were lucky that the foyer ceiling was in great shape. When we buy paint specifically for a ceiling (like in Clara’s room) we’ll probably choose flat to minimize showing any flaws. Update: we realized we used eggshell on Clara’s ceiling too—lighting and color can change how sheen reads, and in her room it looks more matte.
Overall, we’re fans of non-white ceilings when it makes sense—like the sunroom where we used blue—but for spaces with a lot going on (two-tone cabinets, painted walls, paneling), a white ceiling still feels like the safest, most cohesive choice.
Our Favorite Paint Colors
If you’re having trouble choosing a paint color, here are some of the shades we recommend based on rooms we’ve painted and lived in:
- The 12 Best White Paint Colors
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Sherwin-Williams Pure White
- Sherwin-Williams Extra White
Psst— want to know where we sourced something in the house? Check out our shop page to find items we’ve used and recommend.
