Ceiling showcase: design trends for above your head

You’re telling us to paint or wallpaper the ceiling? Have you gone mad? The answer, surprisingly, is no. One of the hottest interior design trends for 2025 is decorating our ceilings with something more than a lick of magnolia.

A time-honoured tradition

It is definitely not a new concept. Travel back to the 15th century and you’ll find one of the most stunning (and well known) examples of ceiling art: the Sistine Chapel. Artist Michelangelo painstakingly painted intricate frescoes on the domed ceilings over the course of four years, with more than 300 figures set against a heavenly backdrop.

The good news is ceiling art in 2025 doesn’t have to be as ambitious or flamboyant as Italy’s finest. The easiest method of customising your ceiling is by applying a couple of coats of coloured paint. Your ceiling is an excellent blank canvas, as it’s usually smooth and flat. 

Change your usual colour

Colour drenching and ceilings go hand-in-hand as this is a decorating style that involves painting every surface the same colour, including the ceiling. If you want to take the most tentative step, opt for a pastel shade and apply this to all walls, woodwork and the ceiling. If you opt for a semi-gloss or high sheen paint, you’ll also create an extra surface that reflects the light.

Moving away from light neutrals may feel daring but the result can be worth it, especially if you want to play with a room’s perspective. Painting the ceiling a darker colour than the walls will give the illusion that the ceiling is lower than it is – advantageous if you want to create a cosy atmosphere.

Up and over with paper

A bolder choice would be to wallpaper the ceiling. There are three approaches, depending on your design objectives. If maximalism is your vibe, you could wallpaper every wall and continue the paper up and across the ceiling. It’s definitely a ‘more is more’ approach and not for the faint hearted.

A compromise would be to paint the walls and reserve wallpaper for the ceiling. Choose a complimentary or clashing pattern and your eye will immediately be drawn upwards. The most subtle way with wallpaper is to use a textured paper and paint it the same colour as the walls – interest without an overwhelming impact.

Get plastered

If you can’t bring yourself to paint or paper an entire ceiling, there is an alternative option. Real or ‘faux’ plasterwork details can be affixed to the ceiling, which will lend a period air to a design scheme. Ceiling roses, mouldings, cornicing and coving were popular in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian eras and they remain a classy addition to a room. Today it’s possible to buy ornate tiles/panels, plastic roses and lightweight cornice strips that can add drama and detail.

If your love of design and decorating is compelling you to move home, contact us today. We can provide you with an up-to-date valuation for a home you own, and register your details for new properties as soon as we’re instructed to sell them.