Ceiling Decor Ideas: 11 Unique Ways To Decorate The Ceiling On A Budget

Want to add some extra personality to your rooms? Get rid of that boring white ceiling. These unique ceiling design ideas will give you lots of inspiration and easy ways to decorate the ceiling that don’t cost a lot of money.

As you may know, I am on a mission to upgrade my builder grade home by giving it those extra details you see in expensive custom homes. But without paying the custom home price.

The main way I do that is by finding designer rooms that I like and figuring out what makes those rooms so special.

Which is how I came to be a “ceiling must be decorated” enthusiast.  No boring white ceilings in my house!

If you look at some of the most awe-inspiring rooms in the world (like the Paris Opera House), they all include beautiful ceiling designs.

And while most people aren’t looking for something this ornate for their homes, it is possible to achieve the same kind of ceiling interest and warmth without putting in that much time and effort.

Keep reading to find some of my favorite ceiling design ideas and unique ways to decorate your ceiling.

Note: Some of the images below are from houzz.com and cannot be pinned due to their copyright restrictions

1 | Paint The Ceiling The Same Color As The Walls

One of the easiest ways to decorate the ceiling is to paint it the same color as the walls. 

It doesn’t require any extra decision making, it is sure to go with your decor and the extra bit of color on the ceiling will make the walls and ceiling flow.

You can choose to do a lighter tint on the ceiling like this office from Kelly Wearstler.

Or go with the exact same paint color.

I do this in a lot of my rooms because it has the added benefit of making your room seem bigger. There are no visual clues that separate the walls from the ceiling so your eye sees it all as one big surface.

It even works well with dark colors in small rooms like my den where I painted the walls and ceilings the same color black.

While this is definitely not a new decorating idea, it has recently become a trend (called color drenching). So apparently a lot of other people have decided they like it, too 🙂

Related: Why you should paint the walls and ceiling the same color

2 | Pull A Color From The Wallpaper

The second way to decorate the ceiling is to find some inspiration in what you already have.

If there’s a pattern in your room, like this wallpaper or an area rug, try choosing one of the colors in the pattern for the ceiling.

It ties the whole room together and definitely adds some pizzazz.  Even this room done in brown looks amazing!

My mother did something similar in her bedroom makeover, by pulling the pink color from the wallpaper up onto the ceiling.

3 | Paint A Contrasting Color

Painting the ceiling a dramatic color that goes with your decor can be a very effective and dramatic way to decorate the 5th wall.

In this picture the color of the ceiling ties in with the cushions and light fixture to give the room a cohesive look. The gloss of the paint also reflects light so that the darker color does not make the ceiling seem lower.

Note: I would not recommend using gloss paint if you have a popcorn ceiling…it will make the texture even more visible.

My mother did something similar with the ceiling in her living room. She painted it gold to go with the blue, white and gold color scheme in her room.

And it definitely makes a statement!

4 | Add a Ceiling Medallion

The next option is to install a ceiling medallion.

Ceiling medallions are a great way to call attention to the ceiling, especially if you have a fabulous light fixture that you want to highlight.

When I did my last primary bedroom makeover, I decided to paint the ceiling medallion gold to contrast with the purple ceiling. And I love how it makes the chandelier stand out.

Of course, if you want to make even more of a statement, you could paint it more than one color.

I love this ceiling medallion that’s painted pink and gold!

Or if you want to save some money, you can use our tutorial to make your own lace medallion like I did when I re-decorated my home office / library.

5 | Install Moldings On The Ceiling

Or you can take the medallion ceiling design idea one step further by installing moldings on the ceiling.

I love the way the moldings add some definition and interest to what would otherwise be a big empty space.

If you really want to go all out, these decorative ceiling moldings definitely make a statement!

And they are actually really easy to install with some construction adhesive and finishing nails.

Or you could add some craftsman-style moldings like my mother did, if you really want to up the architectural interest factor.

6 | Paint Stripes

Now we might really be stepping outside of some people’s ceiling decor comfort zone, but painting stripes on the ceiling really helps to bring some drama to the room.

Especially if your ceiling has some interesting, architectural angles.

And for real color lovers, bright stripes work well, too, like my mother did in her kitchen.  They immediately make the whole room feel very cheerful.

For more details, read our step-by-step tutorial for painting stripes on the ceiling.

7 | Paint The Ceiling Gingham Or Plaid

If you really want to go all out, you can take the stripes one step further, and paint a geometric ceiling design such as gingham checks or plaid.

This is a little more time-consuming than stripes but you definitely end up with a dramatic ceiling!

I painted blue gingham checks to go with the French Country style in the first version of my bathroom makeover.

And my mother painted a plaid ceiling in her living room. I guess it must run in the family 🙂

8 | Paint a Starburst Pattern

The starburst pattern painted on the ceiling in this entryway is definitely a unique ceiling design idea!

When I was planning my home office makeover, my original idea was to do a ceiling pattern something like this.

Unfortunately, I ran out of time and didn’t get to this part of the project.  But it makes such a statement that it is still on my to-do list!

9 | Install Some Ceiling Wallpaper

Some folks might be wondering…can you install wallpaper on the ceiling?

Why yes…yes, you can!

Installing wallpaper on the ceiling is a little bit of a challenge, but the results can be stunning! (For step-by-step instructions, read our tutorial for installing wallpaper on the ceiling).

In the room above, painting the wall color up onto the ceiling and then adding the wallpaper in the middle helps to make the ceiling feel taller than it is.

Of course, you can always go with a more subdued ceiling wallpaper pattern if you prefer a more understated look, like my mother did in her bedroom.

For even more inspiration, read these stunning wallpaper ceiling ideas.

10 | Cover the ceiling with fabric

Or if you have a fabric you really love, you can use it to cover the ceiling as well (like my mother did in her office makeover).

When you re-use the same fabric (or something that co-ordinates with it) on the furniture in the room, you are guaranteed to have a cohesive-looking space.

I have to admit that when I’ve done this, I just go rogue with a stapler. From eight feet down, those tiny staples are completely invisible anyway.

But if you want to learn how to do it properly, read how to hang fabric like wallpaper.

11 | Glue On Faux-Tin Ceiling Tiles

Don’t feel like painting the ceiling? Our last ceiling design idea is to add faux tin ceiling tiles.

Tin look-a-like styrofoam tiles can be glued to most surfaces. Yes, even popcorn!

Even better? They are also really easy install and most standard sized rooms only take a few hours to complete.

For more details, read our tutorial for installing faux tin ceiling tiles.

12 | Put up beadboard

If you’ve ever been to Charleston, you’ve probably seen the porches with the light blue beadboard ceilings (like my mother did for her front porch makeover).

It’s a super easy way to decorate the ceiling by adding texture and color.

And while you can do it on the porch, it works equally well in other parts of your house like bathrooms and hallways.

For more details, read how to install beadboard on the ceiling.

Well that’s it for our easy and unique ceiling design ideas. Hopefully, you have found some ceiling decorating inspiration of your own!

Now if I can only find the time to get that starburst pattern done in my office…

Have comments or questions about our ceiling design ideas? Tell us in the section below.

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