All our ceiling decoration tips to give your interior character
Often overlooked in favour of the walls, the ceiling is in fact a true fifth wall of the room, able to completely transform its atmosphere. Whether you want to tone down a ceiling that feels too high and impersonal or simply add an extra decorative touch, there are several elegant ways to dress it: paint, cornices, a ceiling rose, lighting, panels or wallpaper. At Isidore Leroy, several of our designs are specially created to be hung on the ceiling. Here are our best ceiling decoration ideas.
Why focus on ceiling decoration?
A plain white ceiling has the advantage of simplicity, but it misses an opportunity to strengthen a room's identity. Decorating your ceiling creates a sense of surprise when you look up, anchors the decor more completely from wall to ceiling, or corrects certain proportions, especially when the ceiling is particularly high and gives a somewhat cold sense of volume.
The different ceiling decoration techniques
Paint remains the most accessible option. A colour slightly deeper than the walls visually lowers a high ceiling and makes the room feel warmer; conversely, pure white raises it and brings in light. You can also paint a band that runs down onto the top of the walls for a very contemporary effect.
Cornices and mouldings, in plaster, polystyrene or PVC, highlight the junction between wall and ceiling and instantly give an interior character. Combined with a central ceiling rose around the chandelier, they recreate the spirit of Haussmann-style Parisian apartments.
Wood panels and battens warm up a ceiling and structure the space, ideal in a living room or bedroom with a natural feel. Lighter synthetic versions suit humid rooms such as the bathroom.
Lighting is another way to contribute to the decor: an LED strip hidden in a cornice creates very soft indirect light, while a striking pendant becomes a true decorative feature. Recessed LED spotlights suit suspended ceilings, and a colour-changing LED strip lets you change the mood depending on the moment.
Finally, wallpaper offers the most transformative solution: sky, foliage or graphic pattern, it dresses the whole surface in a single installation.
Cornice, ceiling rose, LED: options for every budget
Ceiling decoration offers many options depending on your budget and the time you want to spend. A polystyrene or PVC cornice can be fitted in a day and painted the colour of the wall; a plaster cornice, more expensive, gives a finer finish and better durability. A ceiling rose is fitted in the centre of the ceiling to hang a chandelier and add a classical touch, an inexpensive option given the effect it creates. LED strips, easy to hide behind a cornice, are an economical way to create indirect light. Wooden battens are sold in kits and can dress a ceiling in a few hours. For wallpaper, compare the price per square metre, which varies with the material chosen, and check delivery times before planning your work. Whatever product range you choose, prioritise quality: a ceiling is rarely redone, and the decor should last for many years.
How do you create the illusion of a high ceiling?
For low ceilings, choose light shades and delicate patterns that don't visually weigh down the space, in harmony with the walls. For a ceiling that is already high and that you want to showcase rather than reduce, sky or foliage designs create a sense of depth and lightness that naturally accompanies the height, without any feeling of being crushed.
How can I enhance my ceiling?
Wallpaper is one of the simplest ways to enhance a ceiling, as long as you choose a pattern suited to the room's purpose. In a bedroom, choose soft, soothing designs such as cloudy skies that encourage relaxation. In a child's bedroom, a starry sky sparks dreams. In an entrance hall or dining room, more graphic patterns create a striking element of surprise.
What are some ideas for decorating a high ceiling?
High ceilings are particularly well suited to immersive nature designs: tree canopies seen from below, clear skies or bright clearings. These patterns play with the available height rather than fighting it, creating the feeling of a canopy or a celestial vault. You can also hang a large light fitting or emphasise the volume with a pronounced cornice.
Ceiling decoration: choosing materials and caring for them
The choice depends on the room: washable non-woven wallpaper or suitable paint for humid rooms, wood or plaster for living spaces. Think about durability: a well-designed decor hung on a sound surface lasts for years without yellowing. For maintenance, simple regular dusting is usually enough; scrubbable surfaces can be cleaned with a slightly damp sponge.
Our ceiling decoration ideas for every interior
Classic style: a plaster cornice, a central ceiling rose and mouldings painted in the ceiling colour for a timeless look. Nature style: light wooden battens or a foliage wallpaper for a relaxing atmosphere. Contemporary style: LED lighting built into a cornice, acoustic panels and a wall matching the ceiling. Child's bedroom: a starry sky or clouds to make time stand still at bedtime. In every case, the quality and durability of the materials make the difference: a simple, well-executed solution is better than an overloaded decor. In terms of space, a decorated ceiling structures the room and creates a unique atmosphere throughout the home.
Which wallpaper should you put on the ceiling?
Our Ceiling Wallpaper collection brings together our designs created for this purpose. Among our most popular creations: Ciel Bespoke, a soft, soothing sky gradient, available made to measure to fit the exact dimensions of your ceiling; Éclaircie Bespoke, which plays on the light filtering through the foliage for a particularly immersive effect; and Clairière Bespoke, a luminous woodland pattern that creates a serene atmosphere, ideal for a bedroom.
Price, quality, delivery: our advice before you buy
Before you start, compare the products and options offered by each brand: price per metre, quality of materials, delivery times. A range of plaster cornices costs more than a polystyrene range, but the finesse of the detail is in another league. For a ceiling wallpaper, check that it is designed for this use, whether the price includes delivery, and whether a sample is available. For a child's bedroom, choose solvent-free products, and for a relaxing space, soft shades on the walls as well as the ceiling. Finally, plan the lighting from the start: an LED strip or spotlights need to be planned before the cornices are fitted.
FAQ
How do you create the illusion of a high ceiling?
For a low ceiling, choose light shades and delicate patterns that visually lighten the space; for an already high ceiling, sky or foliage patterns accompany and showcase the height.
How can I enhance my ceiling?
With paint, cornices, a ceiling rose, indirect LED lighting or a wallpaper suited to the room: soft and soothing for a bedroom, more graphic for an entrance hall or dining room.
What are some ideas for decorating a high ceiling?
Immersive nature patterns, such as canopies seen from below, clear skies or bright clearings, enhance a ceiling's height by creating the effect of a canopy or a celestial vault.
Which wallpaper should you put on the ceiling?
Designs created for this purpose, such as sky, clearing or woodland patterns, give an immersive and harmonious result, especially when they are available made to measure to fit the exact dimensions of the ceiling.
