Designers Are Breaking This Paint Rule, and the Results Are Stunning

Most pro painters won’t give you a paint finish option when it comes to painting ceilings. It’s flat paint or bust. They’ll give you all sorts of reasons. Flat paint will hide any imperfections in the ceiling. Flat paint gives you a softer look. Flat paint is more durable and scrubbable (Spoiler alert: If you’ve ever tried to clean a flat paint, you’ll know that’s absolutely not true). 

Maybe there’s some truth in those reasons. But in my opinion, one of the main reasons flat painted ceilings have become such a pervasive rule is that flat is considered an easier paint finish to use. And who wouldn’t want easier?

I’ll tell you who wouldn’t — those of us who are going for drama and rooms that look designed rather than default. A ceiling with a shine makes a room look bigger and more intentionally stylish. It’s a total statement.

Many people still balk at the idea of painting the ceiling anything but flat, though. I received a message from a designer once where she warned me against my love of glossy ceilings. “Unless you have a good painter, a ceiling with any sheen can be a disaster,” she wrote. 

Which, to that, I would say, why would you ever make a decor decision assuming you have a bad painter?

Instead, take it upon yourself to break this ceiling paint rule. Can’t find a good painter? DIY it (just make sure you’ve thoroughly prepped the ceiling first!). Choose a color, and choose a sheen. Make this fifth wall another place to take a design risk and you’ll be shocked at how much it dresses up your space. 

A glossy ceiling reflects light day or night, making your room look more spacious and more styled. Painting a once-flat ceiling with a sheen is like seeing the difference between black and white and technicolor. It gives life and light to a space.

While I have no problem advocating for my preferred paint finish when I’m talking to a painter, I know it doesn’t always come so easy for those who are new to design projects. To give your glossy ceiling request pro validation, here’s what three designers had to say about glossy ceilings.

Any paint with a sheen is going to reflect light in a striking way. While flat paint absorbs light, gloss sends it throughout a room. Katie Gutierrez, principal interior designer at Errez Design, explains: “Use high gloss on a ceiling when you want the space to hum after dark. The finish catches candlelight, throws it back at you, and makes the walls feel like they’ve pulled farther apart.”

However, she notes that it’s important to take the lighting plan into careful account with a glossy ceiling. Ambient light will make the space glow rather than creating a glare.

“I was inspired by Dorothy Draper‘s work early in my career and admired her use of glossy furniture and her signature glossy ceilings,” says Janette Ewen, designer and creative director at Parker Barrow Design. 

Just like Draper’s work, which has a luxurious, over-the-top glamour, Ewen now uses glossy ceilings for the same vibe. You wouldn’t use a glossy ceiling in a space that’s meant to feel casual or laid-back. 

A high-gloss ceiling is used when you want people to feel something. “Glossy ceilings give a room a feeling of expansiveness and elegance,” says Ewen. “I use it when I want a room to feel confident.”

And you don’t have to stick with white paint, either, if you don’t want to — no matter the size of your space. “I think a glossy black ceiling is perfect for small spaces,” Ewen says. “We often think white matte paint will expand a space when the opposite is true.”

If you have ornate crown molding or vintage-inspired ceiling medallions, don’t let them disappear into the doldrums of flat paint. Instead, use a gloss formula to highlight them. Isfira Jensen, CEO and principal designer at Jensen & Co. Interiors, does this all the time in projects. “Adding a glossy finish to the ceiling is an opportunity to draw the eye upward and highlight any interesting architectural features,” she says.

She also adds that this sheen gives a color more depth, creating a more saturated effect. “The glossy finish not only looks beautiful but also adds a ton of luxury and drama to any room,” says Jensen.

“A deep jewel tone in high gloss creates an unforgettable, dramatic moment overhead, or, for a subtle glow, I’ll recommend a soft, glowy color,” explains Grace Frederick, principal of Grace Frederick Design. “It bounces the light beautifully.”

She recommends using Benjamin Moore’s Advance paint in high gloss for an affordable way to get the luxe look.