Ceiling Design Ideas: Tray Ceiling Paint That Works

If you have a tray ceiling and it's painted the same flat white as everything else, you're wasting the most interesting thing overhead. The simplest way to make a ceiling more attractive is to give the recessed center a color one or two steps off your wall color, keep the vertical step and trim clean, and test the paint under your actual lights.

This is one of the simple ceiling design ideas that needs no construction. A tray ceiling already has the architecture; paint only has to show it off.

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What is a tray ceiling, and who is paint for?

A tray ceiling has a center section raised several inches above the perimeter, which creates a shallow step. You'll find them in dining rooms, primary bedrooms and open living areas. The raised part is the "basin," and the vertical band between the two levels is the step.

Tray ceilings sit in a long line of roof-focused detailing. The National Park Service notes that the dominant feature of the Italianate style was a low, overhanging roof with decorative eave brackets, with much of the ornament concentrated at the roof line. The idea that the top of a room deserves attention is old; paint is just the cheapest way to act on it.

Paint also suits renters-in-spirit and tight budgets, since it changes how the room reads without touching the structure. It's one of the better low budget ceiling ideas around, though a landlord's permission is still worth getting.

How do you choose the right color?

Go tonal first

Pick a color from the same paint strip as your walls and move one or two steps lighter or darker. You get contrast without a clash. If you're unsure, a tray a couple of shades darker than the walls looks deliberate and rarely goes wrong.

Match the undertone of your white

A generic white over warm cream walls can look blue or dingy. Choose a white with the same warm or cool undertone as the walls.

Mind the ceiling height

Dark colors lower the apparent ceiling. On a tray under about 9 feet, I'd keep the basin close to the wall color's lightness. Dark navy or charcoal belongs in rooms with more height, or in a dining room used mostly at night.

Don't match the floor too closely

A ceiling that echoes dark wood floors can make the room feel squeezed between two slabs. With dark floors, go noticeably lighter overhead.

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Which finish should you use?

Glossy surfaces bounce light and show every flaw; matte finishes absorb light and hide them. Ceilings catch raking light, so tape joints and screw heads show up fast. Use flat or matte unless your drywall is smooth, in which case eggshell gives a soft glow.

If you want some sheen, put satin on the vertical step only and keep the basin matte. Heavy popcorn or knockdown texture is another reason to stay flat: darker colors and higher sheens exaggerate every bump.

As an architect, I'd paint the vertical step the same color as the trim or the walls, not the accent color. That keeps the step crisp instead of muddy.

How do lights change the result?

For ceiling design ideas with lights, remember that the paint and the light are one system. Cove lighting on the ledge amplifies whatever color is in the tray. A warm 2700K bulb will push blue paint toward muddy, while a cooler 4000K bulb keeps it cleaner.

Test samples with the cove lights on at night, not only in daylight. Also check that your chandelier or fan finish suits the color behind it. A hanging fixture over a dining table generally sits about 30-36 inches above the tabletop, and the tray color becomes its backdrop.

Very reflective or metallic paint will pick up window light and throw it back, sometimes in strong colors at sunset. Look at samples at several times of day before committing.

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Which ceiling design ideas work room by room?

Bedroom

For ceiling design ideas for bedroom spaces, aim for calm. Light gray walls with a dusty blue or muted sage tray give you something soft to look at from the pillow. Our tray ceiling bedroom paint ideas go deeper on palettes.

Dining room

You can go dramatic here, since you mostly use the room under artificial light. Deep navy, forest green or chocolate brown all work. Antique bronze on the trim adds warmth.

Living room

In an open plan, a tray painted a different tone from the surrounding ceiling marks where the seating zone starts. Stay with mid-tone neutrals like greige or warm tan so it doesn't fight the kitchen.

Entry or powder room

Small rooms can take the boldest color. A deep or vivid tray costs little because you need so little paint.

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How do you paint a tray ceiling step by step?

1. Clear the room and cover what's left with canvas drop cloths, which stay put better than plastic under a ladder.
2. Dust the ledge and corners, where debris collects and ruins a finish.
3. Tape the trim and transition lines, pressing the edge down with a putty knife.
4. Cut in the edges with an angled sash brush, working in small sections to keep a wet edge.
5. Roll the basin with an extension pole, using a 3/8-inch nap for a smooth finish.
6. Apply a second coat. Missed spots show up when light hits at a low angle.
7. Pull the tape at a 45-degree angle while the paint is slightly tacky.

Crown molding inside the tray gives paint a clean place to stop. I'd paint it to match the baseboards for consistency. Without trim, you're relying on a straight cut-in line on drywall, which is harder.

What does it cost?

Prices vary by region, so treat these as loose tiers rather than quotes.

• DIY: paint, a brush, a roller kit and tape. A bold color against white walls already makes a big change.
• Mid-range: add small crown molding, a specialty or metallic paint, or hire a painter.
• Splurge: tongue-and-groove planks or coffered beams inside the tray, or wallpaper on the basin. Wallpaper needs a properly primed surface because gravity works against the adhesive overhead.

If you also have angled ceilings, see affordable slanted ceiling ideas and our vaulted ceiling painting ideas.

How do you test before committing?

Buy three samples in one color family and paint 2-by-2-foot squares inside the tray itself, not on the walls. Look at them in the morning, at midday and in the evening, with cove lights on after dark.

If the ceiling ends up dark, add a few dark elements lower in the room, like pillows or a rug, so the color doesn't feel stranded overhead. For pet owners, a washable rug in that tone does the job and forgives muddy paws.

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Frequently asked questions