About a year ago, we finished a basement for one of our clients who was turning it into a family game room. The ceilings were left open, and we sprayed them a really dark flat grey, almost black. Our client chose a blue/grey wall color, and it honestly looked great! All the imperfections of the exposed ceiling beams, pipes, wires, etc... they all faded in to the dark flat paint. The look was modern, contemporary, and not cold at all. Using the neutral tones for the ceiling and walls allowed all the game systems to really pop in the space. [like the pool table, ping pong table... I think there was even an old-style pac man machine, the kind that you'd find in an old arcade].

Well, I hope this helps. Good luck!

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When painting ceiling different color from walls, is it best to have the ceiling color border top foot or so of the walls. I.e. Black ceiling with black paint on walls until beams, and then main color?

I will try to find some pictures, but it really is all up to you. The goal is to make the ceiling "invisible." Especially if there are a lot of exposed pipes and wires. Some people choose to feature the beams, and some spray them the same as the rest. As far as where to officially start the wall paint, and end the ceiling paint: I think that if you're choosing to spray all the beams the same black color, than just stop wherever the beams do. Now, if the top of the wall, where it meets the ceiling, is rather unfinished looking, you may want to add another 12 inches of black paint, to give it a really clean look. That would definitely add a nice clean, straight line of sight.