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Does ceiling paint need to match white cabinet and trim color?

6 years ago

We are building a new home and I am having the hardest time narrowing down paint selection, specifically cabinet and trim color. I don't want an icy white, so am leaning towards SW Creamy or Dover White which is more of a warm off white, but I worry it will clash with the ceiling color as the cabinets come to the ceiling. There will also be crown molding in the Great Room. I don't think the warm off white color will look right on the ceiling and maybe not even on the trim or molding, so do they all need to match? Anyone have any experience with either of these 2 paint selections? Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

Comments (9)

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Well...what color do you plan to use on the walls and ceiling?


    If you like a warm off-white for cabinets and trim, why don't you use a harmonious warm white for walls and ceiling?


    Simple.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    You don’t have to worry about cabinets and ceiling matching whatsoever. I have white upper cabinets that meet the ceiling. All the ceilings in my house are Benjamin Moore Cloud White flat paint, and in my previous homes too. Not too bright, not too beige, not dingy. Looks like its name - a soft cloud. But you must use a flat finish for ceiling paint, no sheen for ceiling paint. Idk what is the name of the color of my white cabinets; they’re a brighter white than my ceiling white. Looks great, very happy.

  • 6 years ago

    I would never match the ceiling color to the trim, especially if there's crown molding. Why spend the money on the crown if you're just going to blend it in with the ceiling? Leave it off in that case.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    There's no rule really dictating what you do.

    You can match your ceiling to your crown as we have done in several rooms now. In our case both ceiling and trim are SW Ivory Lace (which is similar but I believe even darker than Creamy) which really warms up the room and looks good with the generally darker wall and wood finishes in our house. The semigloss on the trim and the flat on the ceiling ensures that they don't completely blend in.

    On the other hand you can absolutely do a different ceiling color. But if you do I would test out how both look in your space to make sure they are compatible. Before we repainted much of the trim in the house was even more cream (similar to SW Antique White). The ceilings were all closer to a Pure White. The result is that the trim ended up looking yellow. So if you switch to another white, make sure it is still sufficiently on the warm side of the spectrum.

    Or a third option, as in cpartist's house, try a color. If you aren't feeling that bold it doesn't have to be that dark. It could be the same hue as your wall color, but a shade or two lighter, as long as it is still a shade darker than your trim.

    Cabinets can absolutely be their own thing separate from the trim or ceiling. But if all are white again refer to my second point about ensuring that they are compatible. Our cabinets happen to be BM Shaker Beige.

  • 6 years ago

    We're doing Paper Lantern (SW 7676) walls and ceilings with our Dover White (SW 6385) trim in the kitchen. In adjoining spaces the Dover White trim is paired with Rainwashed (SW 6211) and Travertine (SW 7722) ceilings.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    There just has to be an Intentional Design, that allows the colors to all work together. People forget that the ceiling is the 5th wall, (and the floor is the 6th) There is no law that ceilings must be white. Victorians wallpapered theirs. Pattern and color. Up there. ^ It’s actually a brilliant design move in an open concept with very little walls, and a homogenous dairy barn explosion of white everywhere else,

  • 6 years ago

    Thank you for the feedback. A Fox, are your cabinets stained? The reason I want my trim and cabinets the same color is because the Dover white and Creamy color comes off as yellow and clashes a bit when it is next to more of a pure white color.
    I'm leaning towards Accessible Beige for wall color, it did cross my mind having Dover White or Creamy throughout, but I do like some contrast.

  • 6 years ago

    A Fox, sorry just read that your cabinet color is Shaker Beige!