I like to use the same color for the walls and the ceiling. It will look different on the ceiling than of the coffered areas. You will definitely get different opinions, but that's what I would do.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

No the ceiling should be the same colour as the mouldings. Do the ceiling and the mouldings in at matt finish. Then the mouldings look like plaster. We did and get so many complements.

I would paint the wood mouldings white. But I live in an area where plaster mouldings are so rare that I have never seen them. In you live in an area where they are prevalent, then perhaps cam33 is right. I like the mouldings to stand out against the walls and ceiling.

I was definitely want to keep the coffers white and paint the ceiling between them a color, just wasn't sure whether the ceilings would look better slightly lighter than the walls or same color as walls.