The 5th Wall: Decorating Your Ceiling

The 5th wall, or the ceiling as it's more commonly known as, is regularly overlooked when it comes to decorating. So often we see people paint their ceilings white because it's just what they're used to, but it doesn't have to be an afterthought. In our opinion it's the perfect opportunity to do something unique. Let's take a look at some of our favourite inspirational 5th walls...

Let's start with @quirkofsloane, who used our very own Land of Milk and Honey Butterflies wall mural to decorate her ceiling with. Paired with the soft pink paint colour it has huge impact, drawing your eye up to the incredible original period coving detail. We're obsessed with this one, and not just because it's our wallpaper, promise

With lots of other things going on in this room, it makes perfect sense to wallpaper the ceiling rather than the walls. Wallpapered walls would look far too busy along with the busy floor and patterned curtains. Instead, the wallpapered 5th wall balances out the floor, creating an interesting yet well-balanced space. For a similar look, go for either our Avar Reservoir Blue or the Horse Chestnut in pink/green.

As you know, #binthebland is our life motto so if you're not afraid of a little pattern, why stop at just the walls? This little dining nook has been taken to the next level with both wallpapered walls and ceiling and we for one think it looks mighty fine having done so. For a similar geometric design, try our Betsy Fan Ditsy Smoke wallpaper.

Colourful paint is another option for a ceiling, and we love how the blue from the window area in this room has been taken up and over. Painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls instantly creates a much more cosy and intimate feel; perfect for large spaces you want to make seem smaller. For a similar blue tone, try our 011 Mallard paint.

Sloped walls provide the perfect opportunity to wallpaper a ceiling. The decor in this attic bedroom looks considered as the wallpaper is taken up and over onto the ceiling. Wallpapering the ceiling in a room like this means there are no wonky lines to draw your eye to as a result of an old wonky wall in a period property, and the finished result is a beautifully cosy and inviting space. Our Betty Stars Celestial Natural would be an ideal choice for a child's room like this one.

This soft pink marbled wallpaper really balances this room, pulling together all of the tones in the furniture and artwork. In a period property like this, where it might be easy to get the balance of old meets new wrong, the space has been brightened up, modernised and balanced out by a pop of pink wallpaper on the ceiling. Our own Flow Marble Effect Wallpaper in blush/white is very similar to this and would work wonders in both period style and new homes.