It takes a bit of daring to paint a ceiling black; if we lived in a space with lofty ceilings and intricate mouldings, we'd be tempted.
Color experts say a dark ceiling helps make a cavernous space feel more intimate; if you're not ready for a full-on noirish effect, charcoal gray is another moody shade to consider.
Above: Black floors and ceilings from 47 Park Avenue.
Above: A wood ceiling stained black in the loft of Dutch designer Paula Leen.
Above: Details are painted black on the ceiling of the Sankt Oberholz Hotel in Berlin.
Above: Anna of Door Sixteen was a trailblazer when she painted her bath ceiling black a few years ago (she used Olympic Knights Armor eggshell); "By painting the upper portion of the walls and ceiling black, I was able to give the room a greater feeling of width and space," she says.
Above: A black ceiling the bathroom of Maliin Stoor via Emma's Design Blogg.
Above: A black painted ceiling and medallion from 47 Park Avenue.
Above: An otherwise white, bright kitchen with a contrasting black ceiling in a Madrid loft; photo via Kikette.
Above: A warehouse transformed into a living space, via OWI.
Above: An antler chandelier topped with red lampshades makes a dramatic counterpoint to the black ceiling; photo via OWI.
Above: A Noguchi Akari lantern and a pitch-dark ceiling add a modern note to this dining room by the McGill Design Group.
N.B.: This post is an udpate; the original story ran on October 13, 2011.