It’s time to look up: your bathroom ceiling is a blank canvas waiting to transform your space. Move beyond basic white and unlock the potential of your bathroom or wet room’s fifth wall. With a few clever updates—like a darker paint tone, contrasting tiles, or strategic lighting—you can create a dramatic impact. Get inspired with our curated list of stylish and practical bathroom ceiling ideas.
Table of Contents
Bathroom Ceiling Ideas
1. Hang Modern Pendant Lights
2. Create Symmetry with a Pair of Statement Lights
3. Install Recessed Spotlights for Adjustable Ambiance
4. Choose a Single, Ornate Centrepiece Light
Small Bathroom Ceiling Ideas
5. Use Wooden Slats for a Cosy Sauna Vibe
6. Install a Skylight for Natural Light
7. Paint Your Ceiling a Dark, Luxurious Tone
Bathroom Ceiling Tile Ideas
8. Blend Wall Tiles onto the Ceiling
9. Combine Different Tile Patterns
10. Match Floor and Ceiling Tiles for a Spa Feel
Sloped Ceiling Bathroom Ideas
11. Expose Traditional Timber Frames
12. Combine Wood and Tile on a Slanted Shower Ceiling
Modern Bathroom Ceiling Ideas
13. Use a Long Strip Light Over the Vanity Area
14. Create a Monochrome Look with Black Accents
High Ceiling Bathroom Ideas
15. Use White Panels and a Skylight to Enhance Height
16. Add Multiple Timber Beams for a Nordic Feel
17. Install High Windows and a Single Centrepiece Light
Vaulted Bathroom Ceiling Ideas
18. Combine Paint and Tile on a Vaulted Ceiling
19. Make a Bold Statement with a Large Chandelier
20. Go Grand with Exposed Beams and High Windows
Painted Bathroom Ceiling Ideas
21. Contrast White Tiles with a Blue Ceiling
22. Choose a Light Tan for a Rustic Villa Feel
Dark Bathroom Ceiling Ideas
23. Contrast White Tiles with A Dark Ceiling
24. Pair a Black Ceiling with a Black Bathtub
25. Create a Classic Look with a Navy Blue Ceiling
Ceiling bathroom lighting ideas
Ceiling lights orchestrate the mood inside the bathroom, providing relaxing warm hues or refreshing white rays. They’re important features in every bathroom. Below, we’ve included a variety of bathroom ceiling ideas, from low-hanging pendants to dimming lights flush to the ceiling.
1. Hang Modern Pendant Lights
Source: Decor Pad
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If you want a contemporary bathroom ceiling feature, you ought to consider pendant lights. They’re typical of modern or Scandi-style bathrooms, giving your bathroom a subtle edge you won’t find in many homes.
2. Create Symmetry with a Pair of Statement Lights
Pexels: Ksenia Chernaya
This bathroom design idea proves the power of symmetry. You can use just two lights to create a memorable bathroom ceiling design, while the shape of these lights is unique, stylish and understated.
3. Install Recessed Spotlights for Adjustable Ambiance
Source: Johnathon Gooch
This is one of the most popular bathroom ceiling lighting ideas. Rather than one statement bulb, you can opt for a constellation of ceiling lights that evenly brightens the entire bathroom. You can also install dimming light switches to switch up the mood – from bright and refreshing to warm and relaxing.
4. Choose a Single, Ornate Centrepiece Light
Source: Melanie Lissack Interiors
If you believe that less is more, you should consider a centrepiece ceiling light for your bathroom. Standing alone, this type of light is ideal for classic or Victorian bathrooms, bringing a sense of elegance to the large ceiling. We also love the light’s gold trim contrasting with the dark ceiling paint. Overall, with the fittings matching the style of the light fixture, you feel transported back in time with this design. We challenge anyone who has a bathroom looking like this not to be swept up in its beautiful classical style.
Small bathroom ceiling ideas
Naturally, small bathrooms have less ceiling space than larger rooms. But that doesn’t mean you can’t redesign your ceiling into a fifth wall that packs a punch. Meanwhile, if your small bathroom has limited natural light, like many do, you can install a skylight to brighten up the entire room.
5. Use Wooden Slats for a Cosy Sauna Vibe
Source: Contemporist
This bathroom ceiling idea uses skinny wooden slats, typical of Scandinavian bathrooms. If you have a small bathroom and enjoy the sauna aesthetic, this is an excellent way to redesign your ceiling. It’s cosy and stylish, which is the perfect package.
6. Install a Skylight for Natural Light
Source: Terroti Interior Design Studio
Adding a skylight is an effective and stylish way to bring more natural light into your small bathroom. However, in terms of renovations, this project would be more time-consuming than simply installing light bulbs, but it’s worth the extra effort. Remember, natural light can also help lift your mood and cut electricity bills.
7. Paint Your Ceiling A Dark, Luxurious Tone
Source: Jonathon Gooch
You can turn the smallest bathroom into a smart, stylish space with a coating of luxurious paint on the ceiling. We’ll discuss dark bathroom ceiling ideas in more detail below, but this is an excellent example of how to make the most out of limited ceiling space.
Bathroom ceiling tile ideas
Bathroom tiles aren’t just for bathroom walls. They can add personality to floors and ceilings, and we’ve selected some beautiful bathroom ceiling tile ideas below.
8. Blend Wall Tiles onto the Ceiling
Source : Fireclay Tile
Blending wall tiles into the ceiling will create a striking bathroom ceiling design. For higher ceilings, we recommend using small tiles because large or heavy alternatives will be more difficult to install.
9. Combine Different Tile Patterns
Source: Andrea West Design
We love this bathroom ceiling idea because of its unique take on tiling design. Combining different ceiling tiles can be tricky to get right, but as long as you go for typical bathroom colours, such as blue and white, you should end up with a truly memorable bathroom ceiling.
10. Match Floor and Ceiling Tiles for a Spa Feel
Source: Nathan Waters
If you want a shiny, spa-like bathroom, then you can choose water-resistant tiles for your ceiling that match your floor. This type of renovation project wouldn’t be as straightforward as simply painting your ceiling, but the result would be worth the wait.
Sloped ceiling bathroom ideas
Sloped ceiling bathrooms are common layouts. These types of bathrooms are typically renovated lofts and can be designed to suit any style, from contemporary to farmhouse. Check out our top picks below for some inspiration.
11. Expose Traditional Timber Frames
Source: Davide Lovati
If you’re lucky enough to have traditional timber frames inside your home, we recommend you keep them visible in your sloped ceiling bathroom. They’re beautiful and can be used to enhance the farmhouse feel, particularly when paired with neutral tones of beige and dark brown.
12. Combine Wood and Tile on a Slanted Shower Ceiling
Source: Max Kim Bee, courtesy of Leanne Ford
With slanted roof bathrooms, the shower enclosure is somewhere you can play with different materials. For example, as this bathroom ceiling idea shows, you can combine wooden panels with vintage tiles on the slanted roof to create a stylish shower area.
Modern bathroom ceiling ideas
No list of bathroom ceiling ideas can go without some modern mentions. After all, it’s one of the most popular design trends, focusing on minimalist layouts, neutral tones and straight lines.
13. Use a Long Strip Light Over the Vanity Area
Source: Regency Tilers
Using a long strip light can give your modern bathroom an edge, especially when placed above the vanity area. This bathroom also combines an under cabinet light for added symmetry, which is key to modern design.
14. Create a Monochrome Look with Black Accents
Source: Archello.com
If you want to spruce up the white ceiling in your modern bathroom, we recommend using a monochrome palette. As this bathroom ceiling idea shows, you can turn your ceiling light shades into another black element inside your white bathroom – alongside the black shower screen frame and piping.
High ceiling bathroom ideas
When it comes to high bathroom ceilings, you ought to keep the redesign quite simple. It’ll prove quite difficult otherwise. However, simple doesn’t mean boring – as you’ll see from our high bathroom ceiling ideas below.
15. Use White Panels and a Skylight to Enhance Height
Source: Murray Fredericks
If your bathroom has a high ceiling, you should make the most of the generous space with white tiles or panels to make your bathroom feel even bigger and brighter. You can also install a skylight for added natural light.
16. Add Multiple Timber Beams for a Nordic Feel
Source: Bjurfors
Using multiple timber frames is an excellent way to make your bathroom feel more Nordic or Scandinavian. Reminiscent of Viking halls, this bathroom ceiling idea combines Scandi minimalism with vintage wooden furniture.
17. Install High Windows and a Single Centrepiece Light
Source : DecorPad
If you want lots of natural light, you can install windows high up on the walls instead of the high ceiling, just like this bathroom ceiling idea. But for decorating the ceiling itself, you can use a singular light as your centrepiece.
Vaulted bathroom ceiling ideas
A vaulted ceiling angles up towards the roof, reaching higher than most bathroom ceilings. It’s a popular bathroom ceiling design and can help bring in more natural light. If you’re constructing a new bathroom from scratch, then a vaulted ceiling will likely cost more than building a regular ceiling that measures eight to ten metres high. That said, vaulted ceilings are simply stunning.
18. Combine Paint and Tile on a Vaulted Ceiling
Source: Rafael Soldi
This bathroom ceiling idea combines different materials for its vaulted design, with white paint hanging over the floor space and white tiles above the walk-in shower enclosure. It’s a subtle contrast, but it helps differentiate the bathroom areas nicely. Overall, it’s a very classy bathroom.
19. Make a Bold Statement with a Large Chandelier
Credit: Emily Morrison
If the previous bathroom ceiling idea was subtle, this one is anything but. If you love bold centrepieces, then this type of vaulted ceiling would be ideal, with the magnificent chandelier drawing your gaze upwards.
20. Go Grand with Exposed Beams and High Windows
Source: Allan Edwards Builder Inc
Vaulted ceilings look impressive, which is why they’re commonly used in opulent bathrooms. This type of ceiling adds space and a sense of grandeur to the room, and – If you have the budget – you can go for large timber frames and ceiling lights, combined with ceiling-height windows for a bright and beautiful bathroom.
Painted bathroom ceiling ideas
Painting your bathroom ceiling is an easy and inexpensive way to make your bathroom stand out. Of course, we don’t mean painting it white. There are many different colours you can use to create a statement ceiling. Be careful, though – you need to pick a paint that’s designed specifically for bathrooms, otherwise you risk it peeling away with the moisture.
21. Contrast White Tiles with a Blue Ceiling
Source: Roman and Williams Design
Blue has long been used in bathrooms thanks to its calming, aquatic tones. It also looks good when contrasting with white tiles, which is one of the most common bathroom designs. If you have a low ceiling like the example above, then you don’t want to paint your ceiling in a colour that’s too dark, which could end up feeling claustrophobic.
22. Choose a Light Tan for a Rustic Villa Feel
Source: Laura Metzier Photography
On the other end of the colour scale we have this light tan ceiling. This colour is a good option if you want your bathroom to feel like a terracotta-clad villa. It also pairs well with wooden elements, such as shelves and cabinets – ideal if you want a rustic-style bathroom.
Dark bathroom ceiling ideas
Painting your bathroom ceiling in dark tones can make the room feel richer and more luxurious. Remember, dark doesn’t mean depressing. In fact, turning your bathroom ceiling into a darker statement piece can help it stand out among the everyday white bathrooms.
23. Contrast White Tiles with A Dark Ceiling
Source: ChloeDominik.com
If you have white tiles on your floor and ceiling, you can paint your ceiling in a dark tone without the bathroom feeling remotely dingy. Dark ceilings can actually turn your bathroom into a modern, stylish and relaxing area for your everyday washing routine.
24. Pair a Black Ceiling with a Black Bathtub
Credit: Albert & Moo
You can use a large white light against your dark ceiling to brighten up the colour scheme. But in terms of design, what we recommend most from this example is pairing a black tub with the ceiling. It’s stunning.
25. Create a Classic Look with a Navy Blue Ceiling
Source: Next Luxury
This bathroom ceiling idea is further proof that blue and white marry well inside the bathroom. With the dark blue ceiling and bright white walls and furniture, combined with a generous window, you have a classy bathroom that should stand the test of time.
Round up
There are many unique ways to transform your bathroom ceiling into a beautiful show-piece, from using bold paint to eye-catching tiles.
With our list of bathroom ceiling ideas, you should now have the inspiration you need to take your ceiling to the next level.
FAQs
1. What is the best type of lighting for a small bathroom ceiling?
For a small bathroom, the best lighting creates a sense of space and provides even, shadow-free illumination. Opt for recessed LED spotlights or a flush-mounted ceiling light. These sit close to the ceiling, saving visual space. For a style boost, a single, well-placed pendant light can work, but avoid multiple hanging lights that can make the ceiling feel cluttered and lower.
2. Can you paint a bathroom ceiling, and what kind of paint should I use?
Yes, painting is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to update your bathroom ceiling. However, you must use a paint formulated for high-humidity environments. Look for bathroom-specific paint, kitchen & bathroom paint, or mould-resistant paint. These are designed to withstand moisture and prevent peeling and mould growth, which standard emulsions cannot do.
3. What are some easy bathroom ceiling ideas for a low budget?
Painting your ceiling a bold colour or fresh white is the most impactful low-budget update. Other affordable ideas include adding stick-on crown moulding for architectural detail, applying moisture-resistant peel-and-stick wallpaper for a pattern, or simply updating your existing light fixture. These projects require minimal investment but can dramatically transform the room’s feel.
4. How can I make a high or vaulted bathroom ceiling feel more cosy?
To make a tall ceiling feel cosier, bring the visual focus downwards. Paint the ceiling a darker, warmer colour like navy, charcoal, or warm grey to make it feel lower and more intimate. You can also install statement pendant lights that hang down to draw the eye, or add exposed wooden beams to break up the vast space and add warmth and texture.