When Joanna, of the home decor blog Jojotastic, decided to tackle her soon-to-be father-in-law’s Craftsman home she had her work cut out for her. Sure the space had the bones, but the home had become a “dumping ground” for a plethora of clutter and needed some cosmetic updates. The goal: revive and restore the classic home to a comfortable, cozy space for the retiree. Her solution involved a bold gesture: a colorful painted ceiling. Here’s how she made it work while still keeping the room neutral.

Finding the perfect neutral dining room paint color

To set the scene, Joanna opted for Seize the Gray – a classic dining room paint color that provided a neutral backdrop for her furnishings. She wanted a hue that would match everything since she was ordering all of the furniture and decor online and wouldn’t be able to sneak a peek before committing.

“It is literally the perfect neutral (and Clare calls it that!),” Joanna says. “This light gray hue has minimal undertones and is oh-so-versatile,” Joanna says.

The neutral gray shade flows throughout the home, but for the formal dining room, Joanna wanted something with a little more oomph.

Traditional with a (painted ceiling) twist

“I want it to feel more like a traditional dining room that you’ll find in most Craftsman houses, so I’m changing things up a bit,” Joanna said.

Her first move was to rotate the floor plan, orienting the dining table in the more traditional fashion. This gave guests more room to move around the space. Next, she pulled a clever trick to breathe even more life into the space—a ceiling paint color that added a subtle surprise.

“I knew immediately that I wanted to use a pop of color on the ceiling,” Joanna said. “Andy’s Craftsman home has incredible molding, so it felt right to up the drama factor with an accent color. I didn’t want to go too overboard though, so I perused Clare’s color assortment and chose a soft and airy shade of blue-green called Headspace. I’m so obsessed with it.”

The blue-green shade is the perfect ceiling paint color—fresh, but still flowing easily into the space.

Fresh white trim paint changes everything

Part of why the ceiling paint and wall colors work so well is the gorgeous traditional trim which was given a coat of our whitest white paint, Fresh Kicks. The bright white Trim Paint allows the wall color to pop and also helps breaks up the airy hue on the ceiling so it isn’t overpowering from above.

Pair the light and bright hues with wooden furniture in dark wood tones, and the room feels appropriately mature. Pops of brass, including a strategically placed leaning mirror open up the space—and showcase that gorgeous ceiling.

The adjoining living room continues the updated classic vibe, with a smart sectional that offers lounging space and an iconic leather armchair, perfect for snuggling up to read (or just stare at the ceiling).