Picture rail

[gingerhousecat]

We've just put up a picture rail and some coving in our back room, going to put up some lining paper and paint. I had planned to have white above the picture rail, same as ceiling but now my partner wants to paint white under the picture rail and a different colour or wallpaper above.....
All the rooms I look at have white above so now I'm confused! Thoughts?! Also any pics if you've painted a different colour above please!!

White above the picture rail, that's what we have

How old is the house? In older houses it can work to use a darker colour on the frieze (area above the picture rail and up to the ceiling), but unless the ceilings are high, it can have the effect of making the room seem more closed in.

White above makes the room look larger. Coloured above or coloured ceilings bring the ceiling down and make the room look smaller.