Painting - Painting Ceiling - question

Hi - first time posting a question. Several weeks ago or so ago I watched an HGTV show (DT Facelift I think) that showed painting a ceiling, but ending the painting about 3-4 inches down the wall. I remember thinking I liked the look, but I didn't catch what that technique is supposed to convey. Is it supposed to make a room look bigger? Thanks!

What color did they paint it?
What color was the wall the rest of the way down?
3-4 inches down the wall was there trim or did they just tape it off?

My guess is they did it to make the room feel taller if they used light colors.

The ceiling was painted white. I thought it would make the room look bigger because the eye would think that where the celining and wall met was further away than what it actually was???

it was probably to give the illusion of a crown molding, where there wasn't one. just an extra element of detail.

or they may have been trying to make the walls appear shorter, if the ceiling was high, to warm up a cold-feeling room.....? sometimes, if a room has, say 10' ceilings, people will paint the wall color only up 8', and paint the top 2' the same as the ceiling. it gives the room more of a proportion like a regular 8' ceiling room would have.

just a guess - wish i'd seen the show!!!!

I went ahead and tried this in my living room. Since I was going to be trying blending paints with a Wall Magic roller, I knew it would be very sloppy at the celining. I used the 2" painter's tape at the top. You were right about the illusion of the crown molding. It made a very nice finished edge to the paint ... sort of the appearance of molding as you suggested.