"Stroke" of Genius?
Home Theater Paint Tips...Are You Kidding Me?
What's the best home theater paint color to use? What about paint type? Wait, before we ask those questions, let's ask this one: why are we even writing about this to begin with? Seems a little goofy that we're dedicating a page on this site to discuss the intricacies of painting a wall, doesn't it?
Well, the truth is there are a couple of minor details that we feel are important to raise as you plan the finishing touches of your home theater room. After all, our aim is to "leave no stone unturned" -- we want the information in our site to cover the full spectrum of home theater design. So let's talk about this a little, no matter how trivial this may seem on the surface!
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Home Theater Paint Color?
As far as what color to paint your home theater walls...well, that's obviously entirely up to you. The home theater paint color you choose may be impacted by how you intend to use your entertainment room. Is this space going to be used exclusively for watching movies and other television programming? Or is it going to be a multi-purpose activity room? If it's the former, you may need to ask yourself another question: am I trying to replicate the movie theater experience? More than likely you are, and even if you are not, you'll want to choose a color that has a dark tone to allow for better contrast and focal point during your viewing pleasures. If it's the latter, you may want to consider using a light color tone to provide for more conducive lighting conditions and to avoid making the room feel like a cave.
If your design calls for replicating a real movie theater, then you may very well just want to go with pitch black. Seriously, black works great in home theatres and so do the darkest shades of gray. If you're trying to balance good lighting conditions with creating a certain appeal to the room, I've seen many enthusiasts use rich red colors, deep purples, and dark greens, browns, and blues. Simply put, the darker the color, the better you'll be able to maximize the contrast of color with your video source and mimic a movie theater. If this isn't your priority, there's certainly no harm with going with the color that suits your style the most!
Before you begin painting your home theater, don't forget to seal/caulk all joints (baseboards, windows, walls, etc.). Sound can escape through even the smallest of cracks, so don't neglect this part of the process. Also, use a deep color, tinted primer to help make sure you not only get the true color you've picked out for your home cinema but also the shade doesn't become any lighter than it should be.
Home Theater Paint -- What Type to Use?
Last but not least, the other point that I would like to make is that the type of paint that you choose can, to some degree, have an impact on your viewing experience. As you probably know, paints come in many different sheens. The greater the sheen, the more the painted surface will reflect light. For the same reason enthusiasts avoid using glass and mirrors in their home theatres, so too should you consider using a low luster paint. The paint styles as they are listed below indicate an increasing intensity in sheen, from lowest to highest.
- Flat
- Eggshell
- Satin
- Semi-gloss
- Gloss
I personally like to use Eggshell paint, not just for a home theater but in nearly all areas of my home. It has hardly any sheen to it but offers the ability to wipe your walls without making you feel like you need to paint the entire wall again to make it look like it originally looked. It also does a good job of hiding surface imperfections, which is typically why contractors tend to use flat paint in new construction. While flat paint certainly looks the best for fresh applications, it doesn't do a good job of standing the test of time, especially in high traffic areas within your home. I would personally recommend avoiding using satin, semi-gloss, or gloss paint in your home theater.
If you're interested in additional home theater design information and how this might tie into other design concepts, please click here.
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