# Screen wall color suggestion



## DESCypher (Jan 27, 2012)

Hi all I'm trying to decide on my screen wall color. First the first phase of my project is going to use a 55" LED Samsung TV. The second phase will have a projector. With that in mind I was thinking about using a color scheme that includes burgundy, caramel, black and brown. What I'm trying to decide is on is whether to do a black or charcoal wall or burgundy. What do you all suggest? Would burgundy interfere with the color of the TV or screen? I would like to pain the ceiling caramel color.

Thanks


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## Prof. (Oct 20, 2006)

The ideal colour is a dark grey..It's completely neutral and doesn't affect the colour balance of the image..


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

Is it a dedicated room? Or is your cinema situated in the living room?

If dedicated the best to do is use dark colors. Dark grey (like Prof says) is very good, I've seen good results with dark brown and dark red too. I used black myself.

Stay with dark colours not only on your screen wall, but also on the ceiling, floor and left and right wall until the seating area. From there to the back you can use any color you like. Especially the ceiling is important when using a projector, because of the reflective light.


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## DESCypher (Jan 27, 2012)

My room is going to be a dedicated room. I've picked the rugs that I will be using there and they have browns and dark browns with reddish color. My plan is to use colors from it. I can certainly use dark grey as suggested without issue. My goal was to do it as an accent wall and use the darkest color from the rug on the side wall. Then continue the same color as the screen wall on the baseboards. The third color would then be the ceiling where I could use the other dark color from the rug. I suppose I could just follow the same dark grey on the ceiling as well. I have to play with that look.

I got some inspiration from this build http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...ooms-only/44463-chocolate-thunder-cinema.html and like how the caramel type color looked on the ceiling. I wish I had someone who could do a sketch of my room for me and use the colors so I could visualize it.

This is the rug I'll be using and the color scheme I'll be using with a possible grey on the screen wall. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HIZLPK/ref=oh_o02_s01_i00_details


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## PTAaron (Feb 16, 2012)

I went with Mouse Ears black for my front wall - I love it!


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## Mark Techer (Jan 17, 2008)

Prof. said:


> The ideal colour is a dark grey..It's completely neutral and doesn't affect the colour balance of the image..


Absolutely use a dark grey. There is a detailed explanation of this on Joe Kane's Digital Video Essentials - HD Basics (BD). If you don't have that disc and want to see the effects that other colours will have on your picture, cut and paste a nice brightly coloured image into paint, expand the bitmap and change the colour of the back ground. Take note of what it does to the centre image.


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

Mark Techer said:


> Absolutely use a dark grey. There is a detailed explanation of this on Joe Kane's Digital Video Essentials - HD Basics (BD). If you don't have that disc and want to see the effects that other colours will have on your picture, cut and paste a nice brightly coloured image into paint, expand the bitmap and change the colour of the back ground. Take note of what it does to the centre image.


That's a good test. I have the BD and the result is obvious. It looks like the centre image is changing. I thought that he was referring to an black background as the best solution. But I could be wrong. It's been a while since I've used the BD.


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

DESCypher said:


> My room is going to be a dedicated room. I've picked the rugs that I will be using there and they have browns and dark browns with reddish color. My plan is to use colors from it. I can certainly use dark grey as suggested without issue. My goal was to do it as an accent wall and use the darkest color from the rug on the side wall. Then continue the same color as the screen wall on the baseboards. The third color would then be the ceiling where I could use the other dark color from the rug. I suppose I could just follow the same dark grey on the ceiling as well. I have to play with that look.
> 
> I got some inspiration from this build http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...ooms-only/44463-chocolate-thunder-cinema.html and like how the caramel type color looked on the ceiling. I wish I had someone who could do a sketch of my room for me and use the colors so I could visualize it.
> 
> This is the rug I'll be using and the color scheme I'll be using with a possible grey on the screen wall. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HIZLPK/ref=oh_o02_s01_i00_details


That sounds like a nice color scheme. Visualizing it is a good idea. Maybe someone can accomodate you with that.

Chocolate Thunder Cinema is very nicely done, but I was wondering if the PQ could/would be improved by a darker ceiling. My ceiling is black and almost all light is absorbed and that definitely improves the PQ. I have some pictures with the ceiling not yet fully closed compared to a finished ceiling. I can look them up if you like.


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## Mark Techer (Jan 17, 2008)

HTip said:


> That's a good test. I have the BD and the result is obvious. It looks like the centre image is changing. I thought that he was referring to an black background as the best solution. But I could be wrong. It's been a while since I've used the BD.


Black works best when your display fills your field of view - [IE large front projection systems. When you are using a smaller screen like a flat panel or RPTV, black may not be the best solution. A dark grey is neutral and will work best when the screen does not dominate the wall. As that simple test shows, other colours tend to bias the colours on screen, so best to aviod them unless your room is only for show with the lights on. 

If we look at PTAaron's photo, I would suggest that he has some ambient lights on in the room when watching because in total darkness, the screen is not big enough to be immersive even when seated really close. Whilst the black wall looks neat in the photo, a back lit display with a grey wall will actually work better according to what I've learned over the years. Some RPTVs also need ambient light in the room because they tend to have higher gain screens. The JPK disc does explain this quite well.


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## DESCypher (Jan 27, 2012)

HTip said:


> That sounds like a nice color scheme. Visualizing it is a good idea. Maybe someone can accomodate you with that.
> 
> Chocolate Thunder Cinema is very nicely done, but I was wondering if the PQ could/would be improved by a darker ceiling. My ceiling is black and almost all light is absorbed and that definitely improves the PQ. I have some pictures with the ceiling not yet fully closed compared to a finished ceiling. I can look them up if you like.


Yes I would appreciate the photos if you can find them. So if I hear you and others correctly it would be best for me to use the grey color in the ceiling also or just use any dark color that fits my color scheme?

Thanks


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

Mark Techer said:


> Black works best when your display fills your field of view - [IE large front projection systems. When you are using a smaller screen like a flat panel or RPTV, black may not be the best solution. A dark grey is neutral and will work best when the screen does not dominate the wall. As that simple test shows, other colours tend to bias the colours on screen, so best to aviod them unless your room is only for show with the lights on.
> 
> If we look at PTAaron's photo, I would suggest that he has some ambient lights on in the room when watching because in total darkness, the screen is not big enough to be immersive even when seated really close. Whilst the black wall looks neat in the photo, a back lit display with a grey wall will actually work better according to what I've learned over the years. Some RPTVs also need ambient light in the room because they tend to have higher gain screens. The JPK disc does explain this quite well.


Thanks for the explanation. I knew only part of the story 



DESCypher said:


> Yes I would appreciate the photos if you can find them. So if I hear you and others correctly it would be best for me to use the grey color in the ceiling also or just use any dark color that fits my color scheme?
> 
> Thanks


I will look them up and post them here.


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

HTip said:


> I will look them up and post them here.


Not exactly the pictures I was referring to, but maybe it is sufficient for you

You can see that the ceiling reflects far more light from the exposed areas
















This one is a little harder to see, but the blue glow is only shown at the exposed part








I have some screenshots with finished ceiling but it is only of the screen and the ceiling is not visible.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for posting those pics - that is the best example I have seen to show why you want your ceiling / surrounding walls to be as dark as possible. Cheers! :T


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

ALMFamily said:


> Thanks for posting those pics - that is the best example I have seen to show why you want your ceiling / surrounding walls to be as dark as possible. Cheers! :T


You're welcome! :T

My ceiling is designed to, beside the sound, absorb as much light as possible. That is even better than just paint it. The tiles can be glued to the existing ceiling, so lowering is not necessary.


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## DESCypher (Jan 27, 2012)

Thanks for the picture; makes the point clearly! I now know what I have to aim for and why at least. Now it's deciding on either using grey on the ceiling or my darkest brown! Changed my mind on my caramel color!! :-( lol


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## HTip (Oct 10, 2011)

DESCypher said:


> Thanks for the picture; makes the point clearly! I now know what I have to aim for and why at least. Now it's deciding on either using grey on the ceiling or my darkest brown! Changed my mind on my caramel color!! :-( lol


Glad I could help. Good luck with the build! :T


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## Prof. (Oct 20, 2006)

Another thing to remember is that if your screen is going to be near the ceiling, then it should be painted flat black only..
If the screen is further way from the ceiling (more than a foot) then you can getaway with a very dark grey ( generally easier to paint than black) or a dark brown..


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## barbarajon (Jun 25, 2012)

We choose a dark navy blue interior paint for our home theater. We have Cherry cabinets and it makes the room look so elegant, I love it!


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