What color should I paint my new listening room?

I'd stay white and use cool prints to add color - or perhaps black and white prints - that is how I have my room. 60's black and white prints of artists - large - well framed - should be pretty cool.
 
My Mexican painter told me that I would be depressed if I painted my room grey...lol
Laugh if you must. ;) But I totally agree with that. I go through autumn, winter and half of spring suffering from S.A.D.. While theories attribute it to lack of sunshine and vitamin D, I also maintain that the overall gloominess (grey skies, grey interiors during the day, etc.) contribute a lot to it. While I can't do anything about sunshine, I now keep warm white lighting on all day long indoors, and it helps a little bit. Having warmth in the paint and decor goes a long way towards that also. My family room/listening room has faint green walls--it is like a light version of hunter green that is subtly warm in a natural kind of way (natural colors to me being browns and reds, and certain shades of green, all of which reflect nature). Aside from some album covers, my decor is mainly Southwest, with photos of Utah and Colorado mounted on the walls, wall hangings, etc. that remind me of the western side of the US (lizards, geckos, Kokopelli, the sun, etc.).

So until I can move away from this miserable state, I'm making do with keeping some visual warmth in the house. Good thing my better half dislikes depressing greys and drab white/ivory as well. We can totally agree on paint color. :) When I repaint, I may actually go for a faint shade of desaturated peach that looks great with the photos I have on the wall. The walls in the living room are some drab light taupe color that is sickly to look at.
 
I've been known to use a cheap paint halfway between the horrible existing color and the pale final color, just for initial coverage. I've painted over barn red, Kelly green, you name it. I get stuff at the Habitat Restore, or off color cans from the hardware store. Saves you money by using less of the premium paint.

I put full spectrum tubes in half of the ceiling fluorescents in my basement. I no longer contemplate suicide while stuck down there in the winter - in fact I enjoy the shop time. :p
 
Color Psychology, Light blue is the color most linked to creativity. Sky blue is the most calming shade of blue that helps a person relax… [and] is also a color that inspires safety and serenity. Dark blue is the shade that is associated with intelligence and lack of emotion.

Being an artist with piles of paintings, especially blue ones, I'd paint the wall off-white and put up artwork. You can also put up colored acoustic panels, album covers, posters, family photos, etc. Get creative. Have fun with it.
 
Yep. When I lived in Oregon, SAD was an issue for a friend of mine there (years ago.) He worked in DP (ok, the IT dept. nowadays) and was diagnosed. I went into his office one day and saw that all his lights were "blue" compared to the other fluorescents!
 
Last edited:
See if you can pick up a Farrow and Ball swatchbook - they are an English paint company with a carefully curated shade collection with some incredible pigments. I struggled with finding a good grey - some went too brown or too purple, F&B Cornforth White (which is actually light grey) was just right. It’s the most expensive paint I’ve ever used but the colors are so amazing and complex - they shift beautifully throughout the day depending on the light. They also go on like a dream. Well worth the extra $$ IMO.

http://us.farrow-ball.com/
 
Color Psychology, Light blue is the color most linked to creativity. Sky blue is the most calming shade of blue that helps a person relax… [and] is also a color that inspires safety and serenity. Dark blue is the shade that is associated with intelligence and lack of emotion.
Yep. When I lived in Oregon, SAD was an issue for a friend of mine there (years ago.) He worked in DP (ok, the IT dept. nowadays) and was diagnosed. I went int his office one day and saw that all his lights were "blue" compared to the other fluorescents!
Egads, I couldn't ever live with blue walls ever again. :D I didn't mind the dark blue I painted the room above, but even then I still felt it was a cold and depressing color on gloomy days. Thankfully the caramel-colored wall and somewhat rust-colored carpet offset the blue, and the room had two very large windows to lighten it up. Understand though, my mother had blue in nearly every room of the house, and I was sick of it by the time I moved out in my mid 20s. :D I still can't be around it much. And despite what the psychology is, I still find blue a depressing color. I relax more among warmth--not bold reds and yellows, but warmer browns and light tans, off-whites with a hint of yellow, maybe with darker accent colors like rust or cinnamon.

But that's what I find neat about paint and decorating--we take a space and make it our own with colors we feel most comfortable in.
 
I went with a neutral colour, light in tone... for future resale if owning. No mention if BR is in a two story location?

Personally, I'd be more concerned with inside and outside projected sound. The easiest way to reduce outside sound would be to double up on the drywall., with some acoustic tile on ceiling. Either carpet on floor or heavy on scattered thick rugs. Also change the BR door to a solid type. No big deal here. The other inside reflected sound can be dealt with accordingly. A look in the DIY Forum deals with many applications that you are facing for the inside walls and reflected sound.

Believe me, this dealing with the above two factors will gain in important the longer you listen and the more you are inlined to increase the amplitude...which you will. Trust me on this one.

Q
 
See if you can pick up a Farrow and Ball swatchbook - they are an English paint company with a carefully curated shade collection with some incredible pigments. I struggled with finding a good grey - some went too brown or too purple, F&B Cornforth White (which is actually light grey) was just right. It’s the most expensive paint I’ve ever used but the colors are so amazing and complex - they shift beautifully throughout the day depending on the light. They also go on like a dream. Well worth the extra $$ IMO.

http://us.farrow-ball.com/

I'm familiar with the brand... I work for a luxury home design magazine. :)
 
I went with a neutral colour, light in tone... for future resale if owning. No mention if BR is in a two story location?

Split-level house, with the bedroom on the third level, towards the rear of the house.

Personally, I'd be more concerned with inside and outside projected sound.

Not an issue. I rarely play music loud, and the doors and walls are pretty thick. My wife said it doesn't bother her.

The house is set back from the street, the neighboring houses are quite far away, and there is virtually no street noise in our quiet neighborhood.
 
Split-level house, with the bedroom on the third level, towards the rear of the house.



Not an issue. I rarely play music loud, and the doors and walls are pretty thick. My wife said it doesn't bother her.

The house is set back from the street, the neighboring houses are quite far away, and there is virtually no street noise in our quiet neighborhood.


Copy that. Good to go.:thumbsup:

A good pair of HP's if needed for volume control.

Q
 
I painted my small room downstairs a deep orange color, and it looked great at night with some muted lighting. It had a small window high on the wall (the room was set slightly below street level), so it didn't get a lot of natural light.

0RVHK7N.jpg


My new room is on the second floor, with a window that extends almost the whole length of the side wall, and from my chair I have a view of the tops of trees. It feels inherently rather airy in here, so I'm thinking that a soft, but not dark, color would best, sort of like how Scandinavian rooms are done.

I second the vote for orange, but orange is kind of my color:

Boston.jpg


Currently renting, so I can't paint the wall, but if I could. I'd go with a nice burnt orange - not too bright, something a couple shades lighter than the lamp to provide a nice contrast. Then I'd paint the other walls a lighter, more neutral color, maybe an off white or light taupe, and then paint the ceiling with the same color, only about two shades lighter. In a small room, a light colored ceiling will make the room seem bigger.

But, that's just me. Looking around my office at work, that's basically what I have only substitute avocado green for the featured wall, with the the other three walls being light almond and the ceiling being eggshell. Lol, no wonder I'm hungry all the time!
 
I second the vote for orange, but orange is kind of my color:

Boston.jpg


Currently renting, so I can't paint the wall, but if I could. I'd go with a nice burnt orange - not too bright, something a couple shades lighter than the lamp to provide a nice contrast. Then I'd paint the other walls a lighter, more neutral color, maybe an off white or light taupe, and then paint the ceiling with the same color, only about two shades lighter. In a small room, a light colored ceiling will make the room seem bigger.

But, that's just me. Looking around my office at work, that's basically what I have only substitute avocado green for the featured wall, with the the other three walls being light almond and the ceiling being eggshell. Lol, no wonder I'm hungry all the time!

That painting RULES!

This is going on my wall:

14572910_10209459070945128_5864097966857846016_n.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom