Set the stage

• Published date: 25 November 2020
• Publication title: Stratford Press

Incorporating a home theatre into your home design is no longer the domain of the wealthy alone, either. But what makes a great media room? As it turns out, there’s more to this equation than the size of the television screen – soundproofing materials, window dressings, floor coverings, lighting and wall colours can all have an effect on your experience.

Colour considerations

Dark tones are the ideal choice for turning a room into a cave-like, snug and inviting space, so they’re a natural fit for media rooms.

Resene’s Waikato colour consultant, Christine Hodges, says it’s widely understood by homeowners that a media room is going to feature dark wall colours to offer the best viewing experience, but it’s also important to limit the number of reflective surfaces; therefore, light paint colours and glossy finishes are no-goes.

Interior designers find that, in many cases, the media room is home to the only bold paint hue in an otherwise neutrally toned house. Take note: that bold colour doesn’t have to be just black or charcoal. Hodges, for example, enthuses over media rooms she has seen painted in the warmth of Resene Fuscous Grey and the moodiness of Blue Night.

Other suggested wall colours include paint with undertones of brown, blue, or green. Undertones of smoky brown can be found in Resene Ironsand, for example, while the dramatic inky Bastille resembles a near black but with definite blue undertones. Mangrove offers subtle green tones, while Woodsmoke can be described as a quixotic grey with elements of both blue and green.

“These dark colours on the walls look amazing,” Hodges says, adding that people often marry them up with natural fabrics like leather or linen on furnishings with plenty of throws and cushions to raise the comfort levels.

Don’t forget about the fifth wall – the ceiling. Hodges has also noticed a trend toward choosing to paint ceilings darker in media rooms, and Resene Porter seems to have become a new favoured choice for this. Other great options include Suits, Dark Web and Quarter Bokara Grey.

She suggests changing door colours, too – on both sides.

“Paint the inside so they’re non-reflective and dark like the surrounding walls; and on the outside, use something different to draw people in and provide a sense of entrance.” In her opinion, Resene Nero does a fine job as a door colour on the side that faces your screen.

For those daunted by the idea of too-dark paint, lighter shades, such as Resene Dark Slate or Quarter Karaka or...