See No Evil, Feel No Evil: Color and Texture in Home Theater Interior Design

One of the most crucial decisions people make regarding their home theater is the color. Whether using paint or a fabric, and whether using a gloss or a texture, your home theater experience is affected by your interior design choices. To resolve any design quandaries, consider the services of a virtual interior design professional.

In a home theater you essentially have a giant spotlight with a bullhorn sitting at the front of a dark room shooting off light and sound. This light and sound reflects off of the walls, the ceiling, the floor, and everything else in the room as it travels to your seat. What it bounces off of along the way can make a huge difference in the quality of the picture and sound. Too much reflection of light and the contrast of your picture will be diminished; too much reflection of sound and the tone and the localization will be muddied. The advice of a virtual interior design professional can resolve the problems experiences from both light and sound reflection.

When contemplating color and how it affects your home theater experience, you naturally consider the color of your walls first. There are some colors that are better choices for your home theater space than others; and there are some colors that should be avoided. By soliciting the ideas and suggestions of a virtual interior designer for your home theater, you are better able to keep the focal point of the room on the television. Many virtual interior designers recommend that you keep the color subdued. Keep in mind that lighter colors tend to become a distraction from the television. Therefore, darker colors such as maroons or darker blues retain the mood of the home theater without overpowering the room. It is also suggested that home theater owners use a matte paint rather than a gloss. Because gloss reflects, anything that has a gloss finish needs to have a non-reflective look to it so that the focal point is the television rather than wall decorations. The darker colors and the matte finish both contribute to the true theater feeling.

When speaking specifically about color choices for your home theater, red and black are frequently primary theater colors. When many theater patrons think of a theater, many times they think in terms of red and black. For your home theater, you may use variations of red and black by leaning toward shades of red and dark blues. The personal preference of the home theater owner should dictate color choices, but the darker palettes should receive a higher priority.

To complete the warm feel of your home theater, incorporate the darker woods found in the older theaters. Maple and cherry are popular choices. The woods really warm up the room and make a big difference when used in crown moldings and the baseboards. The elements are tied together and give your space the feeling of a true home theater rather than just a big room with a television.

Your home theater space is as important as your home theater system itself. By following the professional advice of a virtual interior designer, you can maximize your home theater experience without maxxing out your home theater budget.