Painting studio walls? What color should I use??

[Mishelly00]

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Hello, I am sorry if this same question has been asked a million times. I am having trouble finding them with the search option.I keep reading that white and grey are good and black the best. I just can't do black.

The room I am painting is quite small and I want to be able to have some control of my lighting. I have all my lighting equipment now and backdrops. The room is 13X15 with only 8ft ceilings. The color is currently a deep red color. This used to be my living room and I absolutely love the color but I know it's not good for portraits. It is going to only be used for a studio and not a living area so I am free to do whatever I want. I just don't think I can deal with black walls so that is out......... So what are some of your opinions for such a small space. Would a darker grey color work?? Should I keep the ceilings white and use flat paint??
Thanks, Michelle

[Photo-John]

Do you know why black is good? Black absorbs all other colors so you won't have any unwanted color cast from reflected light. I would strongly urge you to go with black. If not black, then go with 18% gray. But flat black really is the right thing to do. I've been working in a space with off-white walls for a few years and it's been a problem. I would have liked to have black, but it was a rented house. What about sliding black curtains? Is that a compromise you could make work?

[Peter_AUS]

Curtains would be your best choice, have them on a running rail that you can move them back out of the way when you want to and then pull them along as you need to. Just as John said.

[Mishelly00]

Well thanks so much for your replies....Me and my husband decided. I bought grey paint for the walls and ceilings. It is called studio Grey made by Ralph Lauren.( Medium Grey) It's not very dark or too light. We thought the rail system with black curtains is a great idea. That, I can live with and I think the grey and black would look pretty cool together.. I am so excited and want to get started. I have all my studio equipment still sitting in there boxes and it is killing me!!! I want to take them out and get going. The room just had new wood floors put in instead of the old crappy carpeting that was in there and my husband just built a wall blocking an open stairway going downstairs for safety of children and my 2 year old. The room is dusty and under construction still so I am keeping everything safe in the boxes for right now. Hopefully it will be done within a week. I will post pictures when it is done. Thanks again, Michelle

[Photo-John]

I will post pictures when it is done.

Please do post photos. I think it's cool to see how people set up their studios. And if you do decide to put up black curtains, I'd like to see how you do it. I like that solutions, too. It's good for a space that isn't 100% for photography.

[ken1953]

Well thanks so much for your replies....Me and my husband decided. I bought grey paint for the walls and ceilings. It is called studio Grey made by Ralph Lauren.( Medium Grey) It's not very dark or too light. We thought the rail system with black curtains is a great idea. That, I can live with and I think the grey and black would look pretty cool together.. I am so excited and want to get started. I have all my studio equipment still sitting in there boxes and it is killing me!!! I want to take them out and get going. The room just had new wood floors put in instead of the old crappy carpeting that was in there and my husband just built a wall blocking an open stairway going downstairs for safety of children and my 2 year old. The room is dusty and under construction still so I am keeping everything safe in the boxes for right now. Hopefully it will be done within a week. I will post pictures when it is done. Thanks again, Michelle

Fantastic...hope everything gets setup soon...Kim and I have been trying to plan our home studio as well and have been watching this thread to get ideas. Please do post lots of pics of the process and finished product!!! I'll be watching with interest.
Ken

[dbutler]

Michelle, how's the room coming along. Setting up a studio is next on my list and I'd love to see the results of yours and how you are liking it.