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Theatre house color
posted by
popcornn
on
May 10, 2007 at 4:47 am
What is the best color to have the walls and ceiling of theatre painted? My place is a quonset hut, so walls and ceiling are the same thing. I’m asking because I am sure that some colors don’t work due to reflection of light and so on. Any insight?
Comments (8)
I suggest a neutral color like Gray, which will harmonize with the rest of a darkened theatre and can easily be lit any color to make the walls interesting. You can add intrest and dimension by using different shades. Medium shades on the walls, dark on the ceiling. There are some very attractive gray shades available that look equally good all levels of light. Just be sure you get the flat finish.
Gold & red go well it appears
You don’t mention your location. Locale AND climate can also play a major part of helping your patrons feel comfortable, that is, depending on what the average weather patern is like.
Do you have stage curtains? I hope so as bare screens are so ugly! Curtains should be contrasting in color and design and opened and closed at slow to moderate speed. NEVER fast or jerked!!!
When you complete your task, please post a photo.
Good Luck from www.josephmusil.com Theater Designer.
P.S. Your stage/platform and surrounding procenium(?) arch could be flat black; so as to display a sharp edge for your projection.
if you have a quonset, it is no doubt long and narrow. If so and you have a high gain aluminum or silver surface screen with no stage curtian, your screen masking and surrounding auditorium would be good with a flat gray paint that closely approximates the color of the screen. If you have a traveler curtian in front of the screen, I would still go with the gray masking and walls, the screen will have a definite darker outline that will carry on into the walls/ceiling blendiing the stage into the auditorium. Further back from the stage area decorative/contrasting panels or designs can add interest to the auditorium and vertical elements can soften the length of the auditorium
Another thought has come to mind… With the natural curve of the structure, I believe it would be suitable to paint in an optical illusion. Like so many theatres painted to look like wood paneling inside, use a computerized model to compose a picture of cantilevering. Make it look like the wood beams in a gothic church apse, and cover the walls at the chair level with a simulated, painted, velvet drapery to set off the wood. Wood tones with kelley greene as well as wine red are stunning. They would enhance the illusion giving a feeling of grandeur. The Loew’s State in Los Angeles (Broadway)is concrete painted like wood but it is static. The quanset hut style would appear fluid.
Good ideas and thank you for the input. Seeing as how the curtain is red as well as the carpet, probably something neutral like your suggestions is a good idea. We’re working on a new website and re-vamp so when we’re ready we’ll add photos, location and history!
Hello again “butternut”;
The red curtains will look fabulous with a grey interior. I recall this colour theme at a small cinema where I one lived in the 50/60’s in Southampton, England.
How about spray painting, at one angle towards the screen/stage with a darker grey, then reverse the spray painting procedure with the ligheter colour. This way the light will be reflected INTO the the auditorium!!!
Hey! So many ideas to choose from -anxiously awating your decission.
When i thin of the house colors i always think of location location and my surroundsing first and formost i use the local scheme like patriotc colors red and blue go well with the front wall flat black and white or silver screen shoot me a line if ya have any more questions