• Light colors are not the best choice for your home theater.home theater with big flat television panel image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
  
  The paint in your home theater room affects how movies are viewed on your screen. Light colors can create more ambient light in the room and glossy paint will reflect your screen's light. Either of these can lead to lowered perception of contrast, which makes your movie images seem less crisp and distinct. Use flat finish paint to minimize reflection and choose medium to dark colors for the walls and ceiling.
  
  

Reds

• Bright reds can affect your perception of color in a negative way, but deep burgundy and maroon can make good home theater color choices. Choose a dark red that appears brownish or black in the dark, but rich and warm under lights. Bring home several swatches and check them under different lighting conditions to choose the proper red for your home and to coordinate the tones with any existing furniture or decor. Many movie theaters and live theatrical performance venues use dark reds because the color is often perceived as warm, inviting, comfortable and luxurious, making it an excellent choice for home theaters. Combine burgundy walls with a dark gray ceiling for a rich home theater look.
  
  

Greens

• As with reds, if you choose to paint your home theater in green shades, make sure you select dark shades in a flat finish. While not a common choice among homeowners, deep forest or olive greens can be mixed with other colors to create a home theater room that is exciting with the lights on but fades into the background when you're ready to watch movies. Try a dark forest green on the walls, then choose a deep purple color for the ceiling and trim. If you tend to prefer more subtle looks, try a deep olive on the walls with a dark gray ceiling and chocolate brown trim. Add splashes of color with movie posters (without glass frames to reduce reflection and glare) and lighting sconces.
  
  

Blues

• Navy and other dark shades of blue are popular home theater choices because they can mimic the benefits of going with a completely black room when the lights are off. With the lights on, dark blues provide an excellent background for posters and other decor. Navy blue ceilings also make excellent backgrounds for fiber optic star lighting. To keep the room from feeling too dark and small during times when the lights are on, contrast your blues with a medium tone silvery gray carpet and polished metal accents that are placed so they do not directly reflect the screen.