Sewing room wall color?

[Judith A.]

I am converting a small bedroom into a sewing room. What is the best wall color to use that will help me see the fabric colors as I design quilts?

Thanks!

[Geneva C.]

My walls are a pale yellow. I have a large picture window as well as a large transom window which is great for light. My design wall is one entire wall with 8' x 8' insulation wrapped in thin white polyester stuff. I found it at JoAnn's on sale. Actually here is a picture with some of the 356 5" blocks I made from all my batiks.




Enjoy your new studio!

Geneva

[Judith A.]

Wow, Geneva! Gorgeous quilt!

Quiltsrfun, I had some trouble matching colors in my sewing room and found the light was reflecting the color off my walls onto my fabric. When we painted the walls white, it helped a lot.
However, the biggest help was switching to daylight corrected lightbulbs in the ceiling, and a few daylight lamps where extra light was needed at the sewing machine and cutting table.

[Judith A.]

Thank you! Love your design wall AND the beautiful batik squares. What a happy room!
Eileen

[Judith A.]

Judith,
Your reply is much appreciated! I am leaning toward white for the reason you mentioned ... seeing colors accurately. Your comments about daylight bulbs and lamps is helpful.
Thank you,
Eileen

[Judith A.]

How about an off-white or even ivory-beige. Very white is stark and can take away from viewing colours more truly. Full spectrum lighting is a must and now you cam get them in long thin bulbs much like the fluorescent ones.
Good luck and send us a picture!
Jeanine

[Judith A.]

I really like a Sherman Williams color called Snowberry. It is actually a very bright white. I used it in an eggshell finish to reduce glare. I chose this because a really friendly happy boutique shop in our town painted their walls this color. Everyone likes going in there. It just 'feels' nice. If that makes sense. I asked the owner about the color. She said that she knew a commercial interior designer who used color to influence employees and customers mood. She said the cool think about the Snowberry color is that it is white base with just two drops of red pigment per gallon, no other pigments. It is uplifting and energetic and there isn't enough color to really know there is even a color. It's subconscious how the itty bitty bit of pink makes you feel more happy. And I really think it works. It doesn't affect the colors of my wall quilts or anything, but the room feels nicer than the white I had before (was a slightly eggy offwhite color). And actually I think my quilts on the wall look happier and fresher too. I have incandescent lightbulbs and I do use a Stella lamp at my sewing station. The light sources you choose will have a big effect too no matter what paint you choose.
You might try getting a sample of Snowberry and see if you like it.

[Judith A.]

I am going to try some Snowberry too!!!

Judith

[Judith A.]

Snowberry sounds perfect ... I know what you mean about the room feeling uplifting and energetic. Thanks for the input.

[Joanne K.]

Geneva love the quilt !
I took over the family room. Plenty of light and room

[Joanne K.]

I just went and got more snow berry and oh my goodness.. I don't know what is different, it's much pinker than it was before. I am feeling kinda bad about what I recommended. If your paint store, mixed up what my did (five years after the original batch), it probably is too pink. I'm feeling bad now for making the recommendation. If you haven't don't it yet, please test first, don't buy a big batch and paint.

[Judith A.]

Hi Kelly,
My sewing room is in the basement where the floor has been too cold this winter for me to stay down there very long. My feet have been getting cold more this year. I have been waiting till Spring to do any painting down there. It was very thoughtful of you to post some additional info about the snowberry. Much appreciated! I will test. I might actually like it with a little more pink to warm it up down there. So don't feel bad! Take care.

Judith

[Judith A.]

If your basement floor is very cold here is what I did. Got some of those interlocking rubberized mats [some are for kids rooms] and put them under my feet. It makes a big difference. You can put them color up and brighten the space or black side down.Your choice

[Judith A.]

Judith,
Here in Canada one can buy the equivalent of in floor heating system to place under a carpet for just that reason - cold floors. I think it looks like a grid mesh with a wire or device that plugs into electricity.

Good luck sorting out a colour and post us a picture when done.

Jeanine

[Dawn S.]

Ditto to what Judith said! My walls are a white with a tad of grey in it, almost the color of dry calking. My design wall is a more creamy white, and is just like Geneva's, except covered in fleece. I have no colors fighting with others, and the quilts on the wall show up well. I took over the master bedroom (DH's suggestion) for my sewing room, and I love it! He also put some LED soft white lights in the ceiling. They are plenty bright, and I can have them on all day without it costing a fortune. We tried the true color, sunlight bulbs, and they were just too bright for me. I felt like I was in a spotlight.

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana