Paint Colors to Use for a Game Room

Your game room should reflect its purpose in every aspect of the decor. It is a space to enjoy and entertain in, so you don't want a boring paint job to make the space seem lifeless and uninviting. Color is always a matter of personal taste, but you can use basic ideas to narrow down your selection, then choose the exact shade that best suits you and your room. Does this Spark an idea?

Sporty Looks

If you are a sports fan, chances are good that your game room reflects this. You may have a foosball table and a basketball hoop, or simply be eager to decorate your newly painted walls with team pennants and photos. If sports are a big theme for you, take a look at your favorite team's colors. Since you're going to have their memorabilia about the room, you'll most likely want paint colors that enhance this instead of clashing. Take the brightest of the team's two or three colors and paint a 12-inch stripe around the top of all but one wall. Use a neutral color for the background on the walls with the stripe, then paint your last wall the team's second color. For example, if you're a Seattle Seahawks fan, you might paint the basic walls white, with a deep green stripe around the top, then paint your accent wall in Seahawk blue. If you love your team but not all of their colors--such as if you're a Denver Broncos fan who isn't all that fond of orange--choose the color you like for both the stripe and the accent wall.

Billiard Style

If your game room has elements like a high quality pool table and wooden game tables or furniture, give it a classic style with rich colors like burgundy for a warm-tone room or a few shades lighter than navy for a cool-tone room. Use a warm cream color for at least one wall to brighten the room and create a neutral background for hanging posters or photos, then paint the other walls in your warm or cool color choice. If pool is the focus of your game room, try using the color of the 7 ball (generally burgundy or tan) on two walls, then cream on the other two with a 12-inch wide stripe across the wall about 3 feet above the floor and a painted 7 or 15 ball somewhere along the stripe. Use the 2/10 ball color if you prefer a blue room.

Sleek and Modern

If your game room focuses on electronic games or you simply want a modern look, select a palette of blues, including a light bluish gray, a medium slate blue, and a deep blue such as cobalt or navy. Instead of painting each wall a solid color, paint three walls the lightest color, then paint patterns with the other two colors along that wall. Use stencils to create sharp geometric shapes, or paint diagonal lines that reach from floor to ceiling and bend around a corner, then spike off from the mid-point of the line to angle back down to the floor. Use the dark blue for most of your accents, then highlight a few edges or add a few shapes with the medium blue. Don't hesitate to overlap stenciled shapes to give your room a 3-D look. Paint the last wall in your darkest color and add just a few stencils or lines in the lighter colors.