Darkroom wall color?

[mshchem]

I wouldn't bother to change color.

 

[mshchem]

All the "mega science" behind black around enlarger as strictly worth no attention. Whatever color you prefer. I prefer white, use matt white because any reflections off of glossy when lights are on are disturbing to me, but have no effect on darkroom function in its dark state.

More likely to reflect off one's shirt, which is zero concern to me.

 

[Bikerider]

I didn’t paint the area around my enlargers black, but I do have light leaks from the Beseler I use most. Rather than pulling out the paint can and roller I simply made a skirt out of black cloth. Problem solved.

An enlarger in drag! That has to be a first.

 

[glbeas]

I put the brown fiber pegboard behind my enlarger and put hangers on it for my negative carriers and whatever else needs out of the way.

 

[MattKing]

I put the brown fiber pegboard behind my enlarger and put hangers on it for my negative carriers and whatever else needs out of the way.

This is a really good idea.
A corkboard with pins for posting printing diagrams might be good as well.

 

[Pieter12]

Floral wallpaper. Just not flocked, it collects dust.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Mine are about mid gray.

 

[winger]

My first darkroom, I painted the walls a flat medium grey. I had to paint the walls because they were new. This darkroom was already white on the wall behind the enlargers and "wood" paneling behind the sink. I have some black matboard leaning on the wall behind one enlarger, but both enlargers work very well, so the matboard has nothing to do with it (just convenient storage).

 

[Rick A]

The color you choose is not important, but the sheen or luster is. Pick a color and flat sheen, not glossy or semi gloss, not even eggshell. FLAT.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I'm in the white-wall-and-ceiling camp. Bounce your safelights off the walls and ceiling for more diffuse and pleasant lighting. Working in a white room with the lights on is much less oppressive than working in some dark cave-like atmosphere. I made baffles for my enlargers so I don't even have to have black walls around them. White shows up spills better and gives everything a nice, clean look.

Any colored walls in a black-and-white darkroom can affect print evaluation, especially when toning. Heck, I make sure my trays are white or grey after I undertoned a batch of prints because I was toning in a red tray and the red reflected onto the prints making the look redder than they really were.

Best,

Doremus

 

[Sirius Glass]

Without white or off white walls, my safe lights would do me no good.

 

[ic-racer]

35 replies in less than 24 hours. Wonder how active a thread on "Darkroom Floor Color" would be....

 

[MattKing]

The choice of colour might matter a slight bit more if you are printing colour.

 

[wiltw]

All the "mega science" behind black around enlarger as strictly worth no attention. Whatever color you prefer. I prefer white, use matt white because any reflections off of glossy when lights are on are disturbing to me, but have no effect on darkroom function in its dark state.

Loose scatter of light which contributes to contrast reducing fog...merits no atention?!

 

[cliveh]

Brilliant white, as when the safelights are on it reflects that colour.

 

[DREW WILEY]

wiltw - some people only learn the hard way. Hmmm ... what actually is the definition of a DARK room ? Even air vents and ducts sometimes telegraph in a little sunglight. Luminous dials contribute a little more. A bit slips out between the enlarger carrier etc etc. "Never a problem". Then it happens. What about "total darkness" color print media or film work?

 

[warden]

Every darkroom I’ve ever been in has had black walls - except my temporary set up in the bathroom. I’m remodeling the hall bath to make it more of a darkroom and less a bathroom. Wondering how important is it to have black walls ?

In my experience it's not important. I've had a darkroom that was absolutely sealed from outside light and had dark walls and I see no difference whatsoever with my current darkroom, which is not sealed, more dim than dark, and brighter colors. The prints are the same.

 

[DREW WILEY]

A lot of this jibber-jabber seems to assume that people are only doing basic black and white printing in the darkroom. That's fine. But what if you decide to expand into more sophisticated, more light-sensitive film work or color printing? Repainting everything after your gear is already installed is a much bigger headache than doing it correctly beforehand. One man's medicine is another man's poison.

 

[cliveh]

A lot of this jibber-jabber seems to assume that people are only doing basic black and white printing in the darkroom. That's fine. But what if you decide to expand into more sophisticated, more light-sensitive film work or color printing? Repainting everything after your gear is already installed is a much bigger headache than doing it correctly beforehand. One man's medicine is another man's poison.

Then you don't switch on the light.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The choice of colour might matter a slight bit more if you are printing colour.

The darkrooms at Kodak had off white walls and I never had a problem with the color of the walls.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Learn the hard way. Some day you'll be fooling around with some new film, or an unfamiliar paper, and regret it. A single work session for me might involve handling multiple sheets of 8x10 film in the darkroom. Maybe $200 worth in a single day.
Some deluxe color print media can be even more expensive. Maybe you have a lot of money to risk, and enjoy gambling. I don't.
I'm not smarter than the average bear; I've learned all this the hard way.

 

[MattKing]

The darkrooms at Kodak had off white walls and I never had a problem with the color of the walls.

But what if they had been raspberry in colour? . Off white is actually what I would recommend.
I actuality, I was thinking that a really colourful darkroom might make it more difficult to make judgments about the colour of your prints.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Back when I was involved with the paint industry and was doing color consultation on the side, I had occasional interaction with the head of the International Color Counsel, who made a LOT of money and lived in a big flat overlooking Central Park in NYC. He was highly involved in integrating all kinds of related industries with respect to forecasting color trends, including what kind of off-whites would be in demand the next decade or so (there is no such thing as pure white wall paint). Of course, I asked him which shade was used in his own residence. He replied that he was married to a Columbian woman, and that her idea of "neutral" was bright red, so that is what it was painted throughout.

 

[warden]

A lot of this jibber-jabber seems to assume that people are only doing basic black and white printing in the darkroom. That's fine. But what if you decide to expand into more sophisticated, more light-sensitive film work or color printing? Repainting everything after your gear is already installed is a much bigger headache than doing it correctly beforehand. One man's medicine is another man's poison.

The OP is asking about a hallway bathroom so if he wants to expand to other things that’ll likely mean leaving the guest bath too. At any rate bathrooms are not difficult or time-consuming to paint but he probably doesn’t need to paint it anyway.

OP - will you be doing black and white or are you going full Ctien and making large format dye transfers or somesuch?

 

[awty]

Paint! That never crossed my mind. Mine are covered in hand written notes of formulas and processes.