And another vote for black.
It's been a theater stage set trick for ages. Surrounding items/surfaces painted black tend to not draw attention. The eye is draw to the colors, things that are most apparent in the light.
It's also a very common contemporary interior technique for inexpensive remodeling as well as new construction for restaurants, retail businesses, et al....girders/joists, HVAC ductwork, electrical conduits, etc., etc.., all painted flat black early in the interior construction process.
Also, we're talking FLAT or MATTE black...no gloss whatsoever.
Yes, this tends to have a 'livelier' surface...one that reflects sound rather than absorb it, as with a drop ceiling and noise-absorbing tiles. Yet, even though drop ceilings are usually white or light in color, they can be painted flat black. OTOH, drop ceiling framework is the bane of folks who have to do service, maintenance, renovation of all that stuff above ceiling level.
But, as always, TEHO.
FWIW...
