My sewing room (in the basement) has almost no natural light but does have good full-spectrum fluorescent overhead and task lights, halogen lights, and incandescent lights. I chose a cream/light beige color for the walls and shelves, and I've been very happy with it. It brightens up the space and does not detract from or compete with any quilts being done there. The flooring is industrial vinyl in a light beige and, surprisingly, it does not get that dirty. The ceiling is white.
Much of my furniture is custom-made oak, which the wall color shows off, and I also have some darker cabinets with machines in them. The quilts hanging in that room or on the design wall or sewing tables are seen for their own colors and the wall color fades into the background, as I think it should.
Yellow would be my second choice. I did use a cheerful yellow with white trim on the walls of the bathroom and laundry room, which is adjacent to the sewing room.
Last edited by cricket_iscute; 06-10-2013 at 04:00 PM.