Building new media room

Finishing a remodel that will include a small 2CH/HT room for me the room will be @ 16 x 13. The following equipment will be used at least for now:
HT equipment 
*Emotiva XMC-1 for AV processing 
*Emotiva UPA-700 center and surround speakers
*Sony UBP-800M2 DVD/SACD’s player
*Samsung UN60KU 60inch TV

2CH equipment 
*Rogue RP-1 2CH preamp w/HT bypass
*Schiit Audio Aegir 2CH power amp
*Rega P6 w/ Ania cartridge 
*Rega MCFono phono preamp 
*Topping D90SE DAC
*Bluesound Vault 2 & Pulse Mini music server
*HiFi Man SUNDARA open back Headphones 
*Parasound Zphono USP phono amp (for recording)

First question is the room color I want a medium grey or a dark red of some type. my wife wants some shade of white (I’m pretty sure I might win this decorating issue since I’m giving up my 25 x 20 former man cave) Not sure about the ceiling color, but I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t be any shade of white.
Second question is sound proofing the room. Is Sound Board an effective product. Cost is an issue here since money just seems to be flying out the door. That’s the way I think I might go, other options are costly. I thought of wall tiles but WAF is an issue there (paint color is one thing but wall tiles are in a whole other league).
Last but not really least. I’m wanting to up my analog system, saw a Steve Guttenberg YouTube review on step up transformers. Thinking of buying the Pro-Ject MC Step-Up Box S3 Step-Up entry level transformer to replace the Rega MCFono and use the MM input of the Rogue. Maybe upgrade the cartridge a little later as well.
Any and all ideas or thoughts are really appreciated.

Thanks