Best paint colours to make north-facing rooms more inviting and cosy

North-facing rooms will get the least amount of natural light at any time of day.

Rather than letting the room look dull, dark and cold, paint – and other tricks – can make a world of a difference to how the space feels.

Sarah Lloyd, paint expert at Valspar Paint, said: « In north-facing rooms, you want to avoid blue and grey. »

These colours will only intensify the glacial atmosphere that can feel too cool and unwelcoming.

« Instead, try colours that will brighten the room and keep it nice and airy. »

Sarah recommended to House Beautiful « warmer blush tones or beiges » for north-facing rooms.

stated that warmer tones of pink, gold and yellow work wonders to achieve a « cosy, welcoming atmosphere ».

For a more subtle warmth, Dulux recommended whites that have an undertone of pink, for example, or yellow.

Paint choices for north-facing rooms

• Copper Blush
• Blush Pink
• Summer Linen
• Cookie Dough
• Lemon Pie
• Natural Hessian

Benjamin Moore said: « Counterbalance the cast of cool northern exposure with a clean, fresh white paint that has a hint of yellow. »

Recommending three white paints, Benjamin Moore noted: « These three are all go-to white paint colors that provide varying levels of warmth, depending on how cool (or blue) the lighting in your north-facing space is. »

Whites

• Cotton Balls OC-122
• White Chocolate OC-127
• Power Sand OC-113

The muted natural lighting in a north-facing room benefits from neutrals that have soft yellow undertones.

Neutrals

• Elephant Tusk OC-8
• Wheeling Neutral HC-92
• Lenox Tan HC-44

For trim and ceiling paint in a north-facing room, Benjamin Moore suggested White Dove OC-17.

« Consider a higher finish on trim, like semi-gloss or high-gloss, to bring reflection and dimension to slightly darker spaces, » recommended Benjamin Moore.

Claire Armstrong-Gautier, of My Bespoke Room, added that a « good-sized » mirror will be able to bounce around the little light the room gets.

« For the best results, hang or place it on the opposite wall from the window, » said Claire.