Choosing a room color based on the direction the space is facing is an impactful yet underappreciated factor in room design. North-facing rooms, in particular, receive cooler, indirect light, which can affect how the color appears on the wall.
To create a harmonious and captivating atmosphere, choose shades that counterbalance the natural coolness while increasing the warmth and inviting atmosphere. By carefully considering the interaction of light and color, you can turn a north-facing room into a cozy and welcoming retreat.
Effects of a North-Facing Room on Paint Colors
In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun moves across the southern part of the sky, so north-facing rooms receive little sunlight throughout the day. These rooms receive diffused light, which is softer and cooler in color. As a result, whatever color you choose for the room may appear cooler, less vibrant, and darker than in other spaces. This effect can make your room feel less welcoming and cozy, especially in the darker and colder months of the year.
In terms of color, rooms facing north also offer special advantages. The soft, diffused light in a north-facing room provides consistent illumination throughout the day, reducing harsh light and glare. The cool light in these rooms complements cooler paint colors like blue and green, making them feel more tranquil and sophisticated. This is especially useful in relaxation rooms, where north-facing light can help maintain a peaceful and serene environment.
Tips for Choosing Colors for North-Facing Rooms
Color selection for your home is a matter of personal preference, but there are some better and worse options available that take into account the unique characteristics of north-facing rooms. As always, consider your preferences, lifestyle, and the room’s purpose to find a color that is just right for the space.
Prioritize Warm Tones
In north-facing rooms, a lack of light can make colors appear chilly and unnatural. To counteract this effect, use warm colors such as soft yellows, creamy beige, and elegant pinks to bring warmth into the space. These colors are more inviting, and the warm undertones balance the coolness of the lighting in the room. Brighter colors like white also work well; just make sure to choose a white with a distinct warm undertone to avoid the room appearing too clinical.
Choose Light Reflective Colors
North-facing rooms naturally receive less sunlight than east- or west-facing rooms, so reflective colors can help brighten the space. Lighter colors with warm undertones, such as pale peach or soft gold, can reflect available light, making the room feel more open and spacious. These colors add a sense of brightness and keep the room from feeling too dark or enclosed.
Consider Rich, Saturated Colors
Light colors are frequently recommended for north-facing rooms, but you can also use rich, saturated colors if that suits your preferences, lifestyle, and room purpose better. Deep blues, forest greens, or rich terracottas can add depth and character to your north-facing room. Combined with the cool, consistent light, richer and darker colors can create a dramatic look that can be enhanced with velvet upholstery, textured wood furniture, and gleaming metal accents.
Test Paint Samples
Before painting your entire room, test paint samples to see how a specific color works in that setting. The way that color interacts with light can vary throughout the day and according to the season. It is critical that you see how the color looks in both natural and artificial light, so apply the color to different areas of the walls and study it over several days to determine whether you like it.
Incorporate Warm Lighting
In addition to choosing the right paint colors for north-facing rooms, artificial lighting can help to make the space feel warmer. Warm lighting, such as soft daylight or warm yellow bulbs, can complement your color scheme and add a layer of mellowness to the room that it otherwise lacks. A paint color with warm undertones, combined with layered, warm lighting, can make the room feel more appealing.
Use Accent Colors and Materials
To balance the cool tones of a north-facing room, consider using warm accent colors in furniture, textiles, and decor. Throw pillows, rugs, curtains, and artwork can incorporate rich shades such as brown, burnt sienna, and ochre to increase the vibrancy of the color scheme, making it feel more lively and visually impactful.
Colors to Avoid in North-Facing Rooms
Certain colors will amplify the existing qualities of the natural light in north-facing rooms, making the space feel even colder and less inviting.
Cool Grays
Cool grays, once popular in interior design, can be problematic in north-facing rooms. The cool, indirect light in these rooms can highlight the blue undertones in cool gray, making them feel even colder and less appealing than in a different light. If you like the color gray, choose a gray paint color with a warm undertone. Because of the significant amount of brown/beige in their formula, these are commonly referred to as greige rather than gray.
Blue-Based Whites
Whites with blue undertones may appear neutral, but they will look sterile and cold in north-facing rooms. The already cool light will highlight the cool blue undertones, which can be particularly unwelcoming in areas where people want to feel at ease, such as kitchens, bedrooms, and living rooms. Instead, select a white with red, orange, or yellow undertones. These will be subtle; they will simply add a touch of warmth to the white, counteracting the room’s coolness.
Muted Blues and Greens
Rich blues and greens can add vibrancy to north-facing rooms, whereas pale blues and greens can appear washed-out and dreary. The cold light in north-facing rooms will highlight the cool undertones of these colors, making the space appear drab and devoid of energy. If you want to use a light blue or green, choose one that leans warmer rather than cooler. You may need to use a darker color than you intended to achieve the same effect as a lighter shade in another room.
Pale Purples
Pale purples, such as lilac or lavender, may struggle to stand out in north-facing rooms. Cool natural light can drain the subtle warmth from pale purple rooms, making them appear flat and cold. Consider warm purple options, such as those with a red undertone, to make the color appear more inviting in north-facing rooms. These colors may be referred to as magenta, plum, aubergine, or mauve rather than purple.
Dark Charcoal or Black
Dark charcoal or black colors can create a dramatic and sophisticated look in certain settings, but in a north-facing room, these deep colors can feel oppressive. North-facing rooms receive a noticeable lack of direct sunlight. Because dark colors absorb light, the room will appear even darker. Lighter, more reflective colors are preferable in north-facing rooms to magnify the limited direct sunlight that the rooms receive.
