Northern Exposure: Painting Your Home's North Face

Painting a home that faces north can be challenging due to the lack of direct sunlight and the resulting muted and toned-down light. This can affect the appearance of paint, making colours appear darker and duller. To counter this, it is recommended to choose paint colours with warm undertones, such as yellow, red, or green, to create a cosy and inviting space. Testing paint colours in different lighting conditions and considering the room's function and decor are also important steps in the decision-making process.

Choose warm colours

North-facing rooms are known for their lack of sunlight, which can make them feel cold, gloomy and dismal. The right paint colours can help to cosy up the space and make it inviting and warm.

When choosing colours, it is important to consider the undertones. Yellow-based colours like Hawthorne Yellow, Yellow Ground, New White and White Tie will help to bounce light around the room. Warmer neutrals like terracotta and greige will also create a cosy mood. If you want to use a white paint, avoid true whites, which can look grey and dingy in the cool light of a north-facing room. Instead, opt for off-whites with warm, yellow undertones.

If you want to embrace the darkness of a north-facing room, you can opt for dramatic dark colours, which can add a whole new level of cosiness. Look for colours with red or warm green undertones. Benjamin Moore's Spiced Pumpkin is a wonderful north-facing room paint colour. You could also consider a warm, glowing deep teal or a coral shade.

It is always a good idea to test out paint colours before committing to them. Observe how the colours look under different lighting conditions throughout the day and evening, in both artificial and natural light.

Avoid stark white

When painting a north-facing home, it is important to consider the unique lighting conditions. North-facing rooms tend to lack sunlight and receive consistent yet muted light throughout the day, resulting in a darker and cooler atmosphere. This cool light will bring out the blue and grey undertones in your paint, making colours appear darker and duller.

With this in mind, it is best to avoid stark white paint in a north-facing room. While it may seem intuitive to use white to brighten the space, this strategy is ineffective. White paint will only reflect the cold light available, resulting in a flat and dingy appearance. Instead of a stark white, opt for off-whites or whites with warm undertones to counteract the cool light. For example, consider White Dove, a soft and warm white that beautifully offsets the cool grey-blue northern light.

If you are set on using white paint, be mindful of the lighting in the room. As natural light in north-facing rooms can vary throughout the day and across seasons, test your paint of choice in different lighting conditions. Observe how it appears at various times of the day and in both artificial and natural light. Additionally, consider adding plenty of artificial lighting and reflective surfaces to enhance the brightness of the space.

To summarise, while stark white may be tempting to lighten a north-facing room, it can fall flat. Instead, opt for warmer off-whites or whites with subtle undertones, and complement your paint choice with thoughtful lighting to create a cosy and inviting space.

Use lighter tones with yellow undertones

North-facing rooms tend to lack sunlight and receive consistent yet muted and toned-down natural light throughout the day. This light tends to bring out the cooler tones within a colour, such as blue, grey, green, or even lavender. To counterbalance this, it is recommended to use lighter tones with yellow undertones, which will envelop the room in gentle warmth.

Yellow-based colours like Farrow and Ball's White Tie No. 2002, described as the colour of old pre-brightened starched cotton, will help to bounce as much light as possible around the room. Benjamin Moore's Hawthorne Yellow HC-4 is another shade that can brighten up a north-facing room. For the trim and ceiling, White Dove OC-17 is a fresh white paint colour that works beautifully with other colours, offering a clean contrast and a bright outline.

If you are looking for a neutral shade with yellow undertones, consider Bleeker Beige HC-80 or Farrow and Ball's New White. These colours can provide a warm ambience to your north-facing room. For a hint of retro, try Lick Green 07, a vibrant green with yellow undertones that would look amazing with a touch of orange.

When choosing a paint colour, it is important to consider the unique lighting conditions of your home, as the quality of light, time of day, and even the season can affect how colours appear. It is recommended to test out different shades by purchasing paint colour samples or using tester pots to see how they look in your space throughout the day and under different lighting conditions.

Consider the room's function

When considering the function of the room, it is important to think about the mood you want to create and the colours that will help you achieve that. For example, if you want to create a cosy and inviting space in a north-facing living room, warmer colours with yellow or red undertones, such as Hawthorne Yellow, can help to bounce light around the room and make the space feel snug. Warmer neutrals like terracotta and greige are also a good choice for creating a cosy atmosphere.

If you're painting a north-facing bedroom, you might want to opt for colours that add a sense of warmth and comfort, such as coral or teal. These colours can bring a vibrant and cheerful feel to the room, making it a relaxing and welcoming space. Additionally, consider the lighting in the bedroom. If the room is mostly used when it's dark outside, you might want to choose colours that complement artificial lighting, such as warm incandescent bulbs that emit a yellow light, making the space feel warmer.

For a north-facing kitchen, it's important to choose a paint that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical and durable. Look for paints that can be easily wiped down without streaking or staining. Consider colours that will make the space feel bright and inviting, such as warm whites with yellow undertones or light shades with warm undertones of yellow, pink, or brown. These colours can add depth and cosiness to the room without making it feel dull or gloomy.

When it comes to a north-facing dining room, you might want to create a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere. Deeper and richer colours, such as reds or warm greens, can add a whole new level of cosiness and intimacy to the space. These colours can make the room feel inviting and comfortable for family meals or dinner parties.

Overall, by considering the function of each room and the mood you want to create, you can choose colours that will enhance the space and make it feel welcoming and comfortable, regardless of the limited natural light in north-facing rooms.

Test colours before committing

When it comes to painting a north-facing room, testing colours before committing is crucial. North-facing rooms tend to receive less sunlight and have lower lighting levels, which can impact the appearance of paint colours. Here are some tips to ensure you find the perfect shade:

Firstly, it is recommended to purchase paint colour samples or tester pots. These can come in various forms, such as oversized colour swatches, peel-and-stick samples, or brush-on paint samples. Getting a tester pot is worth the time and effort, as paint colours can look significantly different on the walls of your home compared to small colour chips on a paint chart.

When testing colours, it is important to consider the unique lighting conditions of your home. North-facing rooms typically have consistent light throughout the day, but it tends to be cooler and muted. Observe how the paint colours look under both artificial and natural light at different times of the day and evening. Paint large swatches of at least 2-3 foot squares on the main walls or a large piece of lining paper that can be moved around the room. This will allow you to see how the colour appears in different lighting conditions and how it interacts with the existing decor and overhead lighting.

Warm colours, such as neutrals with terracotta, greige, or taupe tones, are often recommended for north-facing rooms as they can add warmth and cosiness. Colours with yellow undertones, such as Hawthorne Yellow, can also help bounce light around the room. On the other hand, colours with blue, grey, green, or lavender tones may be magnified in the cooler light of north-facing rooms, resulting in a gloomier atmosphere.

Additionally, consider the function of the room. If it is a space that will be used primarily at night, the direction it faces may be less important. Bold and rich colours can bring warmth to darker rooms, and dramatic dark colours can add depth and a cosy feel.

By following these steps and testing colours before committing, you can ensure that your north-facing room is transformed into a welcoming and inviting space.

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