How to Choose the Right Paint Colour for a North-Facing Room
Cool, indirect light changes everything. Here's how I approach colour in rooms that never see the sun.
Kirsty Elizabeth
August 26, 2026 · 5 min read
In this article
North-facing rooms receive cool, indirect light all day, which pulls blue out of grey and green out of cream. The answer is to choose colours with a warm undertone.
Start with the light
Before looking at a single paint chart, I spend time in the room at different points of the day. Clay, stone, putty and soft ochre-tinted whites tend to hold their warmth, while anything described as brilliant white usually turns flat and grey.
"A colour that holds up morning, afternoon and evening will not disappoint once the room is finished."
Test colour properly
Paint two coats onto A2 lining paper rather than the wall, and move the sheets around the room across a full day.
- Near the window in the morning
- On the darkest wall in the afternoon
- Under lamplight in the evening
Warm undertones keep cooler rooms feeling soft and inviting.
Don't forget the ceiling
Carrying the wall colour onto the ceiling at a lighter strength keeps the light soft and stops a cool room feeling like it has a lid on it.
- Paint
- Colour
- North-facing rooms
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Written by
Kirsty Elizabeth
I design timeless, welcoming homes across the UK, in person and through Virtual E-Design.
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