Cosy Paint Colours
Cosy colours are warm, muted and usually a little deeper than you'd first reach for. Tobacco browns, rich reds and plums, warm mushroom stones and olive greens soak up lamplight and make a room feel snug. They love north-facing rooms and evening spaces, and every shade below is available as a 60ml sample.
Cosy colours are warm, muted and usually deeper than you'd first reach for: tobacco browns, rich reds and plums, warm mushroom stones and olive greens. They soak up lamplight instead of bouncing it around, which is what makes a room feel snug. The cosiest rooms go one step further and paint the woodwork and ceiling to match.
At a glance
- Start here
- Warm, muted and a little deeper. Cosy colours combine a warm undertone with some depth. A slightly earthy, softened colour feels far snugger than a clean, bright one.
- North light
- Where cosy colours shine. Cool, steady north light suits warm browns, reds and stones best of all. They make a dim room feel snug rather than gloomy.
- South light
- Go deep, not hot. Strong sun makes warm colours more intense. Choose deep browns and earthy greens, and check reds in the afternoon.
- East light
- Bright mornings, snug evenings. Morning sun keeps the room fresh, then warm stones and olives take over as the light cools.
- West light
- Golden evenings. Warm evening sun makes cosy colours glow. Check your sample in the cooler morning light too.
- After dark
- Warm bulbs, several lamps. Warm bulbs around 2700K to 3000K make every colour here glow. Use several lamps rather than one ceiling light.
- Woodwork
- Paint it to match. Painting skirting, doors and even the ceiling to match removes cold white edges and makes the room feel enveloping.
- Sample tip
- Check every change of light. Move your sample between walls. Check it in morning and afternoon daylight, then under the lights you use at night.
Tap any tile to read more.
Earthy browns and tobacco tones
Deep browns that feel like a leather armchair.
Best in north-facing rooms
Brown is back, and it's the cosiest colour there is. These deep, earthy browns feel like a well-worn leather armchair: grounded, warm and impossible to rush in. Wonderful in snugs, studies and living rooms.
Best in north-facing rooms, where steady light keeps these browns rich. Turney™ also suits south-facing rooms.
Rich reds and plums
Fireside reds that glow in lamplight.
Best in north-facing rooms
Deep, slightly earthy reds and plums are the colour of a pub fireside and a good bottle of wine. They're bolder than the browns but just as warm, and they look extraordinary in lamplight.
Best in north-facing rooms, where cool, even light keeps these reds deep rather than fiery.
Warm stones and mushrooms: cosy without going dark
Snug warmth that keeps the room light.
Best in north-, east- and west-facing rooms
Not ready for a dark room? These warm mid-tone stones give you the snug feeling with plenty of light. They're the easiest way to warm up a living room, bedroom or hallway that currently feels cold.
Best in north-, east- and west-facing rooms. Wynnie™ and Broxtowe™ suit every direction, while Heron™ is best kept to east- or west-facing rooms.
Olive greens and earthy greys
Woodland olives that sit well with wood and wool.
Best in north-, east- and west-facing rooms
Warm olives and earthy, brown-based greys bring the cosiness of a woodland walk indoors. They sit beautifully with wood, brass and wool, and work in both modern and period homes.
Best in north-facing rooms with any of these. Twitchell™ and Whimgin™ also suit east- and west-facing rooms, and Riverbed™ suits south-facing rooms.
Sample it the way we would
Step 1
Paint your peel-and-sticks
Each £5.99 sample comes with three paintable peel-and-sticks. Give them two coats and let them dry fully.
Step 2
Stick them around the room
Put them on two or three walls, including the wall opposite the window, at eye level and lower down.
Step 3
Live with them for a day or two
Look in the morning, the afternoon and under your evening lamps. Move them around until you are sure.
Your questions, answered
What colours make a room feel cosy?
Warm, muted and fairly deep colours: browns, earthy reds, plums, warm stones and olive greens. Pair them with warm bulbs and, ideally, matching woodwork.
How do I make a cold room feel warmer with paint?
Choose a colour with a warm undertone (red, yellow or brown), avoid cool greys and blue-based whites, and consider going deeper. Painting the ceiling and woodwork to match removes the cold white edges that make a room feel stark.
Colours for north-facing roomsAre cosy colours just for living rooms?
Not at all. Cosy colours are wonderful in bedrooms, snugs, studies, hallways and dining rooms, anywhere you mostly use in the evening.
Bedroom paint colours