Dark & Moody Paint Colours
Dark colour doesn't make a room gloomy; done well, it makes it cosy, dramatic and full of character. Soft blacks, inky blues and greens, wine reds and chocolate browns all work, especially in rooms used in the evening. Layer warm lamps, add texture and mirrors, and the room will glow. Every shade below is available as a 60ml sample.
Dark, moody colour is one of the most effective ways to make a room feel cosy and considered. It suits bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and studies best of all, particularly rooms used mostly in the evening. The key is to commit: paint woodwork and even the ceiling in the same or a similar shade, light the room with warm lamps rather than one ceiling light, and balance the depth with texture, timber and a few reflective surfaces.
At a glance
- Start here
- Commit to the depth. Half-hearted dark colour can look heavy. Going properly deep, and painting woodwork to match, looks deliberate and enveloping.
- North light
- Embrace the shadow. A dim north-facing room will never feel sunny. Deep, warm colour makes that gloom feel cosy and intentional.
- South light
- Deep cools hold their depth. Strong sun can wash out dark colour. Inky blues and greens stay rich and balance the warm light.
- East light
- Bright mornings, deep evenings. Morning sun shows off the colour’s undertone, then the room becomes enveloping by evening.
- West light
- Golden light on deep colour. Warm evening sun makes deep reds, plums and browns glow. Check samples before and after sunset.
- After dark
- Layer warm lamps. One bright ceiling light flattens dark colour. Use several warm lamps at different heights for a softer glow.
- Balance
- Texture, mirrors and metal. Timber, linen, velvet, mirrors and brass or bronze stop a dark room feeling flat.
- 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.
Soft blacks and charcoals
Near-blacks with a hint of blue or warmth.
Best in north-, south-, east- and west-facing rooms
A true black can feel flat on a wall. These near-blacks and charcoals carry a whisper of blue, purple or warmth, so they read as deep colour rather than a void.
Best in north-facing rooms with Beret™, south-facing rooms with Merry™, and east- or west-facing rooms with Colliery™, Lottie’s Heart™, Ashfield™, Skibbidy™ or Beret™.
Inky blues and dark greens
Deep jewel shades that glow under lamps.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms
Inky blues and deep greens are the easiest dark colours to live with. They feel calm as well as dramatic and look wonderful with timber, brass and plants.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms. Shinney™ is best kept to south-facing rooms, while Mercia™, Petrichor™, Theatre Green™, Skipper™ and Forester™ are best in east- or west-facing rooms.
Wine reds and plums
Rich reds and plums for intimate evenings.
Best in north-, east- and west-facing rooms
Deep reds and plums are the warmest of the dark colours. They suit dining rooms, snugs and bedrooms that come alive at night.
Best in north-facing rooms, where steady light keeps these reds rich. Apatura™ is best in east- or west-facing rooms instead.
Chocolate and tobacco browns
Velvety browns that make rooms feel enclosed.
Best in north- and south-facing rooms
Deep browns are having a revival, and it is easy to see why: they feel velvety, grounding and warm, and suit studies, snugs and cloakrooms beautifully.
Best in north-facing rooms. Turney™ also 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
Will dark paint make my room look smaller?
Dark colour on every wall blurs the corners, so a room often feels cosier rather than smaller. It works best in rooms used mostly in the evening and lit by warm lamps.
Which rooms suit dark paint colours?
Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, studies and downstairs loos all suit dark colour, especially rooms used mainly in the evening.
Cloakroom paint coloursShould I paint the woodwork the same dark colour?
For the most enveloping look, yes. Painting walls, skirting and doors in one dark colour, known as colour drenching, makes the room feel seamless.
Colour drenching guide