Paint Colours for North-Facing Rooms
North-facing rooms have cool, steady daylight that draws out grey and blue undertones. Warm whites, soft stones, plaster pinks and deep earthy colours work with that light rather than trying to turn it into sunshine. Choose the depth to suit how you use the room, and every shade is available as a 60ml sample.
The best colours for a north-facing room have warm undertones: red, yellow, orange or brown. In the UK, north-facing rooms never get direct sun, only cool, indirect light that's consistent all day. That light pulls colours towards grey and blue, so cool greys and blue-based whites can look flat and chilly. Warm whites, warm neutrals, plaster pinks and deep earthy colours hold up beautifully. Every colour on this page is tagged for north-facing rooms in our palette.
At a glance
- North light
- Cool and steady all day. North light draws out grey and blue undertones. Start with warmth in the colour rather than expecting daylight to provide it.
- Choose
- Warm undertones do the work. Look for red, yellow, orange or brown undertones. Warm stones, plaster pinks and earthy depths are useful starting points.
- Avoid
- Cold whites and icy greys. Blue-based whites and cool greys can look flat in this light. Compare them with a warmer sample before deciding.
- Whites
- Creamy rather than brilliant. A soft, warm white keeps pale schemes gentler. Brilliant white cannot make a dim room sunny.
- Best rooms
- Choose warmth for each room. Try plaster pinks in bedrooms, warm stones in kitchens and deeper earthy shades in evening living rooms. Match the depth to how you use the space.
- Go deep
- Make the gloom feel deliberate. Deep earthy colours can make a dim room feel enclosed and welcoming. They are worth sampling alongside your pale shortlist.
- After dark
- Finish with warm evening light. Check samples under your own lamps. Warm bulbs around 2700K to 3000K suit the evening mood.
- 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.
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Warm whites for north-facing rooms
Creamy whites keep cool daylight feeling gentle.
Best in north-facing rooms
Brilliant white in a north-facing room almost always disappoints: with no sun to light it up, it just looks grey. These whites carry yellow, brown or soft green undertones rather than a stark blue base, so they stay soft and bright instead.
Best in north-facing bedrooms, hallways and kitchens where you want a pale, softly warm backdrop. Check the white beside flooring and woodwork so its undertone feels settled.
Warm neutrals and stones
Warm stones give pale rooms more substance.
Best in north-facing rooms
For a north-facing living room or bedroom that feels light but never cold, these warm stones and creams are where we'd start. They have enough yellow, red or brown in them to counter the cool light without looking yellow.
Best in north-facing living rooms and bedrooms that need warmth without a strong colour. These stones also make a useful starting point for kitchen cabinets beside warm timber.
Plaster pinks and soft warm tones
Muted pinks bring gentle warmth to cool rooms.
Best in north-facing rooms
A muted plaster pink is one of the cleverest choices for a north-facing room. North light takes the sweetness out of it, so it reads as a warm, flattering neutral. Especially good in bedrooms and bathrooms.
Best in north-facing bedrooms and bathrooms, where the cool daylight softens the pink into a warm backdrop. Try a sample beside bedding or tiles before choosing.
Go deep: rich, earthy colours
Earthy depth makes dim rooms feel deliberate.
Best in north-facing rooms
Here's the secret most people never try: a north-facing room is the perfect place for a deep colour. You can't make a dim room bright, but you can make it rich. Warm reds, tobacco browns and olive greens look wonderful in steady north light and turn a gloomy room into the cosiest one in the house.
Best in north-facing living rooms, snugs and bedrooms used mainly after dark. Carrying the colour onto woodwork can make the enclosed mood feel more settled.
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 should you avoid in a north-facing room?
Cool greys, blue-based whites and icy blues. North light already leans cool, so these tend to look flat, grey and cold. If you love a cool colour, choose a softer version and sample it next to a warm alternative.
What is the best white for a north-facing room?
A warm white with a yellow or creamy undertone. It keeps the room soft and bright, where a brilliant white would turn grey.
Do dark colours work in north-facing rooms?
Yes, very well. You can't make a north-facing room sunny, but a deep, warm colour makes it feel rich and intentional. Pair it with warm bulbs in the evening.
What colour should I paint a north-facing bedroom or kitchen?
The same rule applies: warm undertones. For bedrooms, plaster pinks and warm whites; for kitchens, warm stones on the walls and a warm deep colour or warm stone on the cabinets.
Bedroom paint colours