Winter Paint Colours
Winter palettes are clear and high-contrast: crisp whites, charcoal and near-black, inky blues and jewel-deep greens and reds. If you're a winter in colour analysis, these are the shades you already love wearing. In the home they make rooms feel crisp by day and dramatic after dark. Every shade is available as a 60ml sample.
Winter colours are cool, clear and confident. They pair crisp whites with deep, saturated shades such as ink blue, charcoal, evergreen and berry red. Use the whites to make the most of weak winter sun, and the deep colours where you want a room to feel enclosed and dramatic in the evening. Below are our winter shortlists.
At a glance
- Start here
- Clear, cool and confident. Winter palettes rely on contrast. Pair crisp whites with deep, saturated shades rather than mid-tone, muddy colour.
- North light
- Deep jewel reds. Deep jewel reds. Cool north light can make cool whites look grey. Choose the deep jewel reds here, or a warmer white, for north-facing rooms.
- South light
- Inky blues and evergreens. Inky blues and evergreens. Warm, bright light balances cool winter colour, so inky blues and deep evergreens stay rich rather than cold.
- East light
- Crisp mornings, cooler afternoons. Crisp mornings, cooler afternoons. Fresh morning light suits crisp whites and blues. Check deep colours in the afternoon, when the room is cooler.
- West light
- Cool mornings, warm evenings. Cool mornings, warm evenings. Evening light softens charcoal and ink blue beautifully. Check whites in the morning, when the room is coolest.
- Woodwork
- Crisp white or colour-drenched. Bright white woodwork gives classic winter contrast. Painting woodwork the same deep colour as the walls makes a room feel wrapped and dramatic.
- After dark
- Deep colour comes alive. Charcoal, ink and evergreen soak up lamplight. Check samples in the corners as well as beside the lamp.
- 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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Crisp, clear whites
Clean whites that make the most of winter sun.
Best in north-, south-, east- and west-facing rooms
A crisp white is the backbone of a winter palette. It reflects every bit of weak winter light and gives deep colours a sharp, clean frame.
Gotham™, Coco™ and Nonchalant™ suit any direction. W’white™, Leen™ and Dadley™ are cleaner and cooler, so keep them to south-, east- or west-facing rooms.
Inky blues, charcoal and near-black
Deep, cool shades for crisp, dramatic rooms.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms
Ink, slate and charcoal give a winter room its drama. They are cool and clear, so they look sharp beside crisp white and polished metal.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms, where warmer daylight stops them feeling cold. Shinney™ and Merry™ are best kept to south-facing rooms.
Evergreen and jewel-deep reds
Holly greens and berry reds for festive depth.
Best in north-, south-, east- and west-facing rooms
Deep evergreen and saturated red are the jewel tones of a winter palette. They feel festive without being themed, and they glow under lamplight.
The reds suit north-facing rooms. Arboretum™ suits south-, east- and west-facing rooms; Theatre Green™ east- or west-facing rooms. Bellyetter™ is best kept to 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 does "I am an autumn" or "I am a winter" mean for my home?
Seasonal colour analysis sorts the colours that flatter your skin, hair and eyes into four seasons. It's a fun starting point for a home palette because you already love wearing those shades, but a wall also has to suit your daylight, so check the light direction for each shade before you choose.
What are winter paint colours?
Cool, clear, high-contrast shades: crisp whites, charcoal, near-black, inky blues, evergreens and jewel-deep reds.
Will winter colours make my room feel cold?
Not if you match them to the light. Keep the coolest whites and blues to south-, east- or west-facing rooms, and use the deep reds or a warmer white in north-facing rooms.
Keep exploring
Autumn Paint Colours
Rust, ochre, olive and berry. The colours of turning leaves, brought indoors.
Dark & Moody Paint Colours
Dark colour makes a room feel enveloping, cosy and full of character.
Dark Green Paint
Deep, enveloping green for rooms you use after dark.
Burgundy & Deep Red Paint
Rich, warm reds that make a room feel like an occasion.