Whole-house colour schemes

House Colour Schemes: Planning a Whole-House Paint Palette

Most UK homes face more than one way, so a single colour rarely behaves the same in every room. These four house colour schemes give each room a role (a connecting hallway shade, a warmer shade for north-facing rooms, a balanced shade for sunny rooms, one accent and one shared white) so the whole house feels connected.

We will be open to orders from mid-November.

Sample pots are £5.99 each and come with three blank, paintable peel-and-stick patches. A complete pack of three pots ships free.

See paint samplesOpen the project planner

Four house colour schemes that work in every direction

Each scheme gives every part of the house a job. The sun marks show which light directions each colour suits, so you can see why it sits where it does.

Warm neutrals, greige and soft off-whites

The Warm Neutral House

Calm, easy neutrals that never look cold. A good starting point if you want a house that feels light and connected without strong colour.

  • Connecting shade · Hallway, landing and stairs

    Fletching™☀️ N · E · W

    A mid-tone greige that sits comfortably between brighter and dimmer rooms.

  • North-facing rooms · Bedrooms, studies

    Caunton Cream™☀️ N · E · W

    A warm beige that softens cooler, bluer northern light.

  • Sunny rooms · South-facing living rooms

    Pierrepont™☀️ S · E · W

    A cooler grey that stays calm rather than turning yellow in strong sun.

  • Accent · Snug, cloakroom or a feature wall

    Riverbed™☀️ N · S

    A deep taupe that adds depth while staying in the same warm family.

  • Shared white · Ceilings, doors and skirting throughout

    Gotham™☀️ N · S · E · W

    One consistent white ties every room together.

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Open this palettePlan it room by room

Sage, olive and soft terracotta

The Earthy Botanical House

Herbal greens and warm earth tones for a relaxed, lived-in feel that suits both period and modern homes.

  • Connecting shade · Hallway, landing and stairs

    Daub™☀️ N · E · W

    A light, earthy greige that lets greens and terracottas sit either side of it.

  • North-facing rooms · Bedrooms, studies

    Pikelet™☀️ N · E · W

    A warm, gentle beige that keeps darker rooms feeling cosy.

  • Sunny rooms · Living rooms, kitchens

    Loxley™☀️ N · S · E · W

    A soft sage green that holds its colour in bright daylight.

  • Accent · Dining room, kitchen cabinets or a feature wall

    Fothergill™☀️ N · E · W

    A muted terracotta that warms the greens around it.

  • Shared white · Ceilings, doors and skirting throughout

    Lace™☀️ N · E · W

    A creamy white that suits earthy colours better than a stark white.

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Open this palettePlan it room by room

Victorian, Georgian and cottage homes

The Heritage & Period House

Muted, historic-feeling stones, greens and inks for older homes with high ceilings, deep skirting and original features.

  • Connecting shade · Hallway, landing and stairs

    Outlaw Stone™☀️ N · E · W

    A soft stone that flatters cornicing and panelling.

  • North-facing rooms · Bedrooms, drawing rooms

    Infirmary™☀️ N · E · W

    A warm, plaster-pink tone that brings warmth to cooler rooms.

  • Sunny rooms · South-facing reception rooms

    Workhouse Lime™☀️ S · E · W

    A pale lime-white that stays fresh and airy in bright light.

  • Accent · North-facing snug, study or panelling

    Workhouse Green™☀️ N

    A deep, historic green that leans into low light rather than fighting it.

  • Shared white · Ceilings, doors and woodwork throughout

    Hosiery™☀️ N · E · W

    A soft, aged white that avoids looking too new against period details.

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Open this palettePlan it room by room

Modern homes, new builds and open-plan extensions

The Contemporary Contrast House

Crisp, airy whites through the main living spaces, with one inky colour for drama. Suits clean lines and open-plan layouts.

  • Connecting shade · Open-plan living, hallway and landing

    Gotham™☀️ N · S · E · W

    A clean, balanced white that flows through open-plan space.

  • North-facing rooms · Bedrooms, studies

    Dahnya™☀️ N · E · W

    A warmer white that stops north-facing rooms looking grey.

  • Sunny rooms · South-facing living and kitchen areas

    Watter™☀️ S · E · W

    A pale, cool grey that keeps bright rooms feeling crisp.

  • Accent · Home office, snug or kitchen island

    Bobber™☀️ S · E · W

    An inky blue that gives a modern house a strong focal point.

  • Shared white · Ceilings, doors and skirting throughout

    Leen™☀️ S · E · W

    A bright, cool white for sharp, modern woodwork.

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Orders open mid-November

Open this palettePlan it room by room

How to make colours flow through a house

  1. 1

    Start with the hallway

    The hallway and landing connect every room, so choose that colour first and pick the others so they look good seen through an open door from it.

  2. 2

    Match undertones, not exact colours

    Rooms do not need to match. Choosing colours with related undertones keeps the house feeling connected even when the colours change.

  3. 3

    Warmer for north, balanced for south

    North-facing rooms get cooler light all day, so warmer undertones help. South-facing rooms get warm, strong light, so balanced or slightly cooler shades stay calmer.

  4. 4

    One white for all woodwork

    Using the same white on ceilings, doors and skirting in every room is one of the simplest ways to make a house feel joined up.

  5. 5

    Save drama for one or two rooms

    A single deep accent colour in a snug, study or cloakroom adds character without breaking the flow.

For balancing colour within a room, see the 60-30-10 rule.

House colour scheme questions

Should every room in a house be the same colour?
No. A house feels connected when colours share undertones and a common white for woodwork, not when every wall is identical. Different shades let each room suit its own light.
How do I choose colours when my rooms face different directions?
Give each room a role: a forgiving connecting shade for the hallway, warmer undertones for north-facing rooms and balanced or cooler undertones for sunny south-facing rooms. Then test samples in each room morning and evening.
How do I choose a colour scheme for a whole house?
Choose the hallway colour first, then pick a warmer and a cooler companion from the same family, one accent and one white for all woodwork. The 60-30-10 approach can help balance each room.

What we can offer

A whole-house palette

Build a palette across every room in the project planner, so colours flow from hallway to bedroom.

Right for every direction

Undertone-matched colours chosen for north, south, east and west-facing rooms, with guides for each.

Test in your own light

Blank, paintable peel-and-stick patches move from room to room, so you can see a colour morning and evening.

Quantities per room

The paint calculator estimates litres for walls, ceilings and woodwork, room by room.

Save your plan

Save palettes and projects to your account and come back to them as the work progresses.

Guides for your scheme

Browse by colour family