Never Use These 3 Paint Colors in a North-Facing Room, Experts Warn

A paint color that appears crisp and clean in one room can easily appear dull or dirty in another, depending on the amount of light a space gets. We often choose paint colors based on a room’s purpose or to complement the furniture, but the direction the room faces should factor into the decision as well.

North-facing rooms don’t receive as much direct sunlight as those facing other directions, which can make them tricky to design. Even though the natural light that streams in is consistent throughout the day, it’s cooler and more muted than the sunlight that floods south-facing spaces. As a result, rooms that face north tend to be cooler and darker.

Keep this in mind when selecting paint colors, because light has a significant impact on how a shade reads. Here are the paint colors to avoid and the shades to lean into for a north-facing room in your next home renovation project.

While paint expert Patrick O’Donnell says there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to painting your home, he suggests erring on the side of caution. These are the three shades he always avoids in a north-facing room:

• Cool blues
• Cool greens
• Warm whites

O’Donnell explains that he avoids using any paint colors that are too cool or too pale in north-facing rooms. “Leave cool blues and greens to one side here. Save those for rooms blessed with lots of natural light and look for softer colors like aquas, warm buttery creams, and gentle pinks to give a sense of warmth and character,” he says. And although warm whites can work, O’Donnell says it is better to opt for colors with a little more intensity in rooms that face north.

Which Is Better: Warm or Cool Paint Colors?

Although north-facing rooms receive the least amount of direct sunlight, they do get a consistent amount of natural light throughout the day. Because the light that comes in is cooler and more blue-ish, any cool-toned paint color will read cooler in a north-facing room than it would in a south-facing room.

For this reason, O’Donnell says warm tones are your friends in north-facing rooms. “Any color with an undertone of red or yellow—even if it doesn’t necessarily read red or yellow—are appropriate here,” he says.

People often make the mistake of going with a bright white paint color to balance out a room’s cool feel and muted light, but opting for a warm neutral is more effective for creating an inviting space. If you’re looking for the perfect neutral for a north-facing room, O’Donnell suggests gentle hues, such as Farrow & Ball’s Joa’s White or Scallop, or warm white shades like New White and Matchstick.

What About Dark Paint Colors?

“Although it may seem counter-intuitive, darks can also work in your favor,” O’Donnell says. Instead of shying away from deep tones, he suggests leaning into them. Dark paint colors can feel surprisingly cozy and create a cocoon-like atmosphere in north-facing rooms. Just stay away from any shades that are too cool or gray in tone. “Rich browns can look effortlessly chic, such as our magenta-licked London Clay, and mid-blues like Oval Room Blue can lend an elegance,” O’Donnell shares.

The Best Paint Colors for a North-Facing Room

When it comes to the best paint colors for north-facing rooms, O’Donnell’s favorites are pinks and yellows. “Pinks are still having a moment and look beautiful,” he says. He recommends that you avoid anything too saccharine and choose more earthy, subtle shades of pink, such as Setting Plaster or its deeper sibling, Templeton Pink.

As for yellow hues, O’Donnell prefers slightly subdued hues like Duster or India Yellow, which he says create a rich glow from their restrained ochre notes. The warmth of these paint colors counteracts the cool light in north-facing rooms, adds depth and character, and makes the otherwise cool spaces feel inviting.