10 Best Paint Colors for North Facing Rooms: Brighten Up Your Space
Choosing the right paint color for a north-facing room can be tricky, but it’s definitely doable. North-facing rooms often get cooler and dimmer light, which means you’ll want to pick colors that can bring warmth and brightness to the space. The key is to select shades that counteract the cooler, natural light, giving your room a welcoming and cozy feeling.
Have you ever walked into a room and felt it was too cold or uninviting? That’s sometimes the effect of northern exposure. With the right paint choices, you can transform these spaces into comfortable and appealing places to spend time in. Simply put, the right paint color can make all the difference in how a room feels.
1. Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore
Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore is a popular choice for north-facing rooms. This light neutral color sits perfectly between gray and beige, making it a versatile option.
In rooms with lots of natural light, Pale Oak tends to look like a warm off-white. However, in north-facing rooms with less natural light, it reads more as a soft light greige.
With a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 69.89, Pale Oak brightens up spaces without being too stark. This LRV means it reflects a good amount of light, making your room feel airy and open.
Pale Oak’s warm undertones help to balance out the cool light typical of north-facing rooms. It creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere, ensuring your room doesn’t feel too cold.
2. Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams
Repose Gray by Sherwin-Williams (SW 7015) is a fantastic choice for north-facing rooms. It’s a warm gray neutral that doesn’t feel cold, thanks to its slight green and taupe undertones.
Repose Gray has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 58. This means it reflects 58% of light, making it an excellent option for rooms with limited natural light.
It’s also popular and often appears on Sherwin-Williams’ best-seller list. Its versatility means it works in any room, no matter the type of decor you have.
In a north-facing room, Repose Gray can help create a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Unlike other grays, it won’t make your space feel dark or gloomy.
3. Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore
Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore is a fantastic option for north-facing rooms. This color is light and almost white, but it has a hint of gray to it. Perfect if you want a soft, neutral backdrop.
It won’t make your space feel too cold or stark.
In low natural light, Classic Gray maintains its brightness without becoming overpowering. This makes it a suitable choice for rooms that don’t get a lot of sunlight. Its subtle warmth brings a cozy feeling to the space.
You’ll find it blends well with many other colors and styles, adding versatility to its charm.
For those looking to avoid stark white but still wanting a light shade, Classic Gray offers a nice balance. It feels sophisticated and welcoming. If you’re unsure about your choices, this can be a safe and stylish bet.
4. Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore
Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore is a popular choice for north-facing rooms. It’s a versatile gray with subtle blue and green undertones, which keep it cool and refreshing.
In a north-facing room, the color may lean more toward a green-gray due to the cooler light. This can give your room a calm and relaxing vibe.
If you’re concerned about the color feeling too cold, pair Gray Owl with warm whites for trim. This helps balance the coolness and adds a touch of warmth.
Give Gray Owl a try if you want a stylish and sophisticated look for your north-facing room.
5. Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore
Edgecomb Gray HC-173, also known as Baby Fawn OC-15, is a warm neutral paint color that perfectly balances gray and beige. This makes it a greige or taupe hue. It’s fantastic for creating a soft, warm, and organic vibe in your room.
With a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 63.88, Edgecomb Gray isn’t overly bright, making it great for north-facing rooms. LRV measures how much light a color reflects; higher numbers mean more light.
Pair Edgecomb Gray with wood tones or white trims like Dove Wing by Benjamin Moore for a cozy look. It also works well with both warm and cool accent colors, giving you plenty of decorating flexibility.
Perfect for a living room or bedroom, this color is one of Benjamin Moore’s bestsellers, and it’s easy to see why!
6. Wickham Gray by Benjamin Moore
Have you ever thought about giving your north-facing room a fresh look? Wickham Gray by Benjamin Moore could be your solution.
Wickham Gray (HC-171) is a cool, light gray with blue-green undertones. It’s perfect for north-facing rooms that need a little brightening up. These rooms often lack natural sunlight, making them feel a bit chilly. Wickham Gray’s cool tones complement this setting beautifully.
Imagine walking into a room that feels serene and calming. That’s what Wickham Gray can do. The color’s versatility means it can appear slightly different depending on the lighting. In darker rooms, it leans more towards an icy gray, while in brighter, south- or west-facing rooms, it softens up.
Choosing the right white color to pair with Wickham Gray can make a big difference. Think about combining it with crisp whites to highlight its subtle elegance.
Considering Wickham Gray for your north-facing room is an excellent choice if you want a classic, dependable, and sophisticated color.
7. Ballet White by Benjamin Moore
Ballet White by Benjamin Moore is a subtle off-white that brings a calm feel to any room. It’s perfect for north-facing spaces because it provides light without feeling too stark.
You’ll love how Ballet White has those creamy undertones. These soft hints help counteract the cool light that north-facing rooms often get.
Imagine this paint in your living room or bedroom. It’s subtle, but it makes a statement. It’s versatile too, fitting with both modern and traditional decor.
Wondering how it looks in real homes? Check out some online photos to see Ballet White in action. It adapts beautifully to different lighting, always maintaining its graceful charm.
Try pairing it with warm accents like wooden furniture or soft textiles. This combination can make a north-facing room feel cozier and more inviting.
8. Balboa Mist by Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist by Benjamin Moore is a warm, light gray paint. It’s known as “greige,” a blend of gray and beige.
In north-facing rooms, colors often look cooler. Balboa Mist’s warm undertones can help balance this effect. It has a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of 67.37, meaning it reflects a good amount of light, brightening the room.
This color is versatile. It can appear slightly different depending on your lighting—sometimes looking more lavender. It pairs well with white trims, creating a beautiful contrast that can enhance your space.
If you’re looking for a neutral option for your north-facing room, Balboa Mist might be the perfect choice. Its soft warmth and adaptability make it a favorite among interior designers and homeowners.
Balboa Mist isn’t too dark or too light. It’s right in the middle, making it a balanced choice for various room styles.
9. Silver Satin by Benjamin Moore
Silver Satin is a warm gray paint color that adds a cozy touch to any space. If you have a north-facing room, this color will lean slightly cooler, balancing out the cooler northern light.
With a light reflectance value (LRV) of 76.35, Silver Satin is quite bright. This makes it perfect for brightening up darker rooms. It’s lighter than Classic Gray but still offers enough warmth.
In rooms with white trim, Silver Satin stands out beautifully. It creates a soft, dreamy look, especially when paired with white and off-white furniture. In smaller spaces, it can make the room feel airy and open.
If you want to add some contrast, use black picture frames or gold accents. This will make the Silver Satin walls pop and add a touch of sophistication to your room.
10. Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore
Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore is a popular choice for north-facing rooms. This paint color, also known as OC-65, is a clean, neutral white. It’s perfect for spaces with limited natural light.
North-facing rooms often feel dim. You need a paint that brightens without adding unwanted colors. Chantilly Lace does exactly that.
This white paint works well with various styles. Whether your decor is modern or traditional, you can rely on Chantilly Lace to complement your space.
Using Chantilly Lace can make a room feel more open and airy. If you want to give your home a fresh, inviting look, it’s a great option.
Understanding Light in North Facing Rooms
Choosing paint colors for north-facing rooms can be a bit tricky due to the unique lighting conditions. North-facing rooms receive light that is softer and more diffused, often resulting in a cooler and darker ambiance.
The Impact of Natural Light
North-facing rooms get steady, indirect natural light throughout the day. Unlike other rooms, they don’t get direct sunlight, which means the light is less intense and can appear somewhat muted. This can make colors look duller or cooler than they might seem in other lighting conditions.
To make the most of this, it’s often better to choose lighter, warmer colors that can brighten the space. Warm whites, soft yellows, and light beige work well. They help to reflect more light around the room, compensating for the cooler, darker natural light.
Differences Between Northern and Southern Exposure
Northern exposure rooms have different lighting compared to rooms with southern exposure. Southern-facing rooms get more direct sunlight, making them feel warmer and often brighter. This can cause colors to appear more vibrant or even washed out.
In contrast, northern exposure tends to be more consistent but cooler. The light in these rooms doesn’t change as dramatically throughout the day, providing a stable but softer light. Because of this, cooler colors like blues and greens might feel too chilly, while warmer tones can help to balance and enhance the light.
Choosing the right color can make a huge difference. Warmer shades can help make a north-facing room feel more inviting and balanced, even on cloudy days.
Choosing the Right Paint Color
Selecting the best paint color for a north-facing room can be tricky, but understanding color theory, the difference between warm and cool colors, and how undertones affect room perception can make the process easier. Let’s explore each of these topics.
Color Theory Basics
Color theory helps you understand how colors interact and affect mood. Primary colors (red, blue, yellow) combine to make secondary colors (green, orange, purple). Knowing this can help you mix and match.
A color wheel is a great tool to visualize relationships between colors. For example, colors opposite each other on the wheel (complementary colors) can create dynamic contrast. Analogous colors, which sit next to each other, offer a more harmonious look.
In a north-facing room, natural light is cooler and softer, which can make some colors look dull. To counter this, you might choose warmer tones that enhance light and create a cozy feel.
Warm vs Cool Colors
When picking paint for a north-facing room, you need to decide between warm and cool colors. Warm colors like reds, yellows, and oranges can add a sense of comfort and coziness. Cool colors such as blues, greens, and purples can provide a calming effect.
For north-facing rooms, warm colors are often recommended because they offset the cool natural light. Warm shades like beige, gold, and warm taupe can brighten up the room. Cool colors can work too, but may need a warm undertone to balance the light.
Don’t shy away from testing multiple colors. Paint swatches on the wall and observe them at different times of the day.
How Undertones Affect Room Perception
Undertones are the subtle hues beneath the main color. They can change how a paint color looks in different lighting. Understanding undertones helps in selecting a color that will look great in your north-facing room.
For example, a beige paint might have pink, yellow, or green undertones. In a north-facing room, yellow undertones can make the space warmer. On the other hand, blue undertones might make the room feel colder.
To find the right undertone, compare paint samples against white paper. This will help reveal hidden hues. Always consider how natural light and artificial lighting affect the undertones throughout the day.