Which way your room is facing and the amount of light it receives can massively impact the way your paint colours will look. Whether the space is filled with natural light, is dim and cool, or the light varies dramatically throughout the day, this is certainly a factor you should consider when planning your next paint project!
Here we’ve put together a guide to help you decide what might work well within the four different orientations.
North-Facing
North-facing rooms tend to experience more blue-toned light that can make the space feel dark, therefore colours with warm undertones can really lift these rooms by counteracting the cool lighting.
If you’re looking for a neutral scheme try shades with yellow or pink undertones like Silent White, or Roman Plaster for a bit more depth.
You don’t have to avoid blue in a north-facing room, just opt for stronger green-based colours such as Air Force Blue over pale, cool tones.
Deciding how to decorate a small, dim room can be tricky, but we wouldn’t recommend focusing on attempting to make the area look bigger. Instead try embracing the space with rich, warm hues like Chocolate Colour.
Recommended Little Greene paints:
East-Facing
These rooms tend to endure bright morning light that then turns cooler and blue-ish in the evening. Therefore a lighter, earthy colour palette tends to work well in creating a harmonising space that suits both kinds of natural light.
Little Greene’s Green Stone family is gentle and natural, creating balance throughout the day by coming alive in the sunlight and creating a restful space at night.
For a grey neutral, French Grey contains a complex pigmentation which is neither too cool nor too warm, making it a versatile colour fit for any aspect.
In east-facing rooms, perhaps consider at which point in the day it is used the most. In bedrooms or kitchens you may wish to embrace the sunny mornings with a more radiant colour like Sunlight.
Alternatively, if you’re decorating a living room that you would like to feel cosy in the evening, try a sumptuous teal such as Goblin, or add warmth with Shrimp Pink’s peachy tones.
Recommended Little Greene paints:
South-Facing
The beauty of south-facing rooms and their abundance of natural light is that they are the perfect space to introduce colour, with punchy, bold schemes and gentler ones both able to look great. That being said, the intensity and warmth of the lighting does mean you should still think carefully about your paint choices.
South light can cause colours to appear brighter or more yellow than in other rooms, so you may wish to stick to cooler-toned neutrals and whites like Inox or Gauze to complement the area’s natural warmth.
If you’re looking for a bit of colour, neutral-toned blues and greens tend to sit well in south-facing spaces. Consider Etruria for a muted yet bold blue, or Boringdon Green for the beginnings of an elegant green scheme.
South-facing kitchens and bathrooms are great places to be more confident with colour. To create impact you could introduce a dark hue like Scree or Obsidian Green to the woodwork or ceiling. Or, you could consider completely embracing the warm south light and create a joyous, lively atmosphere with a strong shade like Garden or Light Gold!
Recommended Little Greene paints:
West-Facing
West-facing rooms often receive the most dramatically varied amounts of light throughout the day. Consequently it can be tricky to find the perfect paint colour, but it also opens the door to lots of different possibilities!
Little Greene’s colour scales can be a smart way to go; the range of differing strengths from the same pigment creates a harmonious combination, which helps to complement the changing light. The China Clay family are soft, elegant pinks that provide warmth in the morning and look beautiful in the afternoon sun.
Warm neutrals are often a fantastic choice for this type of room as they tend to perform well in all kinds of light. Try a warm stone colour like Bath Stone all over, or pair the earthy Clay - Pale with a contrasting darker woodwork such as Scullery for a contemporary look.
For a palette with a little more punch, consider a deep teal like Mid Azure Green. The combination of green and blue undertones keeps these colours quite neutral which works great in a west-facing space.
Recommended Little Greene paints:
When looking into your next paint project, we strongly recommend making use of Little Greene’s handy sample pots before committing to a colour. Brush a small section onto the wall in various areas of the room, and be sure to check the appearance of the shade at different points throughout the day.
Have a think about when you will be using the space the most, particularly when decorating an east or west-facing room where the light changes dramatically. You may wish to embrace a kitchen’s golden hour with energising tones, or create a cocooning feel in your living room on gloomy evenings.
The orientation of your space is certainly a factor to consider in your colour scheme ideas, but that being said we do endorse simply choosing colours that you love and make you happy!
Why not pop into our interior department, where we have the full range of Little Greene sample pots and colour cards, and get started on finding your perfect palette?