Dr Dulux: How to Decorate a North Facing Room

Q: We’re trying out new colours for our (pretty small) bedroom, it faces north so our room stays quite dark with little natural light coming through. How should we approach finding the right colour to make our room appear brighter?

A: North-facing rooms are one of the hardest decorating dilemmas as these spaces can be left feeling dark and cold. But don’t worry! Here’s a few of our tips and tricks so you can maximise the potential in your space.

Paint

It goes without saying, by using a lighter colour your room can look brighter. The Dulux Light + Space paint benefits from LumiTec technology to reflect up to twice as much light around your room.

Maximise this LumiTec technology by even painting your ceilings with it. Ultra White matt is great for ceilings because it goes with everything.

For walls, choose warm neutral shades in the Light & Space range such as Desert Wind or Morning Light. Warmer shades like these counteract the blue-tinged northern light so help to warm up your room and make it feel welcoming and cosy.

Furniture

Whichever north-facing room you’re decorating, it’s important that you consider the furniture in it. Avoid darkening your space even more by making sure you’re opting for a pale coloured sofa and white or light-wood furniture.

Accessories

Mirrors are a great way to bounce light around your room. So, introduce a mirror montage on a window-facing wall to enhance the natural light coming into your space.

Lighting

Good lighting can go a long way in brightening and warming your space. We suggest using layered lighting. For your ceiling, opt for a bright white bulb that will illuminate the space effectively. Step this down for your floor lamps to a softer hue and go softer still for your table lights – using a bulb with a warm glow to help the space feel cosy.