The ultimate guide to styling and decorating a north facing room
If you’re looking for some fresh new ideas on how to decorate and style your north facing room, you’ve come to the right place. North facing rooms tend to feel on the cooler side as they don’t receive direct sunlight, so you are going to have to work a little bit harder to warm them up visually and create an eye-catching, welcoming space. From cosy corners full of warm colours and textures, to using natural and reflective materials – we’ll help you understand how to transform your north facing room into a special place that invites you to relax, unwind and kick off your shoes. Let’s take it step-by-step.
1. Paint colours for a north facing room
Rooms that face north lack the warm natural sunlight that floods into south and west facing rooms. Instead north facing rooms can feel cool and dark due to the cooler natural light. To counteract this, we avoid using light colours with green or blue undertones, as they only enhance the coldness. Instead we gravitate towards warm off-whites, peaches, pinks, and soft beiges. These neutrals with a red or yellow undertone will introduce warmth and vibrancy to your room.
One of our personal favourites is ‘Pudding’. A lovely pale, dusky pink with a touch of beige by Coat. We love it as it has a soothing, warm, laid back feel. The beige tones prevent it from appearing overly sweet, and it pairs beautifully with reds and chocolate browns. Take a look at this living room scheme we created with it below.
Living room design scheme. There’s plenty going on here; from the warm, textured fabrics, to the playful patterns, worn natural materials, aged mellow brass and antique wood. All working together to create a warm and cosy feeling that will tempt to you linger, relax and enjoy your room.
The design ideas and details behind this north facing kitchen
The walls and ceiling have all been painted in Little Greene’s Slaked Lime, which is a perfect neutral for this north facing kitchen. The wall cupboards have also been painted in this colour to help them recede into the walls. The darker base cabinets bring personality to the design and feel very much grounded to the floor. As the dark blue is only used on the lower level, the cabinets don’t dominate or overpower the space, so it still feels bright and fresh. The dark window frame draws your eye out into the garden, so it feels like a continuation of the room, making the space feel larger and more open.
See what else is inside this lovely Hertfordshire home.
2. Don’t be afraid to use colour in a north facing room
If you're looking to add some drama to a north facing room, don't shy away from bold, heavily pigmented colours. These rich colours will bring extra warmth and depth to the room and create a whole new level of interest. Not only will they make the space feel inviting, but they will also add character and personality. To really ramp up the cosy factor, we recommend carrying the colour all the way up to the ceiling for a cocooning effect. You may encounter some resistance from your decorator, but stand your ground and don't be swayed. You won’t regret it!
There are plenty of bold, vibrant colours to choose from, so be brave and go for it! When it comes to colour we always say trust your instincts. If you love it, it’s the right colour for you.
3. Window treatment ideas
Avoid blocking the window
Another tactic, is to make the most of the available natural light. So, where possible, we make sure the curtains are tailored and hung so they drape on the walls without blocking the windows. We also position blinds higher than the windows to allow as much light in as possible.
When we need to hide a view or create privacy, we layer curtains with a light sheer fabric so it doesn’t completely block out the natural light. We then combine this with a large-scale patterned fabric in warm tones for maximum impact.
4. Embracing natural materials in your interior design
Creating a warm and inviting family home is all about the details, and nothing brings warmth and a homely feel to a room quite like natural materials. As an interior designer, I am always drawn to the richness of wooden furniture, especially vintage pieces.
Paired with the earthy texture of wicker, rattan, and jute, it’s an easy way to bring a comforting vibe to any room in your home. But it’s not just about the furniture; plants are also a crucial element. They bring life and vitality to a space, and we love using them in large rustic pots to add an organic touch to even the most refined of interiors.
TIP - Another trick is to mix up your materials and textures. Think about how your furniture and materials contrast with each other; so rough and smooth, shiny and matt, round and square, soft and hard and so on. This will create a multi-dimensional feel, can be used to highlight features and stops everything from blending in with each other. A little bit of tension goes a long way.
5. Use reflective materials in a dark room
Are you still with me? I hope so, as this tip is an easy one and it can make such a difference.
“We strategically place mirrors, so they are in a prime position to capture and amplify the natural light, allowing it to bounce around the room. ”
Reflective materials work wonders in a dark room. We’ve used this trick in many ways in this room; from the obvious round mirror above the fireplace, to the mirror topped side tables, silver lamps, the glass and metal pendant lights, right down to the gloss tiles behind the fire (although this detail hasn’t been picked up in this shot.)
6. Lighting in a north facing room
If a room is lacking in natural light, there are plenty of ways to introduce artificial light with beautiful light fixtures. We’re not talking about one lonely pendant dangling in the middle of the ceiling. We mean taking it to the max with wall lights, table lamps, floor lamps, uplighters, picture lights, shelving lights and so on. There are just so many ways to use lighting to create focal points, to lighten up a dark corner, and also create contrast, so you are playing with light and shadows (because making your room look too bright isn’t the solution). Then simply place everything on dimmers so you can seamlessly adjust the light levels and change it to reflect the mood of the room and the activities being performed throughout the day.
The mirrored wall lights and brass table lamps in this Hertfordshire home make this room glow and feel homely.
A summary of our approach to decorating north facing rooms
Interior design is one of the most exciting and fulfilling ways to transform any living space, especially within a family home. At the heart of any good interior design is the creation of a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Whether you're trying to brighten up a north facing living room or add personality to a drab bedroom, the simple tips of maximising natural light, playing with texture, warm colours and adding personal touches can work wonders. It's all about creating a space that you and your family look forward to spending time in.
However with all the endless possibilities, it's understandable to feel overwhelmed and stuck at times. In those moments, remember that it's okay to ask for professional help. Our design process is collaborative. We listen, interpret your ideas and then pull all the different elements together for you, so you get it right first time round, without the worry.
So, if you walk into your north facing and notice that it feels cold and uninviting, it could be time to give us a call.
