North-facing · Dining room · colors from 6 paintings
North Facing Dining Room Colors That Warm Up Cool Light
North facing dining room colors should be warm and fairly light, because north light is cool and indirect all day. The four wall colors here have a warm yellow undertone and an LRV of 46 to 63, and two deep colors are included for a darker, candlelit room.
Quick answer
For walls, use the warm cream #E0CEAF or the soft taupe #DBC2AB. For a cocooning dinner room, use the deep brown #4C3C34 and add #6A583D in the wood.
Every color on this page was measured from one of these public-domain paintings.
Wall colors
#E0CEAFLRV 63
Warm Cream
A light color with a warm yellow undertone and an LRV of 63, the brightest wall option for a room without direct sun. It was measured from the Russian painting "Saint George" at the Metropolitan Museum.
The deepest wall color here, with an LRV of 46, suited to a room that gets little daylight and is used mostly in the evening. It comes from Thayer's "Winged Figure".
A deep warm olive-brown with an LRV of 10, good for a sideboard or one wall. It comes from Jacob Duck's "A Couple in an Interior with a Fortune-Teller".
The same paint reads differently in cool north light, warm south sun and under evening lamps. Find the column closest to your room.
Color
Neutral daylight
North light
South light
Evening lamps
Warm Cream
Soft Taupe
Warm Greige
Wheat Sand
Try these colors in a room
Pick which color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and trim follow your choice.
The framed picture on the wall is Saint George.
What color works in a north facing dining room?
North light is steady, cool and soft. It never gives a room a sunny glow, so a cool or gray wall color can look flat or dull. The four wall colors here all have warm undertones to push the other way.
The warm cream #E0CEAF has the highest LRV at 63, so it reflects the most light. The soft taupe #DBC2AB at 57 and the greige #CDC3B6 at 55 are slightly calmer. The wheat sand #C4B291 at 46 is the deepest and gives the room more presence.
If the dining room is used mostly in the evening, you have more freedom to go deeper, because artificial light matters more than north daylight.
Should you go dark in a north facing dining room?
You can. A north facing room will never be very bright, so some owners choose to lean into it with a deep color. The dark cocoa #4C3C34 has an LRV of 5, and the antique bronze #6A583D has an LRV of 10. Both turn the room into a snug, candlelit space.
Deep colors work best when the dining room is used at dinner. In the morning the room will feel dim, and cool north light can make dark browns look flatter.
A useful compromise is to keep the walls warm and light and use the deep colors on a sideboard, built-in cabinet or woodwork. The room stays open, and you still get the dark accent.
What goes with these walls: trim, table and floor?
Keep the ceiling and trim warm. A white with a hint of cream will sit best against #E0CEAF. For the table and chairs, the suggested wood tone is #6A583D, and the main furniture color is the dark cocoa.
The wheat sand #C4B291 works as a bold piece: a rug, a lamp base or a painted chair. The soft taupe #DBC2AB can be used for curtains or a runner.
If you have a cool gray floor, add warmth through a rug or wood. Bare cool floors and cool light together can make a dining room feel chilly.
Candles and warm bulbs also help a north facing room feel welcoming at dinner.
How do you test dining room paint in north light?
Paint a sample board of about two feet square and move it between walls. North walls often look grayer than the others.
Look at the board at midday, when the room is at its brightest and coolest, and again at dinner with the lights you usually use. A color that looks too yellow in the day can look just right at night.
Put your table, chairs and rug beside the board. If the colors look muddy together, try the next lighter wall color. The commercial paints listed are the closest measured matches, so compare real chips against your board before buying.
FAQ
What is the best paint color for a north facing dining room?
A warm, fairly light color such as #E0CEAF, measured at LRV 63, offsets the cool light. The soft taupe #DBC2AB is another good option.
Can I paint a north facing dining room dark?
Yes. #4C3C34 at LRV 5 gives a cozy, candlelit feel, especially if the room is used mostly at dinner.
Why avoid gray in a north facing room?
North light is already cool, so a cool gray can look flat. A greige such as #CDC3B6 keeps a little warmth.
What color trim goes with warm cream walls?
A soft white with a hint of cream sits well. Hold a sample next to the wall before you choose.
How do I test paint in north light?
Use a large sample and look at it at midday and in the evening. North walls often look grayer than other walls.
Save these colors
A card with every color on this page, its LRV and the paintings it comes from. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Painting images: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, public domain (CC0).
Colors measured by Light & Pigment. Paint names belong to their brands and matches are approximate. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.
From Saint George, Russian Painter
