North-facing · Living room · colors from 6 paintings
North Facing Living Room Paint Colors
North light is cool and indirect, so the best paint colors for a north facing living room are warm and fairly light. Four wall colors here have a yellow undertone and an LRV between 45 and 72. Two very dark colors are for a cozy, enclosed room or for accents.
Quick answer
Use #EBDAC5 or #DFD6B3 on the walls for the most light, and #C1BD99 or #B8B2A0 for a calmer, deeper room. Keep #3A3220 and #5E2608 for one wall, wood or a bold accent.
Every color on this page was measured from one of these public-domain paintings.
Wall colors
#EBDAC5LRV 72
Warm Parchment Cream
The lightest wall color here at LRV 72, with a warm yellow undertone that offsets cool north light. It was measured from "Saint George and the Dragon" by Bernat Martorell, and it suits all four walls or a ceiling.
At LRV 67 it still bounces plenty of light, and its yellow undertone adds warmth without looking bright. It comes from Degas's "Portrait after a Costume Ball (Portrait of Madame Dietz-Monnin)" and works on walls, trim or curtains.
A mid-light wall color at LRV 50 for a living room with a large window or good lamps. It was measured from Ricard Canals y Llambí's "Cigar Making in Seville" and also works well on a single bold piece, like an armchair or a cabinet.
The deepest of the wall colors at LRV 45, with a warm yellow undertone that keeps it from turning cold in north light. It comes from Vermeer's "Young Woman with a Water Pitcher" and suits a sofa, a wall of built-ins or a calm full-room color.
At LRV 3 it absorbs almost all the light, so use it on one wall, a ceiling or built-in shelves for a cocooning room. It was measured from Velázquez's "Kitchen Scene," and its warm yellow undertone keeps it from looking cold.
A very dark, warm red-orange at LRV 4, useful as a guide for wood tones in a coffee table, a bookcase or a floor. It comes from Alfred Stevens's "Hesitation (Madame Monteaux?)" and has no close commercial paint match.
Sherwin-Williams SW 2839 Roycroft Copper Red
Similar
How the lighter colors change with the light
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 Parchment Cream
Pale Straw Yellow
Soft Olive Khaki
Warm Stone Gray
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 and the Dragon.
How do you choose the best paint color for a north facing living room?
North light is cool and indirect, and it stays that way through the day. Cool grays and blues can look flat in it. The four wall colors on this page all have a warm yellow undertone, which works against that chill.
Start with LRV. #EBDAC5 (LRV 72) and #DFD6B3 (LRV 67) reflect the most light. Choose one of them if the room is small, shaded by trees or buildings, or mostly used during the day. #C1BD99 (LRV 50) and #B8B2A0 (LRV 45) are mid-light. They feel softer and more settled, and they do best with a big window or good lamps.
If you want a cozy, enclosed room, the two deep colors, #3A3220 and #5E2608, are for that. At LRV 3 and 4 they absorb nearly all the light. Use one on a single wall, a ceiling or built-in shelves, or commit to the whole room and add plenty of lamps.
What goes with these colors: trim, ceiling and flooring?
Keep the palette warm from top to bottom. With #C1BD99 or #B8B2A0 on the walls, the lightest color here, #EBDAC5, makes a soft trim and ceiling color. It is warm, so it will not look stark or blue in north light. With #EBDAC5 walls, try #DFD6B3 on the trim for gentle contrast, or use the same color on both for a calm, wrapped look.
For wood, use #5E2608 as your guide. Its red-orange warmth suits a coffee table, a bookcase or a floor stain, and it adds heat the light does not supply. Put #B8B2A0 on the main furniture, such as a sofa, and #DFD6B3 in curtains, a rug and cushions.
Save #C1BD99 for one bold piece, such as an armchair, a painted cabinet or a door. Avoid cool gray rugs and blue-white bulbs. They bring the chill back.
How do these colors look in north light?
Expect every color to look a little cooler and a little darker than it does on a small chip. North light has no direct sun to warm the wall, so the yellow undertone is what keeps these colors from drifting toward gray.
The lighter pair holds up best. #EBDAC5 reads as a soft cream, and #DFD6B3 as a pale yellow. Both keep the room bright without needing white. The mid colors, #C1BD99 and #B8B2A0, can look grayer in shaded corners and on the wall farthest from the window. That can feel restful. If you want more warmth, choose one of the lighter pair.
The deep colors change the most. #3A3220 reads as a near-black olive brown, and #5E2608 as a dark red-brown. In north light they look moody, not glowing. They do best in the evening with layered lighting: a floor lamp, a table lamp and a wall light at least.
How do you test paint samples in a north facing living room?
Test on the wall, not on a chip. Paint a sample at least two feet square, or use a large painted board, and give it two coats. The closest paint matches listed for each color are a good starting point. Check them in your own room, because screens and printed chips vary.
Put samples on at least two walls: the one facing the window and the one beside it. Place one in the darkest corner. Look at each in the morning, at midday, in the evening and at night under your lamps. Lamp color can change a wall as much as daylight does.
Leave the samples up for a few days. Then hold your fabric, rug and wood against them. For the deep colors, paint a larger patch and view it with the lamps on. If two colors look close, choose the lighter one for a north facing room.
FAQ
What is the best paint color for a north facing living room?
A light color with a warm yellow undertone is the safest choice. #EBDAC5 (LRV 72) and #DFD6B3 (LRV 67) bounce the most light and offset the cool north light.
Can you paint a north facing living room a dark color?
Yes, if you want a cozy, enclosed feel. #3A3220 and #5E2608 have LRV 3 and 4, so they will look moody in north light. Add warm lamps and use them on one wall or built-ins if you are unsure.
Should you use white in a north facing living room?
Stark white can look gray or bluish in north light. A warm light color such as #EBDAC5 gives you a bright look with more warmth.
What LRV should I look for in a north facing living room?
Above about 60 reads light and bounces light, which helps a dim room. The wall colors here range from LRV 72 down to 45, and anything below 20 will read very dark.
Are there paint matches for these colors?
Yes, for most of them. #EBDAC5 is near-identical to Sherwin-Williams SW 7572 Lotus Pod and Behr Steamed Milk, and #B8B2A0 is near-identical to Sherwin-Williams SW 49 Silver Gray. #5E2608 has no close commercial match.
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 Art Institute of Chicago, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 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 and the Dragon, Bernat Martorell
