The Best Colour Choices for North and South-Facing Bedrooms

Written by Feather & Black

Last Modified 05 January 2026 |
First Added 05 January 2026

Exquisite bedroom design isn’t just about the furniture, but the subtle play of light within the space. The direction from which daylight enters your bedroom influences the atmosphere, dictating how north and south facing bedroom colours render and how rooms feel — from expansive and cool to intimate and warm.

Our guide provides advice on how to select colours based on natural light direction, embracing the light’s intensity or counterbalancing its effects to create a truly harmonious space.

Mastering north-facing spaces

A room that faces north receives a cool, consistent, and often subdued light throughout the day. This light is devoid of the sun's direct, warm rays, casting a slightly blue-grey hue across surfaces. This presents a unique opportunity to cultivate a deep sense of intimacy and quietude. To avoid a cold atmosphere in north-facing bedrooms, counter the cool light with warm hues.

Warm neutrals for northern rooms

The best colour for a north-facing bedroom is one that contains a generous red or yellow base. Consider those of muted taupe, creamy plaster tones, or gentle linen whites with a hint of ochre. These sophisticated neutrals counteract the cool blue light, making the room feel instantly inviting and soft.

Deep, velvety pigments

Why fight the shadows when you can embrace them? A deep, rich colour — such as a charcoal grey with a plum undertone, or a forest green verging on black — will feel incredibly luxurious. The cool light enriches these complex shades, making the walls feel like velvet and cultivating an immediate sense of retreat. This approach will create a beautiful north-facing bedroom colour scheme.

"The mistake most people make in north-facing spaces is choosing cool whites, which will simply read as stark. The key is to select colours that have natural warmth and depth. These colours hold up against the cool light, making the room feel welcoming, not austere.”

— Phoebe Richardson, Assistant Buyer

Cultivating south-facing serenity

A room that faces south is blessed with the most abundant, direct light throughout the day. This light is bright and warm, particularly at midday, and can make poorly chosen colours feel overly yellow, harsh, or bleached out. The challenge here is to retain the brilliance of the light without sacrificing serenity.

To ensure your palette remains balanced and deeply restful in south facing bedroom colours, the goal is often to counterbalance the golden warmth.

Cool, calming blues and greens 

The best colour for a south-facing bedroom is often one from the cool spectrum. Subtle, dusty blues, sophisticated mineral greys, or tranquil seafoam greens are exemplary colours for south-facing bedrooms. The room's natural warmth prevents these cooler tones from feeling cold, instead allowing them to create a beautifully crisp, refreshing atmosphere.

Pure whites with grey undertones

Here, a pristine white can work, but it should contain a subtle grey or black base. This counteracts the strong yellow cast of the light, ensuring the white remains clean and luminous, rather than turning creamy or yellowed. A pure white wall allows the textures of your bed linen and furniture to carry the warmth.

A light-led scheme

Beyond the main wall colour, intentional styling elevates the overall effect of your colour for north or south-facing bedrooms.

For north-facing rooms, use high-gloss paint on skirting boards and trim to subtly reflect the available light and add crispness. Introduce reflective materials, such as brushed brass, mirrors, warm metals, and silk, to distribute light gently across the room.

Conversely, for south-facing rooms, employ matte paint finishes on the walls to absorb some of the intense light, helping to create a softer light diffusion. Focus on tactile, heavy linens and wools in cool shades, like our Harper Herringbone Throw in navy, to provide a sensual weight that beautifully anchors the bright room.

“When planning a north-facing bedroom colour scheme, never underestimate the power of contrast. Painting the walls in a deep, warm grey and framing them with brilliant white ceiling cornices and doors enhances the perceived light, making the space feel cosy, yet expansive."