How To Choose Paint Colours For Every Room
Daylight and the bulbs you use change how every shade looks so a few tester patches on the wall save a lot of repainting.
Written by Edward Bailey
Updated
The short answer
To choose paint colours that work, start with the direction the room faces, as north-facing rooms suit warm shades and south-facing rooms handle cool ones. Think about the lighting you use in the evening and what the room is for, then paint tester patches on the wall and look at them at different times of day before buying full tins.
A colour that looks perfect on a chart can look completely different once it's on four walls. We've changed our minds on plenty of colours over the years while decorating our homes, rentals and Airbnbs, and light plays a bigger part in how a shade looks than most people expect.
Below is what we now think through before picking a shade, from the way a room faces to the bulbs in the ceiling, followed by the colours we'd reach for room by room.
Which Way The Room Faces
The direction of the windows decides how much light a room gets, when it gets it and how warm or cool that light looks. Here's what to expect from each aspect:
- North-facing rooms: the light is cool and fairly flat all day, so steer clear of cool greens, blues and purples and lean towards warmer shades.
- East-facing rooms: bright, warm light in the morning turns cooler through the afternoon, so a neutral or a soft cool tone works across the day.
- West-facing rooms: cooler in the morning but bathed in warm, golden light in the evening, which suits neutrals that won't turn too orange at sunset.
- South-facing rooms: sunlight for the longest part of the day makes many colours look warmer and yellower than on the chart, so cool tones and neutrals sit well here.
Lighter Or Darker Colours
This one comes down to personal taste. Darker colours give a living room or bedroom a cosy, enclosed feel that a lot of people love.
Lighter colours make a room feel bigger and brighter, and they're the safer choice for a space that's short on natural light. If you're torn, a darker shade on one wall or below a dado rail lets you try it without committing the whole room.
How Your Lighting Changes A Colour
If you mainly use a room in the evening, the bulbs matter as much as the windows. Halogen and warm white bulbs make colours look warmer, while cool white LEDs give them a crisper, cooler cast. That's especially true where ceiling spotlights have been fitted, as they light the walls directly.
Try your tester patches with the lights on at night as well as in daylight before deciding.
Choosing Paint Colours Room By Room
Living Room
The living room is where most of us spend our evenings, so it's worth taking time over. Strong, dark colours such as a deep blue have become a popular choice for a cosy feel, and they look sharp against white skirting, coving and ceilings. We like a mid-sheen finish on the skirting, which you get from a good satinwood paint for skirting and doors.
If your sofa, rugs or cushions are already bold, a white, cream or grey wall lets them stand out instead of competing.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are for sleeping and winding down, so calm, restful colours work best. Soft greys, blues, greens and off-whites all give a relaxed, modern look.
Kitchen
Kitchen colours are the hardest to pick because the room already has so much going on. The worktops, appliances, cupboard doors and splashback are already there, and whatever goes on the walls has to get along with all of them.
We go for white or off-white ourselves, as it sits happily with most units and accessories. If the cupboards themselves are the problem, painting kitchen cupboards can change the whole room for far less than new doors.
Bathrooms And Toilets
In bathrooms and toilets, white walls and a white ceiling are our go-to. A small room feels bigger and looks clean, which is what most people want from a bathroom anyway.
Whatever colour you pick, use a steam-resistant bathroom paint anywhere there's condensation, as standard paint won't cope with the moisture.
Hallways
Hallways get less natural light than most rooms, so dark colours can make them feel gloomy and narrow. They also take more knocks than anywhere else, from bags, bikes and shoulders brushing the walls. A lighter shade in a durable, washable emulsion makes touch-ups easy, and our guide to the best emulsion paints includes tougher options for busy areas.
Test Colours On The Wall Before You Buy
Once you've narrowed it down, buy tester pots before committing to full tins. Seeing a colour on your own wall, in your own light, tells you far more than any chart, and it saves money and a weekend of repainting if you change your mind.
We're guilty of changing our minds regularly, so we buy several samples at once and paint them side by side, as in the photos on this page. Paint each patch a decent size, put two coats on so the colour is accurate, and look at them in the morning, in the afternoon and with the lights on at night.
Picking A Colour For The Outside Of Your House
Outside walls need a masonry paint for brick and render, which is made to cope with the weather. White is the classic choice, and it makes the front door, windows and other features stand out.
There's no reason you can't go bolder if a shade takes your fancy. Check the colour on a patch of wall in full daylight first, as exterior colours look lighter outside than they do on the chart.
Trust Your Own Taste
There are no fixed rules about which colour belongs in which room. The tips above come from our own decorating and the colours we've seen work in UK homes, but the best colour is the one you're happy to live with every day.
So get the light right, live with a test patch for a day or two and then pick something you love.
More Questions Answered
What colour makes a small room look bigger?
Light colours such as white, off-white, pale grey and soft pastels make a small room look bigger because they reflect more light around the space. Painting the ceiling and woodwork in a similar light shade helps the walls blend into them. In a north-facing room, choose a warm white or cream so the room doesn't look cold.
What colour should I paint a north-facing room?
A north-facing room suits warm colours, such as creams, warm whites, soft yellows, terracottas and warm greys with a red or yellow undertone. The light from the north is cool, so blues, greens and cool greys can make the room look cold and dull. Test warm shades on the wall and look at them on an overcast day.
How many tester pots should I buy?
Buy a tester pot for each of your two to five front-running colours, as comparing a few shades side by side on the wall makes the decision much easier. Paint each patch large enough to judge properly and give it two coats. If none of them feel right after a day or two, try the next shade lighter or darker.
Should the ceiling be the same colour as the walls?
A white ceiling is the standard choice and makes a room feel taller and brighter, especially with mid or dark walls. Painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls gives a cosy, enveloping look that works in bedrooms and rooms with high ceilings. In a low room, a lighter ceiling than the walls stops it feeling enclosed.
What colours do you use in kitchens and bathrooms?
In kitchens we go for white or off-white, since it sits well with most units and accessories. Bathrooms and toilets get white walls and ceilings from us too, as white makes a small room feel bigger and look clean. Use a steam-resistant bathroom paint anywhere there's condensation, as standard paint won't cope with the moisture.
When should I check my tester patches before choosing a colour?
Look at each patch in the morning, in the afternoon and with the lights on at night. Paint each one a decent size and put two coats on so the colour is accurate. We buy several samples at once and paint them side by side, because seeing a colour on your own wall in your own light tells you far more than any chart.
Is a dark colour a good idea in a hallway?
Dark colours are a poor fit for a hallway, because hallways get less natural light than most rooms and dark shades can make them feel gloomy and narrow. Hallways also take more knocks than anywhere else, from bags, bikes and shoulders. A lighter shade in a durable, washable emulsion makes touch-ups easy.
Can I paint the outside of my house any colour?
There's no reason you can't go bolder than white if a shade takes your fancy, though white is the classic choice and makes the front door and windows stand out. Use a masonry paint made to cope with the weather. Check the colour on a patch of wall in full daylight first, as exterior colours look lighter outside than they do on the chart.
Eddie spent five years as a self-employed painter and decorator before going part time to become one of the main writers at DIY Works. From garden fences to mist coats on fresh plaster, painting and decorating is his speciality.