Brighten up a north-facing room

Rooms with north-facing windows don’t get much natural light but thankfully, you can change the way your space feels and looks simply by choosing the right colours and lighting scheme.

Warm it up

To balance the room’s weak light, choose warm, pale shades for the walls, such as duck egg blue, primrose yellow or baby pink. Then use a darker shade of one these hues to create a statement paint effect, like a feature wall or panel. You could try using a fresh green colour such as eau de Nil for the majority of the space and then paint one wall in rich teal, for example.

Let there be light

When natural sunlight is poor, you will need to be more creative with the electric lighting. Adding layers of light and having control over each layer is the key to creating a warm and cosy atmosphere. Use a central ceiling light with enough wattage to allow you to do tasks like cleaning and cooking, and add a second layer with floor lamps or concealed lighting under the shelves and cupboards. Don’t forget mirrors – these will do wonders to help bounce light around the room.

Create the illusion of light

Light reflecting paints, such as Dulux Light & Space reflect up to twice as much light as normal paints, making them perfect for dark spaces. The light-reflecting particles will not only trick the eye into thinking the area is brighter and airier than it actually is, it will also help to reflect the small amount of natural light that comes in during the day.