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INTERIORS INSIDER
North facing rooms East facing rooms
Rooms that face towards the north can be the The morning sun will stream into rooms with an eastern
trickiest to balance. Typically, north-facing rooms aspect, but will be darker later on in the day, so before
receive the coldest light, so choosing a cooler settling on a colour scheme, it’s key to consider when and
palette can make the space feel stark. [Ed’s note: I how you use the space, as it will dramatically impact the
learned this the hard way, by painting the 14ft-high feel you want to create.
living room in my first flat a cool, blue-toned grey –
not the way to make a chilly tenement feel warmer!] If you use an easterly room in the morning, then a warmer,
brighter colour is a better choice to invigorate the space
Warmer, brighter shades are preferable in these and make it feel fresh. However, if your east-facing room
spaces: think warm blush tones or creamy, is more commonly used in the evenings, then it might be
rich beiges, to create an inviting, airy feel, and better to embrace the cooler evening light with a soft,
avoid colours with a grey base – a yellow or pink calm colour scheme that feels restful and relaxing.
foundation is your best bet here.
Or you could go the opposite way and embrace
the darker feeling by painting the room in a deep,
dramatic shade. Again, opt for colours with a richer,
warmer base tone to create a cosy ambience.
Jitney by Farrow & Ball

Breakfast Room Green by Farrow & Ball
South facing rooms
Rooms facing south will enjoy bright,
natural light all day long, meaning that West facing rooms
generally, the world is your oyster when
it comes to selecting your shades. The If your room faces to the West,
light may typically be warmer, so cooler you’ll have the opposite to consider.
shades will read more yellow, but will West-facing rooms get little morning
balance the intensity of the sunlight sunlight but will bask in the glow of
streaming in. the sunset and warm, evening light.
If you use the space more in the
The only thing to avoid is a bright, afternoon and the evening, then a
brilliant white, which can feel a bit too rich tone will enhance the golden light.
clinical and stark in such a light space – If your space is more commonly used in
if you’re set on shades of white, then an the mornings, then colours will appear
off-white is a better bet. muted and greyer, so it’s important to
try and choose a ‘chameleon’ shade that
will adapt with the changing light.
Cooler shades are a great choice in a
room with a southerly aspect, as the
amount of natural light in the room can Ed’s note: My west-facing dining room
tolerate them. So, if you’ve been longing is bathed in Setting Plaster by Farrow
to use soft blues or greys, you can’t & Ball, and it works a treat, turning
really go wrong here – they’ll lend your from a soft neutral pink at breakfast to
space a lighter, airier feel no matter the a deliciously warm, golden pink by the
size of the room. time we sit down for dinner.
Borrowed Light by Farrow & Ball Freckle by Earthborn Paints
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