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Paint Colors for Northern Exposure

16 years ago

Are there any helpful suggestions about how to pick paint colors for northern facing exposures? My living room faces north and has two windows that provide indirect light. (So sorry I can't get you a picture.) It is currently painted a wispy, vaporous shade of gray-green but I want a color that projects a measure of warmth.

The floor is hardwood oak, the rug is mostly wheat and copper with cranberry and small amounts of black (oriental from Afghanistan), and the couch is a deep brown leather. These are all warm. Any pointers on how to choose colors?

I have a C2 fandeck but hardly know where to start. Thanks.

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Comments (4)

moonshadow
16 years ago
I can give you advice based on what I discovered in my lower level family room (two windows at ground level, east and west exposure). Pretty dismal room ;) Previously painted cream, I wanted to 'warm it up'. I wanted Sherwin Williams Blonde but it was so dark on the sample poster board it looked like mud. I learned to bump up on the color swatch to lightest or 2nd lightest from top for a darker room. Color will have depth to it (conversely if you used that same color in a high light room it would probably be so pale you couldn't see much color).

How about a nice warm golden>tan to cheer it up? I used SW Jersey Cream and like it. It started out a bit more on the yellow side but within a few months 'mellowed' to less yellow, more golden tan. I would steer clear of colors with Yellow in the name, they tend to be bright like daffodil or dandelion color. If you check on creams, many have yellow base and you'll get that golden warmth. Or check out browns where darkest color at the bottom of the swatch is butterscotch or acorn color, then move up to coordinating lighter color, again about 2nd one from top on that swatch.

Check the Gallery section of Home Decorating here. Specifically "Yellows and Golds" thread. You'll see lots of photos and just might find a color that inspires you! (There are other "Favorites" threads in the gallery as well, such as "Blues", "Greens", etc. all loaded with photos.)
tangerine_z6
Original Author
16 years ago
Moonshadow, thanks for the suggestions. It definitely gives me a starting point and the sort of tips I was looking for. My sister and I will do some investigating this afternoon...on a cold, gray winter day in a room that faces north!
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I can definitely see why many people would feel that way. I grew up in the Northwest and I LOVE a room that many would consider dreary - I see it more as “stormy.” But you’re right, it’s not really a warm color scheme. Navy is definitely too dark. I really love the lights and shadows my current paint creates, and I think it comes from the neutral-leaning cool paint. But I need to be more open to new ideas because my color predictions have been off with this room. I just can’t think of any warm color I would like on an entire wall and they’re definitely paint grade cabinets. I do have some wood and other ways of bringing in a little more balance and add SOME warmth, so hopefully that will be enough, or I’ll be the only one sitting in the loft! I think both Blue Danube and Philipsburg are growing on me, but I really like Summer Nights so I’m going to get that one in the morning. It sort of reminds me of North Sea, which I just love but is too dark.
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I had this same issue painting an office/guest room gray. I wanted a neutral gray that wouldn't read as blue or beige but more of a true neutral gray. We went through probably a dozen samples trying to find just the right shade. I found that during the day, the light from our north facing windows turned the warmer grays with more of a brown or beige undertone that I disliked on the paint strip into perfect lovely truly neutral gray shades. All the cooler grays that I loved on a chip just looked blue or even purple in my room. In the evening, our lamps/lighting made colors behave more like they looked on the paint chip. I ultimately decided that since I really only spend time in the room during the day while working from home, that I preferred one of the warmer grays that read neutral in daylight. I don't love how beige it looks at night in artificial light, but I spend very little time in there after dark. It may be worth trying a sample of a more greige-y shade to see if the exposure/lighting in your room pulls it toward a cool or neutral gray. But for something like a living room that you will spend lots of time in at all hours, you may want to consider a color other than gray that you can love better in your space.
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Faron79
16 years ago
I've got a few C2 decks here too...!

With your room...
Filament, Cappucino Froth, Intrigue, Mortar, Luxe or Kalahari, Pilot, Potsticker are maybe some ideas...
They're popular in our store.

Faron
brenda_md
16 years ago
Have you considered a tan or beige paint with a rose hue to it? I have the same situation as you do, family room is north facing and hardwood floors. I was looking at Benjamin Moore's paint called Love Story. The gold colors are popular, but won't work with my color scheme. I thought a rosey tan would work well so long as it does not appear pink.

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