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YellowChoosing paint colors for a north-facing room is, without a doubt, one of the biggest and most complicated challenges I regularly face as an interior designer, yet it is also one of the most wonderfully rewarding aspects of my job when we manage to get the selection exactly right. North-facing rooms suffer from receiving only indirect light, which is inherently cool and blue in nature, and this cool, dominating light can viciously make almost any color on the wall look instantly dull, gray, muted, or even murky and muddy.
I always joke with my clients that a north-facing room actively tries to steal the warmth, cheer, and life out of any color pigment you dare to put there! This challenging reality is precisely why selecting the correct shade is so fundamentally important—it’s not merely about choosing a color that you personally like, but about strategically battling that constant, cold blue tone that permeates the atmosphere.
I want your bedroom to function as a truly cozy, inviting, and personalized retreat, never a cold, impersonal ice box, especially during those early hours when you first wake up in the morning. Many clients mistakenly choose a pure, stark white, desperately thinking it will somehow brighten the room, but pure white often disappointingly ends up looking cold, dingy, and completely flat in the shadow-heavy northern light.
My most reliable secret is to use colors that have a tiny, but powerful, bit of yellow, pink, or red undertone built right into their composition. These essential, hidden warm tones act like a secret, counteracting weapon, successfully warming up the blue light and making the entire room feel beautifully soft, gentle, and happy throughout the day.
I have spent years meticulously testing and documenting the way these colors react to the light to see which ones fight back most effectively against the cool shadows. Now, I want to share my absolute favorites so you can make your north-facing bedroom the beautiful, warm haven you genuinely deserve.
Why I Always Trust Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore for North Facing Bedrooms
When faced with the persistently difficult light conditions of north-facing rooms, I always and absolutely stick to using professional-grade paints, and for me, that always means Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore. You might logically think that paint is paint, regardless of the label, but when you are actively battling pervasive blue light and cool shadows, the sheer quality of the pigment concentration makes an enormous, game-changing difference.
These two major brands invest heavily and continuously in their specialized color technology, which is essential for ensuring that the delicate warm undertones I rely on—those tiny touches of pink or yellow—stay perfectly true and visible on the wall, even under adverse lighting. Lower quality, cheaper paints can very easily lose those important warm tones and just instantly turn into a sad, flat, lifeless gray when the northern light washes over them.
Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore consistently provide a depth of color saturation that helps the paint feel rich, sophisticated, and genuinely luxurious, even when they sit perpetually in the shadows. I also deeply trust their color consistency; when I specify a precise color like “Alabaster” or “White Dove,” I know exactly and reliably how that color is going to react to the challenging cool light, which saves me and my clients from making costly and time-consuming mistakes.
Furthermore, their high-quality formulas consistently offer much better coverage, meaning we usually only need two full coats to achieve a perfect, professional, fully opaque finish, which ultimately saves my clients both time and money on expensive labor.
Their finishes are also considerably more durable and washable, which is especially important for a busy bedroom where walls can easily get scuffed or marked. For the tricky, shadow-filled light of a north-facing room, you absolutely need high-performance, dependable paint, and these two brands are unequivocally the best performers out there in the market.
How I Choose the Perfect Paint Shade for North Facing Rooms
Choosing the absolutely right paint for a north-facing room requires a precise, specific, and non-negotiable strategy designed to successfully counteract the cool, blue light that naturally dominates the entire area. The very first element I meticulously look for is what I define as the “hidden warmth”—a specific, calculated touch of yellow, red, or pink undertone intentionally built into the paint’s formula.
This strategically placed warm undertone works actively and aggressively to neutralize the cool blue light, which is crucial for preventing the color from falling flat, looking dead, or appearing too icy cold. For example, instead of choosing a stark, pure white, I always opt for a warm white that inherently carries a creamy, buttery, and inviting feeling.
The second critical factor I consider is the Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of the paint. Since northern rooms are typically the darkest areas in a home, picking a color with a higher LRV (a number closer to 100) significantly helps the paint bounce back what little natural light it does manage to receive, ultimately making the room feel noticeably airier and more visually spacious.
The third non-negotiable step is always to look closely at the room’s fixed furnishings. If the furniture is dark wood or heavy, I often recommend a slightly darker, comforting greige or beige to create a cozy, balanced, and layered effect that feels wonderfully like a hug.
Conversely, if the furniture is light, crisp, and modern, a warm, creamy white works best to keep everything feeling fresh and clean. The final, and arguably most important, step is painting a large poster board—and I mean a big one, not just a tiny swatch—with a sample of the paint and then observing it for a minimum of a full day.
I move the sample from wall to wall to thoroughly see how the north light hits it in the cool morning, how it looks in the dim afternoon, and how the artificial lamp light changes it dramatically in the evening. This exhaustive testing process is the absolute key to ensuring the chosen color feels perfectly right and genuinely inviting at all hours before you commit to painting the entire room.
19 Best Paint Colors for North Facing Bedrooms in 2026
Kilim Beige SW 6106
Kilim Beige SW 6106 is a beautiful, grounded beige that brings serious warmth to a cool room. This color has an orange-red undertone that actively fights the blue light coming from the north windows, making the space feel instantly cozier.
It is perfect if you want your bedroom to feel like a warm latte, especially when paired with dark wood furniture and deep-colored textiles. This comforting shade helps absorb the cool light, resulting in a deeper, more satisfying color, and it is a great solution if your home features a lot of existing earth tones.
It pairs well with white trim that has a subtle creaminess to it, making the bedroom feel intimate and completely protected from the cold outside world. This is a designer favorite for reliably warming up difficult northern light conditions.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Natural Linen SW 9109
Natural Linen SW 9109 is a beautiful, easy-to-use neutral that feels fresh and light. This shade has just enough yellow-beige in its formula to stop it from turning gray or dreary in the cool light. It is a fantastic choice if you want a color that is not white but still feels bright and airy, working well with both light and dark furniture to make it highly versatile.
It reminds me of the beautiful fabric texture of high-quality bedding and is a comforting shade that keeps a room feeling soft. This color pairs well with crisp white trim for a clean, tailored look, helping make a small north-facing room feel a little bit larger than it really is.
It is an excellent choice for a guest room that needs to appeal to everyone and is a reliable, light neutral that designers use again and again for north rooms.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Accessible Beige SW 7036
Accessible Beige SW 7036 is one of the most popular greige colors because it handles difficult light so well. This color has a perfect balance of gray and beige that prevents it from ever looking muddy or flat on the wall.
It is my go-to color when a client wants a gray that won’t turn blue or icy in the northern light, providing a sophisticated neutral that gives your bedroom an expensive look. The shade works beautifully with deep blues, greens, and charcoal gray accents, acting as a wonderful background color that lets your furniture be the star of the show.
This color makes a room feel completely grounded and very well designed, making it a fantastic, dependable choice for your main bedroom. The shade feels warm and cozy in the morning light, making it truly the champion of the light neutral category.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Agreeable Gray SW 7029
Agreeable Gray SW 7029 is another beloved greige that manages to hold its warmth even in cool lighting conditions. This color gets its warming power from a touch of yellow and a hint of red in the formula, making it a gentle, soft gray that does not make a room feel cold or sterile.
It is an excellent choice for people who want gray but have north-facing windows, working beautifully as a backdrop for bright white bedding and dark wood accents.
This is a true neutral that makes decorating around it incredibly easy, possessing a high LRV that helps the room reflect what light it receives. The color looks perfect when paired with soft pinks and natural wicker textures, making it a highly functional color that simply works everywhere and lives up to its easy-going name.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Alabaster SW 7008
Alabaster SW 7008 is a creamy white that I rely on heavily to avoid the cold look of pure white. This shade has a faint yellow undertone that makes it feel instantly warm and inviting, making it the perfect white for a north-facing bedroom because it never looks dingy or gray.
It works wonderfully on both walls and trim for a soft, seamless look, pairing beautifully with natural wood furniture and woven rugs. The shade makes a room feel utterly clean and yet completely cozy at the same time, acting as a truly safe choice if you are nervous about using a deeper color.
This creamy white reflects light beautifully, helping to lift the shadows in the room, creating a soft, comforting feeling that feels like a fresh start. It is a champion white for fighting off cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Egret White SW 7570
Egret White SW 7570 is a sophisticated off-white that sits right between white and light greige. This color has a warm, almost purple-pink undertone that makes it look soft and inviting in northern light, making it a wonderful choice for creating a slightly more dramatic, moody look than a pure white.
It works well when contrasted with a bright white trim for definition, acting as a gentle color that makes a bedroom feel like a quiet retreat.
The color is perfect for layering with natural textures like wool and linen, avoiding the problem of turning blue or icy, which is common in these rooms. This is an elegant choice that instantly makes the room feel expensive, reflecting enough light to keep the area from feeling too heavy. It is a highly versatile and complex off-white.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Greek Villa SW 7551
Greek Villa SW 7551 is a crisp, bright white that still manages to hold a beautiful warmth in cool light. This shade has a creamy, buttery undertone that prevents it from looking cold or sterile, making it a great choice if you absolutely must have a bright white but have north-facing windows.
The color works perfectly with light, airy decor and pastel bedding, making a bedroom feel very clean and beautifully fresh. It reflects a huge amount of light, which helps maximize the brightness of the room, and is a wonderful color for a farmhouse or cottage-style bedroom.
This is a bright, happy white that makes you want to open the window, acting as a dependable color that always looks cheerful and is the perfect bright white for a north-facing challenge.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Antique White SW 6119
Antique White SW 6119 is a deep, creamy white that leans noticeably towards yellow-beige. This is a beautiful, old-world color that brings a feeling of established history and elegance to a room, perfect if you like your whites to have a buttercup or aged appearance.
It works beautifully with antique furniture and rich, traditional textiles, offering one of the warmest glows on this list. The shade stops the cool northern light from making the walls look drab, feeling comforting and making a bedroom feel like a true, peaceful retreat.
It is a wonderful choice for people who enjoy a classic, cozy style, reflecting a soft, gentle light throughout the entire room. This is a highly effective color for fighting off the blue light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Worldly Gray SW 7043
Worldly Gray SW 7043 is a wonderful warm gray that is slightly darker than its popular cousin, Agreeable Gray. The color has just enough warmth to stop it from going cold and depressing in a northern exposure, making it an excellent choice if you want a deeper color that feels restful and sophisticated.
It works beautifully with black, navy, and dark charcoal accents for contrast, acting as a grounding color that makes a bedroom feel secure and peaceful.
This shade maintains its warmth thanks to a beige undertone that absorbs the blue light, making it a favorite for main bedrooms that are meant to feel luxurious and adult. It works well on both walls and ceilings for a cohesive, wrapped-up feeling, giving the room great depth without feeling too heavy or closed in. It is a truly reliable greige that I recommend often.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Creamy SW 7012
Creamy SW 7012 is a classic, rich white that lives up to its name with a buttery softness. This shade has a significant yellow undertone that makes it incredibly warm and cheerful, making it the perfect white for creating a beautiful, soft glow in a north-facing room.
The color works wonderfully with both light and dark wood furniture pieces, making a bedroom feel completely cozy, like being wrapped in a warm blanket.
It is a great choice if you are decorating with traditional, soft yellows and greens, successfully stopping the cool light from making the walls look gray or dingy. The shade is an excellent background color for hanging colorful artwork or photographs, possessing enough color to feel rich, unlike a stark, boring white. This is a trusted, classic warm white for any difficult light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
White Dove OC-17
White Dove OC-17 is a designer favorite for a reason, especially in rooms that lack sunlight. This color has a subtle, almost creamy gray undertone that prevents it from looking harsh or sterile. It is the perfect warm white because it never looks yellow or overly buttery, working beautifully when you pair it with natural wood floors and textured rugs.
The shade reflects light gently, making the room feel soft and beautifully diffused, making it an excellent choice if you want a white that feels complex and sophisticated.
This color maintains a clean, crisp feeling without turning cold in the northern light, making it a truly versatile color that works with almost any decorating style. It is a great foundation for building a multi-layered color palette and is the benchmark for a sophisticated, warm white.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Simply White OC-117
Simply White OC-117 is a clean, bright white that has a gentle, sunny yellow undertone built in. This shade is famous for its ability to look cheerful and bright, even in dim lighting conditions, making it a wonderful option for people who want the brightest white possible for their north room.
The color works well with modern furniture and sleek, minimalist decor, feeling fresh and clean, giving the room a boost of happy energy. It prevents the walls from turning gray or sad under the blue light, making it an excellent choice for bedrooms where you want a very crisp look.
The shade reflects light beautifully, helping to maximize the room’s limited sun, making it a very popular color that lives up to all the hype. It is the epitome of a cheerful, warm white.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Edgecomb Gray HC-173
Edgecomb Gray HC-173 is a beloved, warm greige that has a lot of beige and yellow in its composition. This is a sophisticated neutral that feels cozy and grounded, never cold or stark.
It is one of my top choices for a north-facing bedroom because it fights blue light successfully, working beautifully with bright white bedding and dark accent pillows.
The shade creates a beautiful backdrop that makes artwork truly stand out, acting as a gentle, comforting color that makes a room feel completely restful. It pairs wonderfully with natural wood tones and black metal finishes, instantly giving a room a high-end, custom-designed look. This color has enough depth to look rich without feeling heavy, making it an absolute winner for warming up cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Pale Oak OC-20
Pale Oak OC-20 is a very light, airy greige that often reads as a beautiful, creamy off-white. The color has a subtle pink or violet undertone that prevents it from ever turning green or cold, making it a wonderful neutral for a north room because it keeps the area feeling light and open.
It works beautifully with light-colored, soft textiles like cashmere and linen, making it a very sophisticated and elegant choice for a main bedroom.
The shade reflects light gently, creating a soft, warm atmosphere in the evening, and is a great choice if you want a color that feels light but still has some pigment. It pairs well with deep jewel tones for accent colors in bedding and art, making it a truly subtle color that is easy to decorate around. It is an expert choice for dealing with cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Lenox Tan HC-44
Lenox Tan HC-44 is a rich, medium tan color that has a grounded, earthy warmth. This is perfect if you want a deeper color that feels enveloping and secure in your bedroom, working wonderfully to absorb the blue light and create a very cozy, intimate mood.
It is a great color for a traditional or craftsman-style home with heavy trim, pairing beautifully with dark wood furniture and leather accents.
The shade feels like a warm, comforting hug when you step into the room, giving the space a library-like feeling that is great for reading and relaxing. It is a classic shade that has been in use for a very long time because it is so reliable, looking rich and expensive on the walls. It is the answer if you want true depth and warmth in a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Navajo White OC-95
Navajo White OC-95 is a classic, rich white with a significant creamy, yellow undertone. This color is famous for its ability to look warm and sunny, even in the darkest corners, making it perfect for warming up a north-facing bedroom that needs a serious boost of cheer.
It works wonderfully with natural wood tones, terracotta, and soft blues, creating a warm feeling that makes the room completely cozy and inviting.
The shade successfully stops the cool light from making the walls look gray or cold, acting as a traditional favorite for its creamy depth and soft glow. It pairs beautifully with light, airy linen curtains for a gentle effect and is a great background color that lets your colorful textiles shine brightly. It is an excellent solution for fighting the blue light successfully.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Gentle Cream OC-96
Gentle Cream OC-96 is a pale, butter-colored cream that brings pure sunshine into a room. This is the perfect color for a north-facing bedroom that feels a little too drab or boring, possessing a cheerful yellow undertone that acts like a lamp on the walls.
It works beautifully with vintage furniture and antique-style bedding, making a room feel incredibly happy and completely optimistic. This shade is a great choice if you love the idea of white but need more actual warmth, successfully stopping the blue light from stealing its beautiful, sunny personality.
It reflects a gorgeous, warm light that makes the room feel airy, acting as an easy, dependable way to add cheer to a cold room. This is one of the warmest whites you can find.
Wind’s Breath OC-24
Wind’s Breath OC-24 is a lovely, airy off-white that has a touch of warmth and softness. This color reads as a very gentle, subtle shade that never feels harsh or cold, making it perfect if you want a white that feels sophisticated but still cozy in the bedroom.
It works beautifully with both white trim and warmer wood trim, maintaining a light, open feeling in the room, which is great for small areas. The shade is a great choice for layering with soft pinks and light greens in your decor, having just enough pigment to keep it from looking dingy in the northern light.
It reflects the limited light effectively, brightening up the room, making it a very popular neutral because it is so incredibly easy to live with. This is a safe and beautiful choice for a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Balboa Mist OC-27
Balboa Mist OC-27 is a beautiful, light greige that has a delicate, warm undertone. This is a sophisticated neutral that often reads as a soft, creamy off-white, making it one of my go-to colors for a main bedroom that needs to feel luxurious and peaceful.
It works beautifully with bright white trim for a fresh, clean look, maintaining a light, open feeling in the room despite the limited northern light.
The shade is a great choice if you want a gray that will never turn blue or icy, reflecting light beautifully to maximize the room’s brightness. It is an elegant backdrop for layering various shades of white and gray textiles, acting as a subtle color that is easy to decorate around with any style. This is a trusted and much-loved option for north-facing light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
19 Best Paint Colors for North Facing Bedrooms Trendy This Year
Natural Linen SW 9109
Natural Linen SW 9109 is a beautiful, easy-to-use neutral that feels fresh and light. This shade has just enough yellow-beige in its formula to stop it from turning gray or dreary in the cool light.
It is a fantastic choice if you want a color that is not white but still feels bright and airy, working well with both light and dark furniture to make it highly versatile. It reminds me of the beautiful fabric texture of high-quality bedding and is a comforting shade that keeps a room feeling soft.
This color pairs well with crisp white trim for a clean, tailored look, helping make a small north-facing room feel a little bit larger than it really is. It is an excellent choice for a guest room that needs to appeal to everyone and is a reliable, light neutral that designers use again and again for north rooms.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Accessible Beige SW 7036
Accessible Beige SW 7036 is one of the most popular greige colors because it handles difficult light so well. This color has a perfect balance of gray and beige that prevents it from ever looking muddy or flat on the wall.
It is my go-to color when a client wants a gray that won’t turn blue or icy in the northern light, providing a sophisticated neutral that gives your bedroom an expensive look.
The shade works beautifully with deep blues, greens, and charcoal gray accents, acting as a wonderful background color that lets your furniture be the star of the show. This color makes a room feel completely grounded and very well designed, making it a fantastic, dependable choice for your main bedroom. The shade feels warm and cozy in the morning light, making it truly the champion of the light neutral category.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Canvas Tan SW 7531
Canvas Tan SW 7531 is a deep, warm cream that is perfect for cozying up a cold room. This shade has a lot of beige and yellow in it, which helps it counteract the blue light effectively. It is an excellent choice if you are decorating with traditional, earthy colors and fabrics, working beautifully with antique furniture and rich, patterned textiles.
The color makes a bedroom feel completely hugged and protected from the outside cold, making it a great shade if you want more depth than a standard off-white.
It successfully stops the northern light from making the walls look washed out, providing a rich, satisfying color that looks luxurious and established. The shade reflects a soft, gentle warmth throughout the entire room, making it a dependable way to add serious warmth to a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Shiitake SW 9173
Shiitake SW 9173 is a warm, mid-tone greige that has a beautiful, comforting depth. This shade has a touch of brown and red that prevents it from ever looking cold or sterile, making it a wonderful choice for creating a cozy, almost moody look in a north-facing bedroom.
It works perfectly with dark wood and black metal accents for contrast, acting as a grounding color that helps a busy room feel more peaceful and settled.
The shade maintains its warmth and does not turn into a sad gray under the cool light, making it an excellent background color for hanging gallery walls and bright art. This is a deep, satisfying neutral that feels very sophisticated and adult, giving the room a sense of custom design and high quality instantly. It is a truly reliable greige that is gaining popularity quickly.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Drift of Mist SW 9166
Drift of Mist SW 9166 is a beautiful, pale greige that sits between white and gray. This shade has a very slight purple-pink undertone that gives it a needed touch of warmth, making it a great choice if you want a color that feels soft, gentle, and extremely light.
It works beautifully with pastel bedding and airy, sheer curtains, creating a delicate feeling that makes a bedroom feel quiet and restful. The shade successfully avoids turning blue or icy in the cool northern light, making it a sophisticated neutral that feels modern and very clean.
It reflects the limited light effectively, helping the room feel bright, and is a wonderfully versatile color that is easy to decorate with. This is a soft, contemporary choice for a north-facing challenge.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Creamy SW 7012
Creamy SW 7012 is a classic, rich white that lives up to its name with a buttery softness. This shade has a significant yellow undertone that makes it incredibly warm and cheerful, making it the perfect white for creating a beautiful, soft glow in a north-facing room.
The color works wonderfully with both light and dark wood furniture pieces, making a bedroom feel completely cozy, like being wrapped in a warm blanket.
It is a great choice if you are decorating with traditional, soft yellows and greens, successfully stopping the cool light from making the walls look gray or dingy. The shade is an excellent background color for hanging colorful artwork or photographs, possessing enough color to feel rich, unlike a stark, boring white. This is a trusted, classic warm white for any difficult light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Egret White SW 7570
Egret White SW 7570 is a sophisticated off-white that sits right between white and light greige. This color has a warm, almost purple-pink undertone that makes it look soft and inviting in northern light, making it a wonderful choice for creating a slightly more dramatic, moody look than a pure white.
It works well when contrasted with a bright white trim for definition, acting as a gentle color that makes a bedroom feel like a quiet retreat. The color is perfect for layering with natural textures like wool and linen, avoiding the problem of turning blue or icy, which is common in these rooms.
This is an elegant choice that instantly makes the room feel expensive, reflecting enough light to keep the area from feeling too heavy. It is a highly versatile and complex off-white.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Alabaster SW 7008
Alabaster SW 7008 is a creamy white that I rely on heavily to avoid the cold look of pure white. This shade has a faint yellow undertone that makes it feel instantly warm and inviting, making it the perfect white for a north-facing bedroom because it never looks dingy or gray.
It works wonderfully on both walls and trim for a soft, seamless look, pairing beautifully with natural wood furniture and woven rugs. The shade makes a room feel utterly clean and yet completely cozy at the same time, acting as a truly safe choice if you are nervous about using a deeper color.
This creamy white reflects light beautifully, helping to lift the shadows in the room, creating a soft, comforting feeling that feels like a fresh start. It is a champion white for fighting off cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Greek Villa SW 7551
Greek Villa SW 7551 is a crisp, bright white that still manages to hold a beautiful warmth in cool light. This shade has a creamy, buttery undertone that prevents it from looking cold or sterile, making it a great choice if you absolutely must have a bright white but have north-facing windows.
It works perfectly with light, airy decor and pastel bedding, making a bedroom feel very clean and beautifully fresh. It reflects a huge amount of light, which helps maximize the brightness of the room, and is a wonderful color for a farmhouse or cottage-style bedroom.
This is a bright, happy white that makes you want to open the window, acting as a dependable color that always looks cheerful and is the perfect bright white for a north-facing challenge.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Oyster White SW 7637
Oyster White SW 7637 is a gorgeous, soft white that has a gentle, earthy undertone. This shade has a hint of green-gray, which actually helps it look clean and crisp in the northern light.
It is an excellent choice for a neutral that feels organic and connected to nature, working beautifully with natural wood floors and cream-colored furniture.
The color makes a bedroom feel extremely restful and completely quiet, making it a sophisticated white that is currently very trendy with designers. It reflects a gentle light, avoiding the harshness of a pure, stark white, and is a great backdrop for layering soft green and blue textiles. This is a versatile neutral that is easy to decorate around and a perfect choice for a fresh, clean look.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
White Dove OC-17
White Dove OC-17 is a designer favorite for a reason, especially in rooms that lack sunlight. This color has a subtle, almost creamy gray undertone that prevents it from looking harsh or sterile.
It is the perfect warm white because it never looks yellow or overly buttery, working beautifully when you pair it with natural wood floors and textured rugs. The shade reflects light gently, making the room feel soft and beautifully diffused, making it an excellent choice if you want a white that feels complex and sophisticated.
This color maintains a clean, crisp feeling without turning cold in the northern light, making it a truly versatile color that works with almost any decorating style. It is a great foundation for building a multi-layered color palette and is the benchmark for a sophisticated, warm white.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Swiss Coffee OC-45
Swiss Coffee OC-45 is a highly popular, rich off-white that feels instantly warm and inviting. This shade has a creamy yellow-beige undertone that fights hard against the cool northern light, making it a wonderful choice for creating a cozy, coffee-and-cream atmosphere in your bedroom.
It works beautifully with light woods and soft, textured fabrics like chenille, making a room feel beautifully soft, like being wrapped in a light cloud.
The shade is an excellent color if you prefer your whites to have a noticeable, soft glow, successfully stopping the walls from appearing gray or dingy in low light. It is a great background for showcasing simple, modern artwork, possessing enough warmth to feel rich without being overly dark. This is a truly reliable, warm white that I recommend often.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Edgecomb Gray HC-173
Edgecomb Gray HC-173 is a beloved, warm greige that has a lot of beige and yellow in its composition. This is a sophisticated neutral that feels cozy and grounded, never cold or stark.
It is one of my top choices for a north-facing bedroom because it fights blue light successfully, working beautifully with bright white bedding and dark accent pillows.
The shade creates a beautiful backdrop that makes artwork truly stand out, acting as a gentle, comforting color that makes a room feel completely restful. It pairs wonderfully with natural wood tones and black metal finishes, instantly giving a room a high-end, custom-designed look. This color has enough depth to look rich without feeling heavy, making it an absolute winner for warming up cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Balboa Mist OC-27
Balboa Mist OC-27 is a beautiful, light greige that has a delicate, warm undertone. This is a sophisticated neutral that often reads as a soft, creamy off-white, making it one of my go-to colors for a main bedroom that needs to feel luxurious and peaceful.
It works beautifully with bright white trim for a fresh, clean look, maintaining a light, open feeling in the room despite the limited northern light.
The shade is a great choice if you want a gray that will never turn blue or icy, reflecting light beautifully to maximize the room’s brightness. It is an elegant backdrop for layering various shades of white and gray textiles, acting as a subtle color that is easy to decorate around with any style. This is a trusted and much-loved option for north-facing light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Pale Oak OC-20
Pale Oak OC-20 is a very light, airy greige that often reads as a beautiful, creamy off-white. The color has a subtle pink or violet undertone that prevents it from ever turning green or cold, making it a wonderful neutral for a north room because it keeps the area feeling light and open.
It works beautifully with light-colored, soft textiles like cashmere and linen, making it a very sophisticated and elegant choice for a main bedroom. The shade reflects light gently, creating a soft, warm atmosphere in the evening, and is a great choice if you want a color that feels light but still has some pigment.
It pairs well with deep jewel tones for accent colors in bedding and art, making it a truly subtle color that is easy to decorate around. It is an expert choice for dealing with cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Natural Cream OC-14
Natural Cream OC-14 is a rich, warm cream that is full of beautiful, comforting warmth. This shade has a gentle, creamy undertone that immediately fights the cool blue light, making it a fantastic choice if you want a color that feels earthy and grounded, not clinical.
It works beautifully with natural wood tones and heavy, textured fabrics, making a bedroom feel completely hugged and very secure. It is a great color for creating a cozy, layered look in a traditional home, successfully stopping the northern light from washing out the walls completely.
The shade is a deep, satisfying neutral that looks rich and high quality, reflecting a soft, gentle light, avoiding any harsh reflections. This is a dependable way to add serious, lasting warmth to a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Gentle Cream OC-96
Gentle Cream OC-96 is a pale, butter-colored cream that brings pure sunshine into a room. This is the perfect color for a north-facing bedroom that feels a little too drab or boring, possessing a cheerful yellow undertone that acts like a lamp on the walls.
It works beautifully with vintage furniture and antique-style bedding, making a room feel incredibly happy and completely optimistic.
This shade is a great choice if you love the idea of white but need more actual warmth, successfully stopping the blue light from stealing its beautiful, sunny personality. It reflects a gorgeous, warm light that makes the room feel airy, acting as an easy, dependable way to add cheer to a cold room. This is one of the warmest whites you can find.
Wind’s Breath OC-24
Wind’s Breath OC-24 is a lovely, airy off-white that has a touch of warmth and softness. This color reads as a very gentle, subtle shade that never feels harsh or cold, making it perfect if you want a white that feels sophisticated but still cozy in the bedroom.
It works beautifully with both white trim and warmer wood trim, maintaining a light, open feeling in the room, which is great for small areas. The shade is a great choice for layering with soft pinks and light greens in your decor, having just enough pigment to keep it from looking dingy in the northern light.
It reflects the limited light effectively, brightening up the room, making it a very popular neutral because it is so incredibly easy to live with. This is a safe and beautiful choice for a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Navajo White OC-95
Navajo White OC-95 is a classic, rich white with a significant creamy, yellow undertone. This color is famous for its ability to look warm and sunny, even in the darkest corners, making it perfect for warming up a north-facing bedroom that needs a serious boost of cheer.
It works wonderfully with natural wood tones, terracotta, and soft blues, creating a warm feeling that makes the room completely cozy and inviting.
The shade successfully stops the cool light from making the walls look gray or cold, acting as a traditional favorite for its creamy depth and soft glow. It pairs beautifully with light, airy linen curtains for a gentle effect and is a great background color that lets your colorful textiles shine brightly. It is an excellent solution for fighting the blue light successfully.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
19 Best Paint Colors for North Facing Bedrooms by Benjamin Moore
White Dove OC-17
White Dove OC-17 is a designer favorite for a reason, especially in rooms that lack sunlight. This color has a subtle, almost creamy gray undertone that prevents it from looking harsh or sterile.
It is the perfect warm white because it never looks yellow or overly buttery, working beautifully when you pair it with natural wood floors and textured rugs. The shade reflects light gently, making the room feel soft and beautifully diffused, making it an excellent choice if you want a white that feels complex and sophisticated.
This color maintains a clean, crisp feeling without turning cold in the northern light, making it a truly versatile color that works with almost any decorating style. It is a great foundation for building a multi-layered color palette and is the benchmark for a sophisticated, warm white.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Simply White OC-117
Simply White OC-117 is a clean, bright white that has a gentle, sunny yellow undertone built in. This shade is famous for its ability to look cheerful and bright, even in dim lighting conditions, making it a wonderful option for people who want the brightest white possible for their north room.
The color works well with modern furniture and sleek, minimalist decor, feeling fresh and clean, giving the room a boost of happy energy. It prevents the walls from turning gray or sad under the blue light, making it an excellent choice for bedrooms where you want a very crisp look.
The shade reflects light beautifully, helping to maximize the room’s limited sun, making it a very popular color that lives up to all the hype. It is the epitome of a cheerful, warm white.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Chantilly Lace OC-65
Chantilly Lace OC-65 is Benjamin Moore’s cleanest, brightest white, and it works if you use it correctly. This is a crisp, true white that does not have noticeable yellow or blue undertones, making it best used in a north room only if you layer in a lot of warm lighting and warm textiles.
It works beautifully as a high-contrast trim color against a warmer wall color, feeling incredibly clean and airy, making a room feel completely fresh.
The shade is a fantastic choice for a modern, sleek bedroom with very little clutter, reflecting the maximum amount of light, which is useful in a dark room. This is a true, bright white that feels very sophisticated and tailored, pairing best with warm woods, soft pinks, and creamy beiges in the decor. It is the brightest white, but needs lots of warm accessories to succeed in the north.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Swiss Coffee OC-45
Swiss Coffee OC-45 is a highly popular, rich off-white that feels instantly warm and inviting. This shade has a creamy yellow-beige undertone that fights hard against the cool northern light, making it a wonderful choice for creating a cozy, coffee-and-cream atmosphere in your bedroom.
It works beautifully with light woods and soft, textured fabrics like chenille, making a room feel beautifully soft, like being wrapped in a light cloud.
The shade is an excellent color if you prefer your whites to have a noticeable, soft glow, successfully stopping the walls from appearing gray or dingy in low light. It is a great background for showcasing simple, modern artwork, possessing enough warmth to feel rich without being overly dark. This is a truly reliable, warm white that I recommend often.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Cloud White OC-130
Cloud White OC-130 is a popular, creamy white that has a gentle touch of yellow and a hint of gray. This color is famous for its soft, beautiful glow that never feels harsh or cold, making it a great choice for warming up a north room that needs a soft, historical feel.
It works beautifully with antique furniture and traditional, detailed trim work, making a room feel completely comfortable and very relaxing.
The shade is an excellent white because it balances warmth and brightness perfectly, successfully stopping the cool light from making the walls look overly blue. It is a wonderful background for layering multiple shades of white and cream, making it a trusted white that designers use in all kinds of lighting conditions. This is a truly gentle, warm white for any bedroom.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Wind’s Breath OC-24
Wind’s Breath OC-24 is a lovely, airy off-white that has a touch of warmth and softness. This color reads as a very gentle, subtle shade that never feels harsh or cold, making it perfect if you want a white that feels sophisticated but still cozy in the bedroom.
It works beautifully with both white trim and warmer wood trim, maintaining a light, open feeling in the room, which is great for small areas. The shade is a great choice for layering with soft pinks and light greens in your decor, having just enough pigment to keep it from looking dingy in the northern light.
It reflects the limited light effectively, brightening up the room, making it a very popular neutral because it is so incredibly easy to live with. This is a safe and beautiful choice for a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Pale Oak OC-20
Pale Oak OC-20 is a very light, airy greige that often reads as a beautiful, creamy off-white. The color has a subtle pink or violet undertone that prevents it from ever turning green or cold, making it a wonderful neutral for a north room because it keeps the area feeling light and open.
It works beautifully with light-colored, soft textiles like cashmere and linen, making it a very sophisticated and elegant choice for a main bedroom.
The shade reflects light gently, creating a soft, warm atmosphere in the evening, and is a great choice if you want a color that feels light but still has some pigment. It pairs well with deep jewel tones for accent colors in bedding and art, making it a truly subtle color that is easy to decorate around. It is an expert choice for dealing with cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Balboa Mist OC-27
Balboa Mist OC-27 is a beautiful, light greige that has a delicate, warm undertone. This is a sophisticated neutral that often reads as a soft, creamy off-white, making it one of my go-to colors for a main bedroom that needs to feel luxurious and peaceful.
It works beautifully with bright white trim for a fresh, clean look, maintaining a light, open feeling in the room despite the limited northern light.
The shade is a great choice if you want a gray that will never turn blue or icy, reflecting light beautifully to maximize the room’s brightness. It is an elegant backdrop for layering various shades of white and gray textiles, acting as a subtle color that is easy to decorate around with any style. This is a trusted and much-loved option for north-facing light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Edgecomb Gray HC-173
Edgecomb Gray HC-173 is a beloved, warm greige that has a lot of beige and yellow in its composition. This is a sophisticated neutral that feels cozy and grounded, never cold or stark.
It is one of my top choices for a north-facing bedroom because it fights blue light successfully, working beautifully with bright white bedding and dark accent pillows. The shade creates a beautiful backdrop that makes artwork truly stand out, acting as a gentle, comforting color that makes a room feel completely restful.
It pairs wonderfully with natural wood tones and black metal finishes, instantly giving a room a high-end, custom-designed look. This color has enough depth to look rich without feeling heavy, making it an absolute winner for warming up cool light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Revere Pewter HC-172
Revere Pewter HC-172 is a classic, medium-tone greige that offers a comforting depth of color. This color has a clear yellow-green undertone, which helps it keep its warmth in the cool northern light, making it a fantastic choice if you want a color that feels grounding and secure in your bedroom.
It works beautifully with black, espresso, and cherry wood furniture pieces, making it a sophisticated neutral that makes a room feel substantial and well-designed.
The shade successfully avoids turning blue or purple, which is a major victory in a north room, and is an excellent background for layering rich colors like navy and deep red. It gives the room a cozy, wrapped-up feeling that is perfect for sleeping, acting as a very popular color that lives up to its reliable reputation. This is the master of the mid-tone warm greige category.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Classic Gray OC-23
Classic Gray OC-23 is a very pale, light gray that has a noticeable warm, beige undertone. This color is perfect if you want a gray that will not feel cold or icy in the northern light, making it a gentle, airy color that makes a room feel quiet and restful.
It works beautifully with clean, bright white trim for a crisp look, maintaining a light, open feeling in the room, which is great for smaller areas. The shade is a great choice if you love the idea of light gray but need the warmth of beige, acting as a wonderful background for soft, muted colors like blush pink and seafoam green.
It reflects light beautifully, helping to maximize the room’s overall brightness, and is a truly versatile color that works with both modern and traditional decor. This is a dependable, soft warm gray for any north-facing bedroom.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Natural Cream OC-14
Natural Cream OC-14 is a rich, warm cream that is full of beautiful, comforting warmth. This shade has a gentle, creamy undertone that immediately fights the cool blue light, making it a fantastic choice if you want a color that feels earthy and grounded, not clinical.
It works beautifully with natural wood tones and heavy, textured fabrics, making a bedroom feel completely hugged and very secure. It is a great color for creating a cozy, layered look in a traditional home, successfully stopping the northern light from washing out the walls completely.
The shade is a deep, satisfying neutral that looks rich and high quality, reflecting a soft, gentle light, avoiding any harsh reflections. This is a dependable way to add serious, lasting warmth to a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Seapearl OC-19
Seapearl OC-19 is a beautiful, light greige that often reads as a soft off-white with a slight yellow tint. This color has a warm, gentle undertone that helps it maintain its color in cool light, making it a wonderful choice for creating a light, airy feeling in a north-facing bedroom.
It works beautifully with pale blue and green accents for a gentle coastal feel, making it a sophisticated neutral that makes a room feel peaceful and restful.
The shade reflects the limited light effectively, brightening up the room’s mood, and is a great color if you want a white that has a gentle, creamy depth to it. It is a very popular color because it is so easy to coordinate with other furnishings, making it an excellent, reliable off-white that avoids feeling cold or stark. This is a true champion for soft, diffused light.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Muslin OC-12
Muslin OC-12 is a soft, medium beige that has a gentle yellow undertone built into the formula. This is perfect if you want a neutral that feels deeply warm and completely traditional, making it a great choice for counteracting the blue light with its comforting warmth.
It works beautifully with antique furniture and rich, patterned window treatments, making a room feel cozy, intimate, and very well established.
The shade is a fantastic color for creating a layered, textural look with bedding, successfully stopping the cool northern light from turning the walls gray or flat. It is a deep, satisfying neutral that looks substantial and rich, reflecting a soft, gentle light, making the room feel relaxed. This is a reliable, warm classic for a north room.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Gentle Cream OC-96
Gentle Cream OC-96 is a pale, butter-colored cream that brings pure sunshine into a room. This is the perfect color for a north-facing bedroom that feels a little too drab or boring, possessing a cheerful yellow undertone that acts like a lamp on the walls.
It works beautifully with vintage furniture and antique-style bedding, making a room feel incredibly happy and completely optimistic.
This shade is a great choice if you love the idea of white but need more actual warmth, successfully stopping the blue light from stealing its beautiful, sunny personality. It reflects a gorgeous, warm light that makes the room feel airy, acting as an easy, dependable way to add cheer to a cold room. This is one of the warmest whites you can find.
Manchester Tan HC-81
Manchester Tan HC-81 is a classic, medium-tone tan that has a deep, reliable warmth. This color has a clear yellow-green undertone that helps it hold its color in cool light, making it a fantastic choice if you want a color that feels incredibly grounded and safe.
It works beautifully with dark wood furniture and deep, rich accent colors, making it a sophisticated color that makes a bedroom feel expensive and substantial.
The shade successfully absorbs the cool light, resulting in a deeper, more satisfying color, and is a great color for creating a cozy, library-like atmosphere in a large room. It is a very popular neutral that designers return to for its dependability, giving the room a sense of established history and high quality. This is the perfect tan for a north-facing room that needs true warmth.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Navajo White OC-95
Navajo White OC-95 is a classic, rich white with a significant creamy, yellow undertone. This color is famous for its ability to look warm and sunny, even in the darkest corners, making it perfect for warming up a north-facing bedroom that needs a serious boost of cheer.
It works wonderfully with natural wood tones, terracotta, and soft blues, creating a warm feeling that makes the room completely cozy and inviting.
The shade successfully stops the cool light from making the walls look gray or cold, acting as a traditional favorite for its creamy depth and soft glow. It pairs beautifully with light, airy linen curtains for a gentle effect and is a great background color that lets your colorful textiles shine brightly. It is an excellent solution for fighting the blue light successfully.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Linen White OC-146
Linen White OC-146 is a soft, creamy white that has a gentle yellow-beige undertone. This color is famous for its soft, buttery glow that instantly adds warmth to a room, making it a great choice for warming up a north room without feeling overly yellow or strong.
It works beautifully with antique furniture and light, traditional bedding, making a room feel completely restful and beautifully soft. The shade is an excellent white because it balances brightness and warmth perfectly, successfully stopping the cool light from making the walls look dirty or drab.
It is a great background for layering various shades of soft white and cream, making it a trusted white that offers a dependable, gentle warmth. This is a truly classic choice for a north-facing bedroom.
👉 Read the full guide for this color HERE 👈
Fossil AF-65
Fossil AF-65 is a deep, warm tan-greige that provides serious depth and richness. This color has a lot of red and yellow in it, making it a powerful weapon against blue light, perfect if you want a rich shade that feels cozy and completely grounding in your bedroom.
It works beautifully with black, white, and high-contrast furniture for drama, making it a sophisticated color that gives a room a high-end, custom look instantly.
The shade successfully absorbs the cool northern light, creating a deep, intimate mood, and is a fantastic choice for a main bedroom that is meant to feel like a retreat. It is a popular color because it has so much depth and complexity, making a room feel secure and protected from the outside world. This is the answer if you want a deep, warm color that is not afraid of the shadows.
My Final Thoughts about Best Paint Colors for North Facing Bedrooms
Choosing the perfect paint for your north-facing bedroom can initially feel like a truly daunting and overwhelming task, but I sincerely hope this comprehensive guide has fully equipped you with the confidence and the clear, effective strategy you need to succeed beautifully.
Remember my most important secret weapon: battling the persistent cool, blue light that dominates these rooms is entirely about selecting colors that have that absolutely necessary, warming hint of creamy yellow, comforting beige, or soft pink in their foundational undertones.
These powerful, hidden warm tones are the unsung heroes of north-facing rooms—they will actively prevent your beautiful walls from looking flat, dismal gray, or icy cold, instantly making your bedroom feel like a warm, protective hug instead of a cold, empty box. Furthermore, the correct warm color makes the limited available light feel softer and more diffused, enhancing the atmosphere significantly.
Whether you ultimately choose a barely-there greige like “Balboa Mist” to maintain maximum brightness and keep the room wonderfully airy, or you opt for the rich, satisfying depth of “Lenox Tan” to create a deeply cozy and intimate reading nook, know that there is a perfect, warm shade waiting to solve your light problem.
Never, ever settle for a stark, pure white, as it will only serve to highlight the cool shadows and make the room feel clinical; instead, always choose a warm white that glows, like “Alabaster” or “White Dove,” to reflect light gently.
My biggest, non-negotiable piece of advice is to always trust your gut feeling and, crucially, trust your samples.
You must hang large poster board swatches of your top two or three color contenders on the wall, live with them for a full few days, and critically observe how they react to the morning shadows, the midday cool light, and the artificial warmth of your evening lamps.
