Help with a dark, north facing study

2 years ago

I'm a university lecturer, so spend a lot of time in my study. Our house is a 1950s semi in the north of England, so the room generally doesn't get much light and what light it does get is pretty grey and dreary. The room feels really cold in the winter and summer because of the lack of light and not particularly calming or inspiring.

I painted the room Paint and Paper Library Stone 3, but find it really insipid and a bit 'blah'. The futon chair kinda clashes and I feel that nothing is tied together. I'm considering going down a 1950s route and painting the walls a light pink, which will off-set the yellow of the chair, but I'm worried that this would make the room all a bit busy. Colours I've been considering include:

Dulux Party surprise 5

Dulux Blush Pink

Dulux Heritage Pink Powder

F&B pink ground

LG Dorchester Pink

If anyone has done something similar, Id love to see how it worked out. I'd appreciat other suggestions - and happy to consider a different colour family as well.

Basically, I'm after a warm, bright, and calming space to think 'deep' thoughts about stuff. Any suggestions would be gratefully received! Here's some photos I've taken tonight around 6pm. The lights are on, and all are on the 'warm' spectrum.

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Comments (17)

Sonia
2 years ago
I like your pink choices although I have never used them. They are soft and warm colours which will add cosiness. Setting Plaster also looks a lovely shade. Another thought is India Yellow. Quite a vibrant shade so probably not what you’re after!

Setting Plaster

India Yellow
Juliet Docherty
2 years ago
Stone 3 is probably too weedy to make much impact in a North facing room. Have you thought about Temple or Desert Rose? An olive green might also work, it could look really good against the wood and also work with the yellow of the futon.
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123
2 years ago
We have an east facing bedroom painted in LG Dorchester Pink. It is quite a grey-pink, especially in artificial light. We like it but it is quite a subdued colour.
Kate W
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks for both suggestions! I'm a bit scared of strong colours, but think you're right - I need something with a bit more oomphf in the room. here's some photos of the room in daylight - just catching some of the easterly light at 08:00. I've not turned on any of the lights so the colour is 'unlit'

... and here's some more photos taken at 10:00, some with lights on and some with lights off.
Juliet Docherty
2 years ago
Is it that you're not a fan of strong colours or...you are not a fan of 'clean' colours? I am not a fan of 'clean' colours on walls, nor in general to be honest. I like slightly dirty colours which means an olive green over a saturated clean green, a burnt orange over a bright orange and a dirty ochre over a clean yellow etc. I find saturated clean colour too draining on the eyes and I get bored of them very quickly. I am also very clear that there is nothing 'brave' about using bright colours, that's just industry speak for flogging paint and furnishings. Finding what makes you feel comfortable is the only thing that matters. Slightly dirty versions of colours nearly always means a feeling of warmth to most people and that can be a very important thing. Neutrals will always be popular because they provide a backdrop. Just something to think about.....
Kate W
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
@Juliet Docherty, I don't think I'm a fan of clean colours. Thinking about the ones that I tend to wear and enjoy looking at, they're quite 'muted' and dirty. I like natural tones, but with occasional pops of strong colour to liven things up. I'm just not great at the popping!

If this was your room, what would you go for?
Wumi
2 years ago
I think Little Greene's yellow-pink would work really well with the plywood and wooden floors.

If I was going for a pink, I'd making it a muted or bold orangey/pink colour, like terracotta and something ochre if going for a yellow.
Kate W thanked Wumi
Alyson Jones
2 years ago
We are in the process of painting our house and are including both LG yellow-pink & Pain&Paper Temple.
We’ve put Temple in our north facing front room (photo below after 1 coat).
Our bedroom is also north facing and we’ve gone with LG Goblin (photo below)
Kate W
Original Author
2 years ago
@Wumi - My other half is really not fond of strong colours on the wall. When we first moved in, the whole place was painted F&B String and Cord which felt really oppressive. I'm not sure I'd be able to tempt him with Yellow Pink! I could probably swing it by having half the room painted it - like the wall with the shelving - and then a complementary white. But that might reinforce the cold feeling. Any suggestions of an orangey-pink to look at?
Kate W
Original Author
2 years ago
@Alyson Jones - Paint & Paper Library Temple looks really lovely. I think you get a wee bit more light than us. I was considering one of the PPL Plaster colours but worried I'd end up doing the same thing of going too light. We have PPL Chinese Emperor as feature walls in the Kitchen and Bathrooms and i really like it, but not sure about having the whole room painted such a strong colour!
Wumi
2 years ago
F&B String and Cord look like yellowed gloss paint to me! I really like strong wall colours so I'm probably not the best person to ask! I like Little Yellow-Pink, because it's a warm rich mustardy colour but not too green or brown.

Muted Orangey-pinks: Little Greene - Tierra Di Sierra, Tuscany, Dulux - Sunbaked Terracotta.

Bold Orangey-Pink: Little Greene - Orange Aurora, Theatrical, Dulux - Tuscan Terracotta, Copper Blush

Another alternative could be wallpaper with elements of the colours you want in the print.
minnie101
2 years ago
Desert Rose which colourhappy suggested is a gorgeous colour (well IMO!) , it’s like a dirtier lighter dried plaster colour.
Juliet Docherty
2 years ago
Sometimes it's worth getting a few test pots of different colours to rule out the ones you think you won't like. So Desert Rose may be worth testing, it might not work with the floor, but you won't know until you try it. I would try an olivey green, mainly because it could work really nicely with the pale wood and there is a lot of it.
pannacotta
2 years ago
I would go with green, which would look great with all the ply.

Little Greene Portland Stone is very soft if you aren't keen on anything too bold.
Kate W
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you @pannacotta. I'll look at Portland stone. My other half hates green with a passion, so it will have to be very subtle indeed! On a whim I ordered Dulux soft stone as a tester and it is a little too dark, but I like the shade. Might try to find a similar tone but with a lower(?) chroma.

I'm tempted to buy the nix 2 colour sensor so I can get a hue family and hue value of the wood and start from that. It may be sensible as I've got to choose colours for a low light south facing nursery and a combo low/bright south facing hallway. Tempted to paint the hallway LG flint and be done with it. The kid is going to scribble all over it anyhow!
Marylee H
2 years ago
Hi - if you do decide on choosing a colorimeter, I can recommend the NCS ColourPin rather than the Nix Sensor.

The Nix Sensor doesn’t offer the same standardised light source option that all paint colours are measured in - D65.

Also the NCS ColourPin can be opened with the Vario Color Muse app, which has an extensive array of paint brands and excellent tools for suggesting complementary colours etc.

Both Variable + NCS tested + confirmed their cross compatibility with the apps & device.

I have images of the appropriate ColourPin setting selection for paint colours & material measurements. (not the default set-up). Let me know if you plump for one and II can forward.

🌈
pannacotta
2 years ago
Kate, Portland Stone is a neutral with a very slight green under tone. Its a lovely colour which seems to work well in many aspects and looks very good with wood, both modern and traditional.

You have a lovely space. Personally I think pink might fight with the ply a little. Something which has some contrast would look great IMO.