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A light touch

The Chronicle

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July 10, 2025

North, south, east or west facing, natural light affects your colour choice, says SAM WYLIE-HARRIS

AT THE dawn of a new day, when you pull back the curtains or pull the blind, there’s a moment when you might ask yourself: How does natural light affect my room, and my mood?

And for purposes here, how the colour of the walls is impacted by which way your room faces.

Indeed, whether you're tempted to try the colour-drenching trend or simply refreshing a tired-looking space, the experts at Dulux say a pro tip when picking the perfect paint colour is to consider the room's sunlight... or lack of.

“The same colour can look completely different depending on the light you see it in. Just like our clothes, colours differ when we're standing in the sun compared to the shade,’ explains Marianne Shillingford, creative director and colour expert at the famous paint brand.

“Natural light shifts in visual temperature and intensity throughout the day, and is also hugely affected by aspect,” highlights Marianne.

“So, when decorating, find out whether your room faces north, south, east or west, and use it as the guide to tell you which colours will work best at the time of the day you use it most.”

To help make decorating that little bit easier, Dulux breaks down how light behaves in north, south, east and west-facing rooms - and what colours will make them glow all year round...

South-facing rooms - embrace the light

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