INTERIORS
Understanding light
Understanding how light transforms colour is the secret to getting your paint choices right fi rst time, saving time and money on your project as athryn Lloyd at Crown Paints explains.
hen you’re investing time and money into a self-build or renovation, getting the paint colours right matters. But here’s something many people don’t realise until it’s too late: the same paint colour can look completely different depending on which room you use it in. A soft grey that looks perfect in your south-facing living room might appear cold and blue in a north-facing bedroom. A warm cream could read as yellow in one space and neutral in another. This isn’t a fault with the paint – it’s simply light doing what light does.
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WHY LIGHT CHANGES EVERYTHING Light is the most infl uential factor in how we perceive colour, yet it’s often overlooked during the planning stages. What we see as colour is actually light refl ecting off surfaces and being interpreted by our eyes and brain. As the wavelengths of light change throughout the day, so does our perception of colour. Morning light tends to be cooler with blue tones, while evening light becomes warmer and more amber. Add seasonal variations into the mix – bright summer sun versus softer winter light – and you can see why that perfect shade on the colour card might not look quite the same once it’s on your walls. Artifi cial lighting adds another layer. LED bulbs come in various colour temperatures, from cool white to warm white, each casting a different hue. Cool white LEDs can make warm neutrals appear fl at or greenish, while warm white bulbs intensify yellow undertones.
ROOM ORIENTATION: YOUR SECRET WEAPON The direction your room faces has a huge impact on how colours will perform. South-facing rooms benefi t from the brightest, warmest natural light, which can intensify colours. Cooler shades work particularly well here – think blues, greens, and whites with grey or blue undertones. You can also be braver with deeper colours, which create depth without making the space feel dark.
Light is the most infl uential factor in how we perceive colour
North-facing rooms receive cooler,
more consistent light that can make colours appear fl atter but more sophisticated. Warmer shades with pink, yellow or brown undertones such as Snowfall or Toasted Almond help counteract this coolness. Be careful with whites – stark, cool whites can look harsh, while warmer options will feel more balanced. East-facing rooms enjoy bright
morning light that softens throughout the day. Warm, cheerful shades make the most of morning brightness, making these spaces ideal for kitchens and breakfast rooms. West-facing rooms experience cooler
morning light before warming up with golden afternoon sun. As the light
intensifi es, colours become more vivid and energetic – greens and blues can appear brighter, more saturated and full of life into the evening.
GETTING IT RIGHT: THE PRACTICAL APPROACH Testing colours in the actual space before committing is essential. Start with a tool such as Crown’s Colour Visualiser, which allows you to upload photographs of your own spaces and apply different shades digitally. It’s particularly useful when working with multiple rooms and wanting to test how colours fl ow from one space to another. You can also pick up real paint cards which offer a practical alternative to painting samples directly onto walls. Unlike standard printed colour cards,
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