Certain spaces within a home are harder to work with than others. That might be down to size restrictions, awkward angles or, as is often the case, their orientation.
Whether you are renovating a house or building an extension, when it comes to designing rooms that face north, the approach you take needs to be really carefully considered if you want to ensure they don't feel gloomy and cold.
That said, there are also some advantages to north-facing rooms, so it is important to maximise these while navigating their downsides – here, designers explain exactly how to do this.
Embrace the benefits of north-facing rooms
While north-facing rooms might not enjoy all-day sun like their south-facing counterparts, there is still a lot to love about them, as Rhys Owen, founder and director at Pensaer, points out. "North-facing spaces are often treated as a problem to solve, but they have real advantages. Artists have valued north light for centuries because it is soft, gentle and consistent throughout the day."
Another huge advantage of north-facing extensions and rooms, particularly in the face of all these hot, sunny summers we are currently enjoying, is that preventing overheating is also less of an issue.
Rhys Owen explains that this provides the opportunity for using glazing more freely than in spaces that enjoy more direct sunlight. "We can often introduce more glazing without the risk of glare and overheating. Ultimately, I would embrace north light rather than fight it. A room can be softly lit without ever feeling gloomy."
Before setting up Pensaer, Rhys managed teams for large established practices in London, and he now enjoys the freedom and creativity of running his own practice and working closely with clients. Rhys founded Pensaer to be able to focus on architecture that delivers on craftsmanship as well as on meaningful social and environmental values. He has worked on many urban masterplans and cultural projects, both internationally and in the UK, and he is a visiting lecturer at several schools of architecture.
Light from above is your secret weapon
The whole process of choosing windows can be complicated enough, but in the case of spaces where a lack of natural light is going to be an issue, even more consideration needs to be given. It isn't just about the quantity of light you are getting either – it needs to have the right qualities too.
"Rooflights can bring daylight deeper into the plan, particularly to the middle rooms that might otherwise become darker once a house is extended," says Rhys Owen. "At our Holmewood Gardens project (shown below), we introduced timber fins beneath rooflights to soften the daylight, add warmth and maintain privacy within an urban setting."
Zaeem Chaudhary, Chartered Architectural Technologist and director at AC Design Solution, agrees that roof glazing is hugely helpful in these instances. "For north-facing extensions, rooflights or glazed roof sections are often more effective than relying only on rear doors. With extensions, positioning them near the connection with the existing house helps bring light into the deepest part of the room. North-facing rooms often feel dark because daylight is not being carried far enough into the plan."
Zaeem Chaudhary, MCIAT, is director of AC Design Solution, a multidisciplinary practice delivering architecture, structural engineering, and party wall services across London and the UK
Maximum glazing is not always best
While we're on the topic of glazing, it might be easy to assume that taking a more-is-more approach would be the way forward when it comes to brightening up a north-facing space – not so, according to the experts.
Rhys Owen explains that the best approach is actually a multifaceted one. "If a client wants a bright, airy extension in a north-facing property, we would suggest a combination of top light, larger windows and glazed doors, as well as lighter or more reflective materials.
"That does not necessarily mean creating one enormous wall of glass, which can feel sterile and rather inhuman," adds Rhys. "Instead, framing views and breaking glazing into smaller elements often gives a room more warmth and character."
Room layouts matter more than you might think
Alongside natural light levels, you need to think about creating a space that makes the most of the light you are bringing in – one way to do this is through the room's layout. The key thing is to ensure that no natural light is being blocked.
Obviously what you intend on using the new space for will play a big part in its layout too. If you are building a north-facing kitchen extension, Zaeem Chaudhary has some advice. "The layout should keep tall kitchen units, utility rooms and storage away from key daylight paths."
In addition to keeping light pathways free, think about how the room's layout will work best with the way in which light is entering your space.
"I have a north-facing dining space at home and love working there: the light is calm, there is no glare and I get very little reflection on my screen," reveals Rhys Owen. "Dining or working areas can sit closer to the windows, while sofas and television spaces often work perfectly well further back."
Your lighting scheme will have a huge impact
It isn't just natural light that needs to be considered when creating a north-facing room that you enjoy spending time in – designing a lighting scheme that does it justice is hugely important too.
Again, a considered approach is the best one – you don't just want to fit as many lights as possible and end up with a horribly bright finish, as interior designer Melissa Denham, interior design expert at Hammonds, explains. "When you’re lacking natural light in a north-facing room, it may seem logical to add as much artificial light as possible, however it’s important to choose the right type of lighting.
"LED spotlights in the ceiling can add instant light to a darker space and should be used with a dimmer to help control the light levels from day to night," continues Melissa. "If your room has a low ceiling, stay away from pendant lights as they can visually bring the ceiling down and make the space feel cramped. Having one light in the centre creates a single pool of light, which is ineffective for lighting a whole space.
"Try spotlights that are scattered across your ceiling, specifically in the corners, instead," suggests Melissa. "By lighting the corners of your room, you will spread the focus and make it appear bigger."
It's the view of Debbie Clifford, interior designer at Lawrence Walsh, that a layered approach is always going to be best in this kind of room, using a range of sources chosen with its individual requirements in mind. "Wall lights, table lamps, floor lamps and uplighters can all be used to create focal points and to lighten gloomy corners."
Shop adjustable spotlights
This modern pair of adjustable spotlights can be either wall- or ceiling-mounted and can be rotated 330° and adjusted 90° making it easy to illuminate every gloomy corner.
Adjustable wall lights are a great way to give a space added depth. This one is plug in, meaning no electrician is required for the installation.
This 6-way track light looks modern and sleek and allows you to create a range of effects thanks to its multiple light sources, making it perfect for open-plan settings.
With over two decades of experience designing and delivering interior projects, Melissa creates stunning interiors for residential projects as well as events, workspaces and showroom staging. Aiding clients in creating their vision of a dream space through her interior design expertise and creative eye.
Debbie is a designer at Lawrence Walsh with more than a decade of experience creating bespoke interiors across London and the South East. Originally trained as a textile designer at the University of Leeds, she began her career in graphic and packaging design before retraining in interior design at the renowned KLC School of Design. Combining a strong creative foundation with extensive expertise in bespoke furniture and interior design, Debbie has spent the past 10 years at Lawrence Walsh, helping clients transform their homes through thoughtful, practical and beautifully crafted design.
A warm colour scheme is key to a cosy finish
Getting the colour of the main backdrops of your space spot on is an easy, yet massively effective way to ensure you are maximising light and achieving the feel you're aiming for.
A mistake I know I have made in my dining room design (which really misses out on natural light thanks to being in the centre of the house), is to paint it bright white, something all the designers I spoke to advised against.
"Warm off-whites, pale timber and lightly reflective finishes usually work better than brilliant white, which can appear grey in cooler northern light" explains Zaeem Chaudhary.
Debbie Clifford agrees that cool shades are best avoided in north-facing rooms. "It is best to avoid pure white and grey as they can look clinical. The best colours are warm-toned – think undertones of yellow, brown and pink to give warmth to a room and counteract the cool bluish natural light these rooms receive. Deep colours with a lot of pigment can also be used to create a cocooning effect."
FAQs
What is the best use of a north-facing room?
There are actually lots of instances where north-facing rooms can be the ideal location for certain types of spaces – namely those that will benefit from low glare, such as home offices or media rooms. With a lack of natural sunlight streaming through, you won't have to constantly be pulling down blinds or readjusting screens throughout the day.
"A north-facing room is ideal for a library, or to hang valuable artwork in too because there will be less exposure to sunlight," points out Debbie Clifford.
Rooms designed for cosying up in or that are rarely used during the day – such as snugs, nurseries or even master bedrooms – are also ideal for locating in north-facing extensions.
Many side return extensions can also suffer from a lack of natural light without the right design expertise, so be sure to talk through all the options with your chosen designer before getting started.
And, if you're looking for ways to bring more light into your north-facing room from sunnier spots within your home, take a look at these internal window ideas too.
