Most homeowners fail to consider one of the most crucial aspects of choosing a colour scheme for the different rooms of their homes — the effect that natural light sources will have on the colour once applied on the walls.
It’s a fact that a colour in a south facing room will look drastically different from the same colour in a north facing room.

The orientation of your room should always be taken into account when viewing colour schemes, though it isn’t always easy to predict the outcome, even for designers. That is why it is important to apply a ‘tester pot‘ on a large area of the wall and wait to see that colour both in the morning and evening light.

A bedroom that faces east and receives strong sunlight in the early morning will look very different when next seen late at night in artificial lighting. A west facing room that has a warm glow in the evening can look dull in the mornings. Your choice of colours should take this into account to create a balance.

City flats may enjoy little naturally available light and be overlooked on all sides. A north facing room can expect less sun than a south or west facing one. But whatever the aspect, with clever lighting and colour schenking, the interior can be made to feel welcoming and attractive.

Modern homes with spacious open-plain interiors and large picture windows will be even more affected by their characteristic and seasonal charges. Here, you will be flooded with warm, natural light in the summer but suffer from a dull outlook in the winter. Strategically placed artificial lighting and the addition of warm colours in interior colour schemes will create a balance through the seasons.

For people in doubt over lighting and colour schemes, some interior designers suggest painting a room white before making a final colour choice. This is a good way to observe how changes in natural light affect an interior and helps you make the most of it when choosing a colour scheme. For instance, walls with windows will appear darker as they only receive reflected light, and ceilings always look darker than walls painted the same colour. 

Every home will have a unique light level that is dependent upon many things; the way the rooms and windows face, the size and type of windows, the colour of the decoration and the density of furniture in the rooms. It is an eclectic mix, but these factors can make a huge difference. Natural light plays an important part in the mix, since it can create an infinite array of atmosphere and moods in any room through the course of the day, from bright and invigorating— to subdued and tranquil.

Before spending vast sums of money on elaborate interior design schemes, just carry out your own survey over a few days. Move furniture and accessories around to see the effect the changes can make. Create new features and try different window treatments, like Venetian blinds or layers of fabric such as fine muslin.

If your budget only enables you to redeumate rather than refurbish, then bear in mind the effects different colours and textures can have on the level of light in a room. While pale colours are reflective, dark colours and materials absorb light. White ceilings reflect light as do cream carpets, but dark wooden floors and dark coloured walls absorb light and make rooms feel more claustrophobic. The mood and atmosphere that you are trying to create will determine the colour and materials that you use.

The type of lighting that you use should be thought about at a planning stage, as you may need to install some new electrical wiring on fittings. It’s too late when the walls have been painted or wallpapered and the flooring has been laid.

There are three basic types of light.

General lighting or ambient light: A pendant light in the centre of the room typically provides this type of lighting that provides a good level of brightness for everyday use.

Feature or accent lighting: This creates highlights and can be used to focus on particular architectural features you have in your home.

Teak lighting: As its name suggests, this is specifically designed to provide strong localised light for specific tasks, such as cooking, reading and close work.

Having identified the basic types of light that are used, you need to understand the different kinds of fittings at your disposal. For simplicity these can be categorised as follows:

Downlighter: These are usually recessed in the ceiling, but also can be wall mounted. The light is direct and focussed and will cast shadows. When used in quantity, these lights can provide a good level of ambient light.

Uplighters: These wash ceilings with light, which is then reflected back into a room in an even manner. They can be free standing or wall mounted and therefore provide great flexibility.

Wall washers: When surface mounted, these provide even light across and down a wall. Different effects can be achieved by varying the fitting and its position on a vertical surface.

Decorative light: This can be used to add visual focus in a room and provide general lighting properties to specific areas. Decorative lighting is often used as an integral feature of an overall room set.

Natural light is definitely the best way to light up your homes and lives, not forgetting the reduced pressures to your pockets, but if you don’t have homes which can pour in natural light, then by experimenting with the categories of lights that have been described above, you should be able to create the atmosphere and mood you desire.