Seeing a paint color in the store or on someone else’s wall might inspire you to strip your walls and adopt that same color—but take stock of your room and its surroundings before you splash your favorite shade on the walls. The best paint colors for rooms with no natural light are ones that stand out and reflect as much light as possible. If you’ve got a room that doesn’t get much sunlight, there a few things to consider when picking low-light paint colors.
Get LRV Paint
The vibrancy of the paint color changes with how much light it’s reflecting. All colors appear different under artificial light compared to natural light or in a south-facing or north-facing room. A paint color’s light reflectance value (LRV) tells you how light or dark the color will look on your walls. It’s on a scale from zero to 100, with zero being the most light absorbing (true black). Brightly colored paint won’t necessarily brighten a dark room, though. If you paint dark rooms in light colors, you may lose the color’s essence.
Paint Low-Light Rooms White
You’ll get the most LRV out of white as a low-light paint color, though it can still come with some challenges and different design choices. You may want to choose a creamy or warmer white, especially for south- and east-facing rooms. Too much light can wash out white paint or make it too bright on the eyes. Go for soft shades or use white for a dark room. It’s the perfect way to bring out the color’s natural hues.
Pro Tip: Your finished wall might not look the same as the paint chip due to lighting. Walls lit in a larger space will always look different compared to a single sample piece in the store.
Choose Warm Paint Colors
White isn’t your only option if you want to illuminate a dark room or live in a space that doesn’t receive much natural light. Choose a bold color that will stand out in a low-lit room. Some of the best low-light paint colors are:
- Lavender
- Chocolate brown
- Ochre
- Pale yellow
- Grey
- Powder blue
Painting your home’s interiors is a job you want to get done right the first time. If you’re having trouble deciding which color is best for your dark rooms, talk to our painting contractors in Atlanta, GA, at Ashford Painting for expert advice.