Decorating with Pantone pastels in your living room

Your living room direction has a big impact on your colour palette. Find out which hues work best in north, south, east or west-facing spaces.

North-facing rooms

Warm up your space with yellow

Grey sofa in yellow and white colour blocked living room — Hayward sofa

North-facing rooms tend to receive less sunlight and feel naturally cooler so a bright colour such as yellow will help reflect the light and warm up the space. Introduce Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Illuminating as a focal point in the form of a feature wall or bold sofa colour. Hang a mirror to bounce the light around the room if you want to emphasise that zesty, sunshine glow.

Pastel living room with yellow sofa — My Scandinavian Home

Energise your room with coral

Coral colour blocked wall with grey armchair — Harlow armchair

Coral’s punchy optimism makes it another excellent pick to brighten up a north-facing room. Use it as a standalone colour or as part of a dynamic colour-blocking duo.

Coral living room with brown sofa — Furniture And Choice fabric sofas

But if you’re more inclined to go for small pops instead of painting your walls, a cushion or throw works just as well to boost up the room.

South-facing rooms

Cool down with blue

Blue south-facing living room with sunlight and white sofa — Elle Decor

South-facing rooms usually receive strong natural light so picking a light shade will help cool down the room. Pantone’s Cerulean Blue is a great example thanks to its refreshing effect and ability to balance warm sunlight. As a bonus, if you have a compact living room, it will also make your space feel larger.

Refresh your room with mint

Refreshing south-facing living room with mint curtains — Apartment Therapy

Mint is another light but bright option for south-facing rooms thanks to its tranquil feel. Instead of using it as a wall colour, incorporate it as soft furnishings to give the room a playful accent. Pair it with breathable materials such as cotton or linen as they absorb the heat and invite a cool, comforting feeling into the home.

East-facing rooms

Find the balance with light blue or green

Green pastel living room with colourful armchair — House & Garden

East-facing rooms receive the most natural light in the morning so light blue or green pastel hues are the best options here. They balance the light intensity of the room while inviting the opportunity to layer with a bold or darker colour palette.

West-facing rooms

Brighten it up with peach

Peach walls in west-facing living room — TF Diaries

Meanwhile, west-facing rooms get the most natural light in the evening, so it’s best to choose paint colours that give it a warm glow as it gets brighter throughout the day. Go for peach or light orange pastel hues as their mood-boosting qualities tend to energise the room.

If the room still feels too dark during the day, it’s best to think of what artificial lighting you’re using. Pick halogen bulbs to make wall colours look warmer during the day or LED lights as they generally complement all colours.

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