North to North-East facing bedroom, which paint shade?

[LoveGigi]

I'll be tackling our bedroom very soon, it's a large room with a bay and a single window on the north elevation. We have stripped old pine boards, period fireplace and a picture rail. As the title says we face north to north east, and get evening sun flooding the room from about 5pm but until then it's not a bright room. Our entire house feels quite dark and dull at times so I need to inject some light. Any suggestions much appreciated.

How much of the day time will you spend in the room? Our North facing bedroom is deep pink and off white. It's fine in daylight because the white of the ceiling extends down to the picture rail but the deep pink makes it lovely and cosy in artificial light.

Choosing a colour that brightens a room is more important for a room that's used in daylight, most of the time, than one that isn't.

We have antique white from Dulux in one of ours which is a really light cream.
In the other we splashed out on one from Dulux for dark rooms-light and shade I think the range is called. Can't remember the colour but it wasn't worth the extra.

What I would say, mind, is avoid cold colours and beiges. Beige just looks grey in our north facing rooms. Our livingroom is also North facing and does need brightening up, so we have that painted in a soft yellow (Laura Ashley Camomile)

No, I have a North to North-West room! Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks ourvye, F&B say to go dark and bold or go yellow based. Any paint I buy will prob be colour matched to Johnson's paint.

Ourvye I spend time in the room during the day and evening in parts. I was hoping that if this room is brightened up then it would reflect into the dark hallway. The bedroom is currently a pea green (previous owner's choice).

Thanks for the suggestion Intheround, I will have a look at antique white.

Colour matching farrow & ball is a false economy you don't get the chalky finish and the results can be a bit naff IMO.

I would avoid white and go for the cosy enveloping qualities of darker tones. Avoid cold greys and blues. Neutrals with a hint of red in them would work.

What about light reflecting paint. Dulux gave a range called light and space which reflects more light then normal paints. It comes in Matt etc

Also chalky off whites to help keep the area light. Large mirrors to reflect light. Inject colour with paintings, cushions, sofa - blocks of plain colour and pattern.

Poor coverage with F&B. Try little Greene instead. Much better quality and coverage

Thanks whats4teamum, I've been thinking of going dramatically dark and just working with the light we have rather than fighting it. Re the F&B dupe, my last place was all 100% F&B. This house, the woodwork is F&B eggshell and the emulsion a colour match in a more durable finish and I am honestly delighted with the finish and I can clean it, win win! I have placed a swatch of genuine F&B tester colour over the wall covered in the dupe and you can see absolutely no colour difference but can tell there is a slightly detectable low sheen to the dupe and none on the original. I'm happy with that trade off.

Thiscar, I think little Greene is excellent paint too I'm just sometimes not drawn to their colour range so much. I haven't heard of the dulux range you mentioned, I'll have to have a look.