North facing kitchen - warm tones needed?

[BabCNesbitt]

We have a small, north facing kitchen that never gets any direct sunlight. In an effort to make it seem brighter we painted it a bright yellow (hey, it was our first time choosing paint!) and now we need sunglasses to go in make a cup of tea.

I'm now a convert to the gospel of Farrow and Ball and am in love with Cromarty and Mizzle, having spent too much time looking at people's rooms on Instagram. But am I right in thinking that pale greenish-grey shades like that will just make our kitchen seem cold and drab instead? Any other suggestions for MUTED paint colours for small dark kitchens? Units are white, worktops and floors are both laminate in a kind of bamboo shade - not our choice but stuck with it for now. Thanks!

What about a yellow-toned light green?

We've just painted our north facing kitchen F&B lime white. It's a lovely warm, calm and pale yet bright colour

Pragmatic, do you know of any paint colours like that? I'm trying to imagine it but wonder if it might wind up looking a bit institutional?

TheTeaFairy, thanks, I wouldn't have thought of that one!

Have you looked at the dulux website? You could find a warm neutral there and match it up with something on the F&B palette? You can 'apply' the colours to different rooms to see if they will work or look hideous.

Ha, I spent ages mucking about with the Dukux visualiser app, which is what made us think the yellow was a good idea to start with! I'm not sure I trust my own judgement any more!

Maybe one of the red based neutrals www.farrow-ball.com/red-based-neutrals/content/fcp-content

We have a north facing kitchen which gets no direct sun too. When we bought the house it was bright yellow We have now painted it a kind of pale pastel yellow and it looks much better. We were stuck with duck egg blue units, so didn't have many options, but it works really well....

Amyboo, bright yellow doesn't really work with British light, does it?!

Rosehips, have you had luck with any of these? I'd have to try a tester (which clearly we need to do anyway as we are apparently colourblind) but on the screen those colours look quite beige, "landlord" colours. That said, it was our desire to get away from landlord neutrals that led us to sear off our retinas in the first place, so maybe there's something to be said for that.

I have Dimity, lesser mortals may refer to it as magnolia, but I know better, it is a very sophisticated slightly greyed light peach :)

What about Lichen if you don't want bland? I had it in a dark hallway and it was complimented by just about everyone who saw it. It looks a bit crap on the website but on my wall it was a warm deep olive colour.

@BabCNesbitt what did you go for in the end? I’m having the same dilemma!

I have a yellow and white kitchen and it is fab, when the winter is dark and gloomy it feels like summer. I got quite a few compliments on the color in the winter time the trick is to choose a lighter tone yellow than you think you will need.

@mazzamoo123 We’ve still got the yellow! Other things took priority and we put off painting until next year. I’m kind of getting used to it...

Mouses back?

As long as your worktop is more grey wood than yellow

I have a nw facing kitchen and my plan when I redo it, is to have white walls with a greeny blue glass tiles (more green than blue) or glass splashbacks in the same colour, with wood worktops, white units and pine floor same shade as worktops.

I have Mizzle in a north facing bathroom and it’s wonderful and very smart with white bath and towels etc. I am not sure about a kitchen though. My kitchen faces North and East and we have Pointing which has warmer tones. A warmer grey is Elephants Breath. I gave that in my North and East facing family room, again with white wood etc.

I usually just get a few sample pots! Try them out. Some colours such as Borrowed Light actually reflect light and do light up a darker space. If you look on their web site they have paint families and inspiration.

Agree cream or white tie a timeless look, and counters the northern light. Cream or ivory, given the aspect, probably, as white May look harsh. You could use that pale teal that someone posted as a wall colour in paint? Or any warmer or warmer neutral colour would work against the northern light. I found this, too:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.rockandco.co.uk/blog/colour-schemes-for-a-north-facing-kitchen/amp/

Just painted the cabinets of my north facing kitchen Cromarty. I LOVE it. It is not drab at all.
North facing was the direction of choice for kitchens in the past

I don’t know if you’d like to try contacting Dulux, but a while back when I painted our hallway, it didn’t quite work, so contacted them for help. They helpfully (taking a look at photos) suggested some wonderful shades (used Facebook messenger to speak to someone).

What about Green Ground F&B 206 @BabCNesbitt? I love cromarty but unless you do a big sample I think you won't know. Possibly Pink Ground might we warm but not in-your-face?