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The Importance of Light in Interior Design: How Interior Designers choose Paint Colours

In interior design, one of the most crucial elements to master is lighting. The way light interacts with a space can transform everything from how...
The Importance of Light in Interior Design: How Interior Designers choose Paint Colours

In interior design, one of the most crucial elements to master is lighting. The way light interacts with a space can transform everything from how we perceive depth to the energy a room radiates. Most importantly, light affects paint colours, making it essential for designers to carefully consider how both natural and artificial light influence their choices.

Natural Light: Changing Moods Throughout the Day

Natural light is dynamic, changing in intensity, tone, and angle throughout the day. These shifts have a direct impact on how paint colours are perceived, which is something every interior designer should account for.

  • Morning Light: In the early hours, natural light tends to be cooler and softer. This makes colours appear lighter and more muted, perfect for achieving a calm and serene interior. For example, a soft blue may look even more pastel and peaceful in morning light.
  • Afternoon Sunlight: As the sun moves across the sky, the light becomes warmer and brighter. Warm colours like beige, yellow, or terracotta will appear richer and more vibrant, perfect for creating an inviting living room design.
  • North-Facing Rooms: Spaces with north-facing windows tend to receive cooler, indirect light. This can make rooms feel a bit colder, especially if painted in cooler tones like grey or blue. Interior designers often recommend using warmer shades—creams, warm neutrals, or soft yellows—to bring balance and cosiness to these rooms.
  • South-Facing Rooms: On the other hand, south-facing rooms receive the most direct sunlight throughout the day. This warm, bright light can support deeper, bolder paint choices. Darker hues, like navy or charcoal, thrive in south-facing rooms, where the natural light helps prevent them from feeling too oppressive.

By understanding how natural light affects colour, designers can select the best paint colours to enhance the mood and ambience they wish to create in a room. For example, a well-lit space can handle deep jewel tones, while a dimly lit room might benefit from light, warm neutrals to keep it feeling cosy.

The Role of Artificial Light: Shaping Colour Perception After Dark

Artificial lighting also plays a significant role in how paint colours appear once the sun sets. The type of lighting—whether warm or cool—directly affects how a paint colour looks.

  • Warm Lighting (Incandescent or Tungsten): Warm bulbs emit a yellowish, soft light. This enhances warm-toned paints like beige, peach, or terracotta, making them appear even more vibrant and cosy. However, this type of lighting can dull cooler colours, making blues and greys look flat or murky.
  • Cool Lighting (LED or Fluorescent): Cool, bluish light from LEDs or fluorescent bulbs has the opposite effect. It sharpens cooler tones, making shades like blue, green, and violet more vivid. However, it can wash out warm hues, causing them to appear harsher or more sterile.

Designers need to test how paint colours appear under artificial lighting conditions to ensure that the chosen hues maintain their intended effect after dark. After all, a paint colour that looks perfect during the day may appear completely different under artificial light.

Testing Colours: The Key to Achieving the Perfect Vibe

Because of the complex relationship between light and paint, professional designers always test paint samples in various spots and under different lighting conditions before committing to a final colour.

  • Test in Different Locations: Designers place samples on multiple walls to observe how the light changes throughout the room.
  • Check at Different Times of Day: By evaluating a colour in the morning, afternoon, and evening, designers can predict how the paint will shift in hue and intensity over time.
  • Artificial Light Testing: Designers also check how a paint colour looks under the room’s artificial lighting sources, ensuring it meets the desired interior design aesthetic after dark.

This thorough testing process is essential for creating a space that looks consistently beautiful, no matter the time of day or type of lighting.

Conclusion: Why Designers Always Plan for Light

The way paint colours look is never static—they evolve with the changing light. Skilled interior designers know that light can either enhance or distort a colour, which is why they carefully evaluate how both natural and artificial lighting will affect the space.

By understanding the nuances of lighting in interior design, designers can ensure the paint colours they select complement the room's overall ambience at all times, creating a harmonious and intentional design. Whether you’re brightening a north-facing room or deepening the drama of a sun-soaked living space, the right light knowledge can make all the difference in achieving the perfect interior design.