How to make your room feel warmer WITHOUT upgrading your home heating

Change your paint, obviously!

I know it’s actually not that obvious. But believe it or not, it is true!

We’ve all been there when we’ve decorated a room in a new home, or just re-decorated because we wanted a change. But the worst part is when it’s all finished, with new curtains, new sofas, and new lighting. But something just doesn’t feel right, and the room doesn’t give the ‘warm hug’ feeling that you were after, leaving you with a cold feeling 24/7. Well, your wall colour could be the answer!

So, can the wall colour really make the temperature increase?

Strictly speaking, no. The temperature won’t change, but the feeling will. It sounds ridiculous but there’s a lot of science (and psychology) to back it up!

Every colour has a ‘psychological temperature.’

This simply means that some shades feel warm and comforting like they’re wrapping the room in a big hug. While others feel cold and crisp, creating a fresh and airy feeling.

Even if your heating is working perfectly fine and effectively heating your space, your brain will still associate different colours with different temperatures. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to trick yourself, it’s just about creating the exact atmosphere that you want!

If you want a room that feels snug and comforting all year round, your wall colour is one of the easiest and most powerful changes you can make.

What colour should I paint my room?

Guessing that was your next question!

Don’t let the term ‘warm colours’ put you off. You don’t need to drench your room in sunset orange, unless that’s what you’re going for.

If you want a warm tone, there are plenty more to choose from, and here are just a handful:

• Terracotta – Earthy, rich, and surprisingly easy to live with. It brings natural warmth without feeling too bold.

• Soft Mustard – A muted yellow that adds sunshine without being too loud.

• Burnt Orange – Deep enough to feel sophisticated, but still gives that instant cosy glow.

• Rusty Reds – More muted than primary red, and brilliant for creating depth and warmth.

• Warm Neutrals – Think taupe, caramel, and beige with a hint of pink or orange undertone. Calm, cosy, and very versatile.

If painting the entire room at once sounds a bit too daunting, start with some smaller touches. For example a warm-toned throw and cushions, or a rug. Maybe even a feature wall? That way you can test the paint colour on an actual wall. Each of these will still shift the feeling and create a ‘warmer’ environment. Another alternative is to think about lighting. Warm white lights create a more comforting feeling than bright white. If combined with some other warm-toned accents, this could change the whole atmosphere of a room!

How to make your room feel truly warm!

Now that we’ve had a flashback to learning about the colour wheel in school, we can move on to rounding up this atmosphere. Even if warm paint and accents are added to a room, we can’t expect the temperature to rise - not without effective heating. 

Don’t get me wrong, if your radiators don’t heat up quickly enough. Or if they only heat the little area they’re sat in, or can’t keep a steady temperature, no amount of burnt orange paint will make the room feel complete. It’d be like sitting in your fluffy dressing gown, directly next to an open window. You’ll still feel the cold creeping in!After working hard to make your room look the way you want it, here’s what you need to make it feel just as welcoming:

• Quick heat-up times - Your heating should be warm when you need it, not be heating up while you sit waiting and getting colder.

• Consistent, steady warmth - No more cold patches.

• Quiet running - No constant noise ruining the atmosphere.

• Smart controls - Fit the heating around your day, not the other way around.

Just to take it one step further, the colour of your radiator could make a huge difference too. Luckily, we offer over 1625 colours here at Trust. Finding an efficient and effective heating solution shouldn’t mean compromising on colour or style! You can even match it to your fresh newly painted walls.

Bringing warmth to life

So, we’ve established that a warm room isn’t just about the numbers on the thermostat, it’s about creating a space that feels cosy, welcoming and inviting as soon as you open the door.

A simple change like switching up your wall colour can make a bigger difference than you’d think, and pairing it with good, reliable heating brings it all together properly. The kind of warmth you can feel, not just measure!

So if your room still feels a bit “off” after decorating, it might not be your furniture, your lighting, or even your curtains. It could be the colour on your walls — or the radiator you rely on every day. We can help you with this one! Click here to book a consultation, or give us a call to speak to the team first.

Get both working in your favour and trust us, you’ll never want to leave the sofa.

Tags: Tips.