North facing kitchen diner, is it really cold and dark?

FreeBear

Greymug said:

I have a north facing kitchen and it is a bit cold, although I put it down to the previous owners that only put 2 radiators when they did a big extension

My kitchen is also north facing and noticeably cooler than the rest of the house during the winter (by about 1°C). Plenty of downlights and a very pale light colour on the walls makes it more inviting. Not having any wall units also gives the impression that it is larger than it really is.

Scotbot

My kitchen diner is north facing. Whilst cooler than the south facing living room it isn't cold. The radiator keeps it warm  plus when the oven and the drier in the adjoining utility are on they warm it up. Frankly in the summer it would be too hot if it were south facing. It's not dark either as there are  large windows and the units are a light colour. Not as bright as the south facing rooms but certainly not dark.
On the plus side the  living room faces south and is brighter and warmer, on a sunny winter's day I don't  need heating. In a north facing house half of the rooms will be south facing. It all depends on your lifestyle, personally  I would much rather have a bright living area.

poolboy

I have a south facing single aspect flat, opposite is a north facing single aspect flat.  My tenant lives in shorts and t shirt all year with no heating.  Opposite the poor chap must live in a duffle coat, it must be freezing.  Mine is bathed in sunlight, no way I would buy the opposite.  My own house is south facing, I am tapping away in the sunlight looking at the view.