Designing with Light: The Best Paint Colors for Rooms with East- and North-Facing Windows

No, north-facing windows are not a curse.

Rooms with north-facing windows pose a challenge for homeowners. Particularly those with east and north-facing windows, because the light shifts drastically throughout the day. From the soft, golden light of morning to the cool, diffused tones that settle in later in the day.

Northern light leans cooler overall, so paint colors often appear grayer or flatter than expected. There is no single perfect paint color for every room with northern light. Rather, the key is to work with color relationships that support the architecture and balance the light.

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Architectural color design is the right approach.

In architectural color design, we focus on how hues interact with form, surface, and natural light. For rooms with eastern and northern light, that often means leaning into light (LRV 60 or higher), hefty beiges, warm whites without too-harsh yellow undertones, or soft greens and blues with warmth in their base. These colors bring gentle depth and allow the space to feel calm and balanced as the light changes.

You’ll need to accept that the color will look different at different times of the day. What we want to avoid are colors getting too dingy or muddy in the easter light, or too stark or washed out in the northern light.

So don’t fret! I can help you find the right white for your complicated space.