Every room has its own unique relationship with natural light, and understanding this dynamic can make the difference between a vibrant atmosphere and a serene space. From rooms facing north, south, east or west, to spaces without windows. Follow this guide below and choose shades to paint a room based on its orientation.
How do I know the orientation of my room?
There are different ways to discover the orientation of our room, to do this you can follow these simple methods below.
- Compass Use: Use a compass to identify the cardinal direction. Place it in the center of the room and observe which cardinal point the magnetic needle points to.
- Sun Observation: Observe the direction that sunlight comes in during different times of the day. In the morning, the sun usually rises in the east. At noon, it will be further south. In the afternoon, it sets to the west.
- Construction Plans: Consult the construction plans or architectural design of the house. Typically, these documents include room orientation.
- Apps and websites: You can use mobile apps or websites that provide information about the direction and position of the sun at a specific location. Some applications allow you to view the solar path on a given day for your location.
Now that you know the orientation of your space, dive into this practical guide to Chalk Paint to discover how to paint your room by choosing between light, medium and dark tones. Let's do it!
Light tones
North orientation: If your room faces this way, it will receive the least amount of natural sunlight. The light that will enter will generally have a colder tone, for this, you can opt for colors with a warmer hue that balances the cold natural light that enters, giving a warmer welcome to your spaces with colors such as NUDE.
East orientation: You will get more natural light in the morning, as the sun rises. As the day progresses, this light will fade and become colder. Opt for warmer but balanced colors, for example, ROSE WHIM, which will complement the changes in light throughout the day.
South orientation: These rooms receive the most natural light throughout the day and will be warmer and brighter, creating more shadows in your space. You can usually choose any color in these spaces, but to balance out that bright, warm sunlight, opt for a color with a cooler undertone, such as CRYSTAL BLUE o SMOOTH GRAY.
West orientation: You'll get a brighter, warmer night glow as the sun sets. Lean on warm tones if you use those spaces mainly in the mornings or balance them by using colors with a gray undertone in the spaces that you use more in the evenings with LONDON GRAY o CRYSTAL BLUE.
Medium tones
North orientation: The room will receive the least amount of natural sunlight and the light that does come in will generally have a cooler tone. Opt for warmer colors to balance that north-facing light, but don't be afraid to opt for bolder tones balanced with your favorite neutrals to liven up the room as PEACH o ICE GREEN.
East orientation: If your room faces this way, it will receive the least amount of natural sunlight. The light that will come in will generally have a cooler tone, so balance the morning light with colors that have a soft gray undertone, like all of these, but be sure to add some warmth through shades like ROSE WHIM o BAMBOO GREEN, to balance that cooler afternoon light.
South orientation: These rooms receive the most natural light throughout the day and will be warmer and brighter, creating more shadows in your space. Virtually any color works in this space, but if you want to balance that warmer natural light, opt for a cooler color with more gray and blue or green undertones, and mixes between beige and gray like OLD BEIGE.
West orientation: You'll get a brighter, warmer night glow as the sun sets. This one tends to be more red and orange in tone, but cooler in the mornings. Unlike East Facing, West Facing balances the warm colors of the night with a cooler undertone, but again, don't be afraid of warmer tones to create a super cozy feel, especially in bedrooms and living rooms.
Spaces without windows: These rooms receive little to no natural light and rely on artificial light, so keep in mind the color of the bulb you choose: blue light or warm light. Spaces such as ground floor toilets, laundry rooms and pantries are the perfect places to dare with color and choose a vibrant medium tone with a lot of character such as Marsala.
Dark shades
North orientation: The room will receive the least amount of natural sunlight and the little that does enter will generally have a cooler tone. The temptation is to always opt for lighter tones in north-facing rooms, but don't be afraid to opt for darker tones to create a warm and cozy feeling in living rooms, bedrooms or dining rooms.
East orientation: You'll get more natural light in the morning as the sun rises, which becomes cooler and duller as the day progresses. Balance morning light in bedrooms and bathrooms with colors that have a soft gray undertone, such as SMOOTH GRAY, or warm up night spaces with intense reds, greens and yellows like OCHER SAHARA o BOHO STRAWBERRY.
South orientation: These rooms receive the most natural light throughout the day and will be warmer and brighter, creating more shadows in your space. Balance naturally warm light with colors that have a softer blue or gray undertone, such as URBAN GRAY. Warm greens and decadent purples like HIPPY CHIC They also work wonderfully, as they really come to life in natural light.
West orientation: You'll get a brighter, warmer night glow as the sun sets. This one tends to be more red and orange in tone, but cooler in the mornings. To balance the warm light at night, opt for a balanced color like ICE GREEN, or add more warmth to your living room or bedroom with a deep orange like SUNSET or BAMBOO GREEN.
Spaces without windows: These rooms receive little to no natural light and rely on artificial light, so keep in mind the color of the bulb you choose: blue light or warm light. Colors in these spaces may generally appear darker, so opt for a mid-tone such as KYOTO GRAY o OLD BEIGE It's a great way to include richer tones without making low-lit spaces feel too dark.
We hope that this guide has helped you understand how to paint a room according to its orientation through the appropriate colors. Don't forget to share your creations with us through our networks, tag us so we can admire and share your creativity!
