How to Choose Paint Colors for a Room with TWO Exposures

NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, WEST: ROOMS WITH 2 -3 EXPOSURES

Just when you thought picking a paint color couldn’t get any harder, you have to deal with your room’s exposure. And if you have a room with windows on different walls, you won’t just have one exposure; you’ll have two or even THREE exposures to battle with. But let me add that personally, I would only expose myself ONCE – and then I would run like mad.

While I’ve written a blog post for each exposure and a fantastic summary of all four, I haven’t explored dual exposures. So, that’s what we’re doing today!

You’ll first want to examine your room with two (or more) exposures/windows and consider the following…

1. WHICH EXPOSURE IS THE PRIORITY?

The exposure that matters the most is OFTEN, the one coming in the largest windows. However, even if the windows are larger, if there are hedges, trees, an overhang, or your neighbor’s house blocking the direct flow of natural light, priorities can shift.

In the above space, the patio door’s exposure is the DOMINANT source of light.

2. WHAT ARE YOUR PREFERENCES?

If you have two more exposures, you might be dealing with warm AND cool colors regarding your paint options. You might want to consider which end of the color wheel you prefer and which exposure it relates best to.

If you need to brush up on the details of your independent exposures, click the link below (there are more links to this later on, don’t worry). Otherwise, let’s get going!

Summary of Exposures: North, East, South, West; which paint color is the best?

ROOMS WITH NORTH & WEST-FACING WINDOWS

A room with both north and west exposures will have a gray light with cool undertones – this NORTHERN-influenced light is consistent throughout the day. In the morning, this will be joined by an additional flat light (western morning), and in the afternoon, it can be somewhat balanced by the warm western rays coming in (depending on how large the west-facing windows are).

Sherwin Williams Alabaster is magic for a north-facing space! 

• If the northern windows are smaller and the western light plays a bigger part, I would look at both the best paint colors for northern exposures and west-facing paint colors and see which ones settle best and suit your tastes/interior, keeping in mind that even though western light is bright in the afternoon, it’s pretty flat in the morning.

• If your windows are similar in size, I would focus more on paint colors for north-facing rooms, as they should also satisfy west-facing light.

The Best Paint Colors for North-Facing Rooms

ROOMS WITH NORTH & EAST-FACING WINDOWS

A room with both north and east exposures will have that cool gray light all day via the northern light. In the morning, this light will be brightened by the eastern sunlight. This same morning light will begin to wash things out at the height of the day (depending on how big the window is). In the afternoon, the east-facing light will be comparable to the north-facing light in its lack of warmth and depth. 

Neutrals like Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige can fall flat in low-light north or east-facing rooms.

• I would prioritize the north-facing light as long as the windows are larger than the east-facing ones. This means you’d want to focus on paint colors for north-facing rooms.

• If the exposures are ‘equal opportunity,’ I would look at the recommended paint colors for north AND east-facing paint colors and see which ones suit your tastes best! Remember that the north-facing light might slightly gray out your paint options, an important point in the cooler range.

 Can I Paint My North Facing Room White?

ROOMS WITH SOUTH & WEST-FACING WINDOWS

Rooms that are both south and west-facing receive warm southern light throughout the day and extra warm light in the west-facing afternoon. The resulting room will be cozy and inviting, but it could become a bit too toasty if you also overdose on warm paint colors.

The flatter, west-facing morning light will flatten things a bit in the morning hours with its lack of sunshine. This will balance off the warmth and brightness of the southern exposure, but as you get close to noon, this type of light can really wash out colors—but only temporarily! In the afternoon, the western light will add to the warm glory of the southern light, making this room toasty!

Benjamin Moore Steel Wool offers balance to both southern and western exposures. 

• If the southern light plays a smaller part in the lighting scheme due to smaller windows, I would focus more on paint colors for western exposures, but check out south too and see which best suits your tastes/interior finishings.

• If your windows are similar in size, or even if the south-facing window is slightly bigger, I would look at both south-facing paint color options AND west-facing color options and see which ones best suit your tastes.

The Best Paint Colors for West-Facing Rooms

The Best Paint Colors for South-Facing Rooms

ROOMS WITH SOUTH & EAST-FACING WINDOWS

A room with windows on the southern and eastern walls will generally look warm. Eastern light in the morning is brighter with a gentle wink of warmth (I love morning Eastern light). As the day progresses, direct sunlight from the south adds a ton of visual warmth to a space and washes out paint colors at the height of the day. Eastern light has the same washing-out effect (at noon).

Sherwin Williams Pure White is a gorgeous choice for southern light but loses some of its warmth in the eastern sun

But have no fear; once that midday sun shifts, things will come back. The flatter afternoon eastern light can help to soften the super warm southern rays throughout the afternoon.

A gray like Sherwin Williams Silverplate calms down southern light but can fall flat in eastern.

• If the windows are comparable in size, I might consider the paint colors recommended for east-facing rooms, as south-facing light can be easier to please. Remember that any OVERLY warm color will look extra toasty in the southern sun.

• If the east-facing windows are bigger and the southern windows are smaller, I would probably lean on colors for east-facing rooms. Soooo – EAST WINS!

Visit the SAMPLIZE Peel & Stick site HERE

ROOMS WITH NORTH & SOUTH-FACING WINDOWS

A room with windows on the southern wall AND the northern wall will have warm undertones (yellow) in the south end and cool undertones (gray with a slight blue) in the northern end – mixing in a hot mess in the middle. This is often found in open-concept homes or single rooms with windows on either end of the room.

Benjamin Moore White Dove is a well-balanced, warm shade of white

• In this case, you could pay more attention to your PERSONAL PREFERENCES!  If you don’t like cool paint colors, you may want to focus on colors that suit northern exposure (warm colors). If you aren’t a fan of WARM colors, you may want to focus on the paint colors that best suit a SOUTH-facing space (cool colors).

• Or you can find a happy medium with a beautiful taupe or greige paint color that nods to both ends of your room – you won’t be overly warm or cool!

This next room is a blazingly good example of a room with both north and south-facing light…

Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Snowbound

PAINT COLORS FOR ROOMS WITH 3 EXPOSURES

If you have a room with THREE exposures, focus on the dominant exposure via window size or quality of light coming in (i.e., no landscaping blocking the light).

If your windows offer relatively equal amounts of light, forget about your exposures and focus on the colors that suit you and your interior finishes—have fun!

Benjamin Moore Ballet White is popular for many exposures, as long as you have enough natural light! 

And all of that being said, if you are CONFUSED, you know who to call…the Ginga Ninja.

READ MORE

The Ultimate Guide to Paint Colors & Undertones

Can I Paint My North Facing Room White?

The 12 Best Whole Home Greige & Gray Paint Colors

North, South, East, West, Which Paint Color is The Best?

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ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2018, AWESOMELY UPDATED IN 2024