The best paint color for south facing rooms

Did you know that the direction the windows face effects how the wall color looks? Here are the best paint colors for south facing rooms!

Picking paint colors is tough enough – you have to think about the style and look you are going for and swatch colors in your real space.

But, one factor you might not be considering is the direction that your room faces.

This is actually a really important factor in how colors appear in your actual space!

Why does lighting matter?

The amount of light that a room gets significantly effects how colors look in that room.

The direction of the windows in a room directly effect how much light a room will get – and how long that light will last throughout the day.

It’s important to understand which way your windows face when you are choosing paint colors and to understand the implications of that direction!

• The best paint colors for north facing rooms
• The best paint colors for south facing rooms
• The best paint colors for east facing rooms
• The best paint colors for west facing rooms

How do I know which way my room faces?

First, identify the wall in your room that has the most windows.

Then, whip out your compass (there are compass apps for your phone if you don’t have one! Even the map app will have a compass!)

Point the compass at the wall you identified with the most or biggest windows. Whichever way it is pointing is the direction that your room faces!

South facing room lighting

Southern facing rooms get bright light all throughout the day. They are usually the most naturally bright rooms of all room orientations.

Remember that bright, southern light is going to wash out a lot of paint colors. It tends to make colors appear 1-2 shades lighter than they actually are. So, light grays can read as white and dark navy reads bluer.

Is Southern light warm or cool?

The light that comes from southern facing windows is warmer toned, meaning lots of yellow and golden light.

What paint finish is best for south facing room?

South facing rooms are brighter, so anything with a shine to it will show a glare. I’d stick to eggshell or flat paint to avoid a weird look.

Can I paint a south facing room dark?

Because southern facing rooms get so much bright light all day long, they are the easiest space to pull off a darker wall color. The natural light will brighten it a bit and make it feel less cavernous!

What color is best for south facing room?

Southern facing rooms are a bit magical and can pull off almost any paint color.

However, I like to stick to colors that are neutral to a bit cool. Warm toned colors + that warm southern light can read very yellow very quickly!

Here are the best white, gray, neutral, and bold south facing room paint colors!

What white paint colors are best for south facing rooms?

I would steer clear of any white paint that feels creamy, because it can feel yellow in warm, southern light. Stick to something cooler instead.

Some of my favorite cool white paint colors include:

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
• Behr Ultra Pure White
• Sherwin Williams Snowbound

Here are all of my favorite cool white paint colors!

What gray paint colors are best for south facing rooms?

Southern facing rooms are perfect for pairing with blue-gray paint colors. The warm light will tone down the blue so they won’t feel cold, but cozy instead!

I also suggest a gray with a bit of color depth to it – anything super light (LRV above 75 or so) will look really washed out – almost white. If you want some color on your walls, you need something slightly darker!

Some of my favorite blue gray paint colors include:

• Benjamin Moore Comet
• Benjamin Moore Gentle Gray
• Sherwin Williams Online
• Sherwin Williams Morning Fog

Here are all of my favorite blue gray paint colors!

What neutral paint colors are best for south facing rooms?

For neutrals, stick to colors that are more silvery than beige.

Some of my favorite cool neutral paint colors include:

• Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
• Sherwin Williams Hazel
• Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
• Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

What bold paint colors are best for south facing rooms?

When picking a bolder wall color, I once again recommend something with cool undertones. Blues are easy – pick something with gray undertones and it will hardly read blue at all but much more neutral.

Some of my favorite cool bold paint colors include:

• Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal
• Behr NYPD (or any navy blue)
• Sherwin Williams Cityscape
• Sherwin Williams Upward
• Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue

What colors should you avoid in south facing rooms?

I personally prefer to steer clear of any colors with a lot of yellow or golden undertones to them. When paired with the southern light, the yellow is exaggerated and can read as very yellow!

Southern Facing Room Paint Color Palette

Thanks for reading!

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