The 3 BEST WHITE Paint Colors for North or East-Facing Rooms

CAN YOU PAINT AN EAST OR NORTH-FACING ROOM WHITE?

If you’ve ever tried to pick paint colors for a north or east-facing room, you’ll know what it’s like to bang your head against a wall, chug a vat of wine like a Viking, and scream at the world, begging for friggin’ MERCY. However, creating a welcoming and well-balanced room will be much easier once you understand your room’s needs.

And guess what?

White paint colors aren’t that hard to pick when you have a lil Ginger in your back pocket (I pinch upon request). While you might see hundreds of whites on display, most of these can burn in a pit of disappointment, because that’s how you’ll feel if you use them in your home. Truth be told

Only a SMALL HANDFUL of white paint colors is worth looking at.

Okay, maybe two handfuls (which is what Tim calls me).

But before we understand which whites are best, let’s do a little refresher on east and north-facing light/exposures. Remember, I’m not just here to show you what you can do via pretty pictures; I’m here to TEACH you how to make the best choices for you and your home! And I know many of you have south, or west-facing rooms, or rooms with multiple exposures – don’t worry, we’ll discuss these in another blog post.

NORTH-FACING ROOMS…

• Rooms with northern exposures have a cool gray cast, and because EVERY GRAY HAS UNDERTONES, we aren’t surprised to see a subtle blue here and there.

• North-facing rooms are the COOLEST-looking rooms in a home. And I don’t mean cool like ME in Converse and skinny jeans; I’m talking COLD like Tim’s ex-girlfriend’s heart.

• These spaces don’t get any sun throughout the day. Even if a northern room gets a secondary hit of south/east/west, it’s the DOMINANT northern exposure calling the shots.

• They can look more flat and dull compared to rooms with hits of sunshine, especially if the amount of natural light is limited.

This is a great example of a northeast-facing room with a warm white paint color, and it should be great – it’s our old house!

EAST-FACING ROOMS…

If your east-facing room has a good shot of southern or western light, you might select its colors based on what best suits a south-facing room. This is because enough of these types of lights help offset eastern light’s flatness. However, if your room has dominant eastern exposure (or northeast), here are some points to consider…

• Like northern exposure, eastern light can be flat and drab, but only in the afternoon
• While east-facing rooms can be bright in the morning, it’s not a yellow-orange-pink warmth like southern or western sunshine (which leans that much warmer in the afternoon)

I love to show RELATEABLE & REAL homes, so I ONLY use photos from my Online Color Consulting clients. This means I don’t always have the quality/range of pics I need, but DEFINITELY have some SUPER helpful info to help you on your way!

THE MANY TYPES OF WHITE PAINT COLORS

What’s the difference between a good white and a bad white? (I prefer Pinot Gris myself.) How do you know which white is right and which white is wrong? And why does it matter – isn’t WHITE WHITE? HELLLLS no.

There are 5 MAIN TYPES OF WHITE. However, this blog post focuses on THREE in particular – cool, true, and warm. If you aren’t sure which type of white you hope to use, you may want to read the linked blog post before going any further. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

Now, starting with COOL white paint colors…

COOL WHITE PAINT COLORS IN EAST OR NORTH-FACING ROOMS

In the wild world of whites, there are a few popular ones, including Sherwin Williams Extra White, Benjamin Moore Decorators White, Benjamin Moore Super White, and Sherwin Williams Ceiling Bright White.

If you paint a room with northern or eastern exposure a COOL white paint color…

1. The room will look even colder than it already does; you’re giving it a double-whammy (not to be confused with Tim’s favorite Friday night move, also called ‘the double-whammy’). While east-facing rooms will brighten up with a vague warmth in the morning hours, in the afternoon, you’ll be left with chalky-looking walls.

2. Cool northern light can glorify any cool undertones in your white paint color.

I mean, each to their own, but DAMN THAT’S GONNA LOOK COLD!

You might hope to see photos of my north-facing client’s homes painted in cool whites, but I don’t have many.

Why?

Because I RARELY advise it. And if I do, it’s for a pretty specific reason. For example, I have a client who wanted a ‘whole home’ white paint color, and because her home is primarily SOUTH-facing, we chose the cool white look of Benjamin Moore Super White. Luckily, the only space in her home that receives north-facing light is the entryway, in which Super White looks a little lackluster. Sure, it’s still a stunning space, but I’d be turning that light on for some passive warm light.

Now, look how different Super White looks in her south-facing dining room…

• FOYER: Super White looks NOT-so-super white as it picks up a gray cast, with a dull, flatness (chalky).

• DINING ROOM: Super White looks WARMER than its roots suggest via the warmth of the south-facing light. In fact, the cool approach of Super White is adding some balance to the warm southern rays. This has Super White looking more warm and welcoming.

This shows how the same paint color can look DRASTICALLY different via opposing light sources and why choosing your white carefully MATTERS!

Now, let’s chat about TRUE white paint colors…

TRUE & BRIGHT WHITE COLORS IN NORTH OR EAST-FACING ROOMS

True and bright white paint colors are among the most popular, second to warm whites. These whites include Sherwin Williams High Reflective White, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, and Behr Ultra Pure White.

Because true whites don’t have an allegiance to being warm or cool, they’ll pick up what their environment is throwing down. This means that in a north-facing room, a true white could look pretty darn cold and quite similar to a cool white.

In an east-facing room, true or bright whites could generally look ‘white’ in the morning with a bit of softness to them. However, your white walls could look flat and chalky in the afternoon.

This isn’t to say a color like High Reflective White can’t be GORGEOUS; it just needs the right exposure and surrounding finishes…

Again, you won’t see many photos of this application because it’s not usually advised. This doesn’t mean YOU can’t do it; it’s just not a common choice simply because it doesn’t add balance to an already cold-looking room; it weighs the scales heavily to one side.

As shown in this next room, while Sherwin Williams High Reflective White has a super high LRV and is quite a genuine white, it’s not for every room, and usually benefits from a wee bit of sunshine (don’t we all…).

The redeeming feature of true white paint colors in north-facing rooms is that once the sun goes down, you’ll be left with the original white you wanted, a simple one that will be affected by the Kelvins of your interior lighting, which is easier to control.

CAN YOU PAINT A NORTH OR EAST-FACING ROOM A TRUE WHITE?

Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace is the only white that’s CLOSE to true white that I would consider for a north or east-facing room. This is because Chantilly Lace has a touch of softness, while still ‘acting like a pretty legit shade of white.’ All other true whites are too cold for this cowgirl.

However, if you really want a cool, crisp look, you might like a clean white or one with a hint of gray or cool undertones. And, in fact, there is the odd duck who LOVES this look – that cool combination of northern exposure and stark or cold white paint gives an icy, edgy look (I hear Elsa is a big fan).

Sherwin Williams High Reflective White

However, I’ve found that when I have Color Consulting clients who’re (the apostrophe in that word is important) looking for a nice white for their north-facing room, they’re usually looking to lighten and brighten. They want to add life without adding color, coldness, OR overwhelming warmth.

And the BEST way to do this is with THE RIGHT WHITE!

Sherwin Williams Pure White

Are you confused yet? Have another glass.

THE BEST SHADES OF WHITE FOR NORTH OR EAST-FACING ROOMS

If you ask ME (which you kind of are), the best white paint colors for a north-facing room are WARM WHITES, as they help balance the cool light coming into the windows (we’ll check out the shortlist in a minute.)

Sherwin Williams Pure White  / Western Exposures Photography

Another important note is that cool northern light will STILL LEAN a warm white towards the cooler side. This means your warm white won’t look as warm as it would in another room with a warmer exposure.

I’m going to hit that baby one more time…

Cool northern light will still lean a warm white towards the cooler side. This means your warm white won’t look as warm as it would in a room with warmer exposure. 

However…

a) the warmth of the white can help balance the cooling effect of northern light, often creating a great happy medium, balancing the scales

b) you have flexibility based on how WARM the white is that you choose – the warmer the white, the more it will counteract the effect of cool northern light

In this next room, Pure White looks considerably warmer in a room with decent southern light…

However, notice how the warmth falls back in a room with cooler lighting…

1.  If you don’t like warm whites, choose a white that’s only slightly warm, knowing that the gray-blue of the northern light will cancel out a lot of the warmth, making the walls look cooler in the process, but not ICY cold like a true or cool white would. When natural light isn’t in play in the evening, you’ll choose the KELVINS you want to get the desired look.

2.  If you like warm whites, you might want to lean into a slightly warmer white than not, knowing that the northern light will try to pull it to the cool side. The warmer your white is, the better it will counteract the cool gray-blue light.

Now, the above information is really the meat n’ potatoes of this blog post – are you ready for the GRAVY?

1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS PURE WHITE 7005

I LOVE PURE WHITE – wait, was that my inside voice? Trust me, there are MANY things I say that should be kept inside my head, right, Mom? Anyway.

If you’re having a mental battle between WANTING a clean, crisp white and understanding that it could hold your room back visually, Pure White could be a PERFECT choice. Remember, you WILL lose a lot of its already passive warmth, but at least it won’t look ICY cold like a true or cool white will.

CHECK OUT THIS WHOLE HOME IN PURE WHITE!

In a north-facing room, Pure White WILL lose most, if not all, of its warmth. HOWEVER, what makes this an interesting option is that some of you don’t want an ‘overtly warm white’; you just don’t want a cold icy one. For this reason, Pure White could hit the spot.

Pure White will look gorgeous in a space with morning eastern light – not overly warm, just simple. In the afternoon, it will lose much of its warmth, just like in northern exposure. PERSONALLY, I’d choose a warmer white, but it’s NOT ALL ABOUT ME (not all the time, anyway). I’m just here to show you the options and what they might do.

Pure White has an LRV of 84, so while its name might suggest a BRIGHT white, it’s considerably soft. However, if, like me, you want to add some visible warmth to your east or north-facing room, Pure White MIGHT not be warm enough, in which case, keep on reading…

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Pure White

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER

• Benjamin Moore Oxford White (personally, I think Pure White is WAY prettier)

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF PURE WHITE

2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ALABASTER 7008

Alabaster is a lovely, warm white paint color. However, if you’re HOPING for ‘legit’ white walls, it’s a bit farther away than the others. This is because Alabaster has an LRV of 82, so it has a bit more meat on its lovely lil bones. Along with this meat is a soft cream base (cream being a yellow color with neutral added to calm it down).

In a north-facing room, Alabaster has the warmth to offset that cool gray light. Could your walls look a TOUCH creamy? That’s open to perception. However, if you’re looking for a softer approach to white, Alabaster could hit the spot.

This next photo shows Alabaster with true white trim. If you want Alabaster to look warmer and creamier, partner it with a white like Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace. However, if you want it to look like a ‘soft, warm white,’ make sure you paint your trim the SAME as the walls, as this makes Alabaster’s undertones look more subtle.

In this next kitchen, the cabinets, trims, and walls are all Alabaster, creating a simpler, seamless, and less creamy look…

In an east-facing room, Alabaster will look smooth like butter (without as much yellow) in the morning light, and again, its warmth will take away some of the dullness of afternoon eastern light.

FULL Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Alabaster

The reception of my client’s office – Eddins Counseling

Alabaster is on the built-ins, and fireplace surround

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF ALABASTER

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER

• Sherwin Williams Greek Villa
• Sherwin Williams Cotton

3. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOVE OC-17

White Dove is a WICKED gorgeous, warm white. It’s a soft white, not a bright or true one, with a beautiful warmth that does a great job counteracting cool gray-blue northern light without going overly yellow as some more dominant warm whites can.

As for White Dove in east-facing rooms, its warmth helps offset the afternoon light’s flatness. It also happens to look GORGEOUS in the east-facing morning light.

White Dove doors and trims with Benjamin Moore Ballet White walls

White Dove has an LRV of 83.16, so it’s definitely in the white range, just on the lower end of it. This means that your walls won’t be crisp and clean, but will have a gentle warmth (I have it in my own home).

Not sure what LRV is? It could SAVE YOUR PAINT-LOVIN’ LIFE – check it out here.

In this next space, I worried we’d get a lot of green reflecting onto the walls from the exterior. Instead, White Dove is holding itself quite well on the walls, trims, and ceiling…

This next room gets an equal balance of north and south-facing light, and look at how AWESOME White Dove is at humoring both…

Get your PEEL & STICK SAMPLE OF WHITE DOVE HERE! 

YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER

• Sherwin Williams Cheviot
• Benjamin Moore Cloud White, which is a bit warmer, lighter, and creamier than White Dove
• Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee, which is VERY comparable to White Dove

FULL Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore White Dove

Now, let’s count what we’ve got here…

THREE GREAT shades of white to choose from, SIX alternatives (for backup)

As I mentioned earlier, only a HANDFUL of white paint colors are worth looking at (for ANY room or project). And from these nine white shades, I bet you can narrow it down further based on how much warmth you want to be left on your walls once the northern or eastern light has done its job.

WANT MORE WARMTH?

There’s a good chance that even with the soft, warm whites mentioned above, you’re still not getting the warmth you want to see on your walls. If so, you may want to explore the following warm white and cream paint colors…

SHERWIN WILLIAMS CREAMY 7012

Creamy is one of my true loves. But FULL DISCLOSURE…I also love Ryan Reynolds (or Gosling), white wine, Moana, Cornuts, AND…Creamy, which is actually an off-white, not a white.

That’s right, Creamy is an off-white paint color, which means it has more junk in its truck – junk in the form of a creamy base. BUT HOT DAMN, IT’S PRETTY!

If your room has south-facing or afternoon western sunshine, Creamy could be MORE than you’re looking for – not just in color, but in depth. However, its lovely creamy warmth is a great way to balance cool light coming in north-facing windows or that flat afternoon eastern sunshine.

FIND ME REVIEWING THESE WHITES ON YOUTUBE TOO! 

SHERWIN WILLIAMS DOVER WHITE 6385

Dover White offers a legitimate commitment to cream, meaning you’ll see more yellow. Remember that the more yellow you go, the harder it can be to transition your style down the road, should you do a color like Dover White on your walls AND your trims and doors (read more about this here).

In this next photo, at the very top, as well as the baseboard, you can see a strip of white trim that’s brighter than the Dover White walls – this helps you see how warm Dover White is. If I were to use Dover White on my walls, I would do this, rather than using it on my walls AND trims (just for versatility – I don’t want Dover White trim.)

WHITE PAINT COLORS & DARK ROOMS (REGARDLESS OF EXPOSURE)

While white will brighten up ANY space, even a dark one, don’t expect it to save the day…

If you have a dark east or north-facing room or dark hallway (shown above), white can be a great choice…as long as you have a great interior lighting plan. If you don’t, you MIGHT want to look at colors with more color or chroma. Adding COLOR to the walls of a dark room, regardless of its exposure, can be a great way to give it personality.

White paint colors in a dark room, without enough interior lighting, often look like cheap primer.

So, there you have it! Of course, there are MANY more awesome colors to check out, but hopefully, these whites get you pointed in the right direction.

READ MORE

The 5 Most Fool-Proof White Paint Colors

The ULTIMATE GUIDE to Choosing White Paint Colors

The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors

Color Review: Benjamin Moore Simply White

The 3 Best White Paint Colors for Cabinets

The Best Paint Colors for East-Facing Rooms

LET ME PICK YOUR PAINT COLORS!

Check out my Online Color Consulting packages! 

Chat soon,

Originally written in 2017, MASSIVELY updated in 2023