East Facing Bedroom Colors That Work in Morning and Afternoon Light
An east-facing bedroom gets bright, warm light in the morning and cooler, flatter light after noon. Soft, airy neutrals handle both. The four wall colors below range from LRV 53 to 75, and the two deep colors are for furniture and wood.
Quick answer
Use the pale warm yellow #EAE1C2 on the walls for the brightest room, or the tan #DCC4B0 for a little more color. Keep the deep browns for the bed, dresser and wood pieces.
Every color on this page was measured from one of these public-domain paintings.
Wall colors
#EAE1C2LRV 75
Pale Morning Yellow
A very light, warm yellow with LRV 75, it is the best wall color here for bouncing light around the room. It comes from Camille Pissarro's "Still Life with Apples and Pitcher" and stays gentle when the afternoon light cools.
A light tan with a warm red-orange undertone and LRV 58, good for walls or curtains and bedding. It was measured from Joos van Cleve's "The Last Judgment" and picks up the warmth of east light in the morning.
The only cool wall color on the page, light with a blue undertone and LRV 54. It comes from Simon Denis's "Cloud Study (Early Evening)" and suits a bedroom you use mostly in the evening or early morning.
A light, warm red-orange with LRV 53, best as a bold piece such as a headboard or accent chair rather than all four walls. It is measured from Berthe Morisot's "The Pink Dress" and looks warm in morning sun.
At LRV 6 and with a warm yellow undertone, this is a color for a bed frame, wardrobe or dresser, not for walls. It comes from Raphael's "The Agony in the Garden" and anchors the pale walls.
A deep, warm olive with LRV 15, suited to wood pieces like a nightstand, shelf or chair. It was measured from Édouard Vuillard's "Landscape: Window Overlooking the Woods" and sits well beside the pale yellow walls.
Sherwin-Williams SW 6412 Eminent Bronze
Very close
Behr N300-7 Mayan Ruins
Close
Valspar 6008-4C Valencia Moss
Similar
Farrow & Ball No. 298 Bancha
Similar
How the lighter colors change with the light
The same paint reads differently in cool north light, warm south sun and under evening lamps. Find the column closest to your room.
Color
Neutral daylight
Morning light
North light
Evening lamps
Pale Morning Yellow
Soft Sienna Tan
Cloud Blue-Gray
Dusty Rose Sand
Try these colors in a room
Pick which color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and trim follow your choice.
The framed picture on the wall is Still Life with Apples and Pitcher.
How do you choose between these east facing bedroom colors?
Start with how you use the room. If you wake with the sun and want the bedroom to feel bright, choose the pale yellow #EAE1C2. Its LRV of 75 bounces light around and it stays warm when the afternoon light turns flat.
If you want more color on the walls, step down to the tan #DCC4B0 or the blue-gray #B6C5C5. Both sit between LRV 54 and 58, so they read light without looking white. The blue-gray is the only cool wall color here. It suits a bedroom used mostly in the evening or early morning.
A north east facing bedroom gets less direct morning sun, so lean toward the warm options. Keep the two deep colors for furniture and wood. At LRV 6 and 15 they would soak up much of the light the room receives.
What goes with these colors: trim, ceiling and flooring?
Keep the ceiling and trim simpler than the walls. The pale yellow #EAE1C2 works as a ceiling color over the tan or blue-gray walls, since it is lighter than both. If the walls are already the pale yellow, carry it up onto the ceiling for a soft, even look.
For furniture, the dark brown #554321 suits a bed frame, dresser or wardrobe. The olive bronze #786A40 works for a nightstand, a bench or a wood chair. Both look best against walls in the LRV 53 to 75 range.
Use the dusty rose #DAB9AC for one bold piece, such as an upholstered headboard or an accent chair. Use the tan #DCC4B0 for curtains, bedding or a rug. Warm wood floors and warm-toned rugs go with all of these. A rug in the blue-gray #B6C5C5 adds a cool contrast if the walls are warm.
How do these colors look in east-facing light?
In the morning, east light is bright and warm. It makes the yellow and red-orange undertones richer, so #EAE1C2, #DCC4B0 and #DAB9AC all feel glowing at that hour. The blue-gray #B6C5C5 looks fresher and slightly cooler beside them.
After noon, the light turns cooler and flatter. Warm undertones keep the room from feeling gray at that point, which is why the pale yellow is the safest wall choice. The blue-gray can read grayer later in the day, and the colors in the low 50s look a little deeper than the LRV 75 yellow.
If the morning glare is strong, sheer curtains in the tan soften it without darkening the room. The deep colors barely change with the light because they absorb most of it. Use them in small amounts so the room still feels open.
How do you test paint samples in an east facing bedroom?
Start with the closest paint matches measured for each color. For #EAE1C2 that is Sherwin-Williams SW 6399 Chamomile or Behr YL-W6. For #DCC4B0 it is Sherwin-Williams SW 7712 Townhouse Tan. For #B6C5C5 it is Sherwin-Williams SW 9137 Niebla Azul. For #DAB9AC it is Behr MQ1-23 One To Remember. These are matches to the measured color, so always check them in your own room.
Paint a sample board about two feet square, or a large patch, on two walls. Put one on the window wall and one on the opposite wall. Look at them at about 7 a.m., at noon, in the late afternoon and at night under your bedside lamps.
For the deep colors, test on a small piece of wood or fabric. Behr S-H-700 Burley Wood is the closest match to #554321, and Sherwin-Williams SW 6412 Eminent Bronze is very close to #786A40.
FAQ
What is the best color for an east facing bedroom?
A pale warm yellow like #EAE1C2, with an LRV of 75, is the brightest choice and stays soft in both morning and afternoon light. The tan #DCC4B0 is a good step up if you want more color.
Are warm or cool colors better for east facing bedroom paint colors?
Warm colors keep the room comfortable when the light cools after noon. A cool blue-gray like #B6C5C5 can work, but it will look grayer later in the day.
What colors suit a north east facing bedroom?
Lean toward the warm, light colors, such as #EAE1C2 or #DCC4B0, because the room gets less direct morning sun. Test samples at several times of day before you commit.
Can I use a dark color in an east facing bedroom?
Yes, on furniture and wood. The browns #554321 (LRV 6) and #786A40 (LRV 15) would take much of the light if used on walls, so keep them for the bed, dresser or nightstand.
What LRV should I look for in an east facing bedroom?
Walls around LRV 53 to 75 read light and keep the room open. The pale yellow here is 75, and the tan, blue-gray and rose sand sit between 53 and 58.
Save these colors
A card with every color on this page, its LRV and the paintings it comes from. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Painting images: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, public domain (CC0).
Colors measured by Light & Pigment. Paint names belong to their brands and matches are approximate. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.
From Still Life with Apples and Pitcher, Camille Pissarro
