How to Use Natural Light in Your Home Design: A Complete Guide
If you’re planning a remodel, building a new home, or simply optimizing your space, understanding how natural light interacts with your interiors is essential. In this guide, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about using natural light effectively. Natural light is one of the most powerful tools in home design. It influences everything from the mood of a space to the way colors appear and even how energy-efficient your home is.
How Does the Direction of Windows Affect Interior Lighting?
The orientation of your home plays a huge role in how light enters your space. Depending on the primary function of a space, natural light will have an effect on a couple of factors, some including just how comfortable it is to be in that space during peak hours when the room is most likely to be used. For example, if a kitchen gets a lot of direct sunlight in the afternoon, it can greatly affect the temperature of the space and overall comfort. A bright or even glaring kitchen can make simple tasks feel unpleasant. If you are considering a remodel to a space, window placement should be high up on your list.
North-facing windows: Cool, consistent light—great for offices, studios, or reading nooks.
A Home Office With North Facing Windows
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South-facing windows: Warm, strong light—ideal for living rooms or kitchens where you want brightness but limited glare.
A Classic Kitchen With South-Facing Windows
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East-facing windows: Gentle morning light—perfect for breakfast nooks or bedrooms to wake up naturally.
A Comfortable Bedroom With East-Facing Windows
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West-facing windows: Golden, dramatic evening light—good for dining areas or lounge area but may require shading if you intend to use the space midday
Tip: If you’re designing a new home or planning an addition, consider window placement based on how you want to use each space. In some remodels, changing window placement may still be an option or possibly a necessity! If changing window placement is not an option, work with a designer to best plan placement of important elements to work with the natural light.
How Does Natural Light Throughout the Day Affect Colors in a Room?
Natural light can dramatically change the way colors appear in your home, depending on where your windows are. As light shifts, you’ll see that hues can pick up the temperature of the light and it could cause you to realize you love a color during the day, but in the evening you may dislike that your soft beige walls look more yellow or a powder blue turns a bit green. It’s important to sample your colors to experience them at all times of the day so that you’re aware of the subtle shifts in hue.
We’ve created some examples of this shift using Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy.
How Does Color Change If the Room Gets A Lot of Morning Light?
(East-Facing Windows): This light is cool and soft, enhancing blues and greens while making warm tones feel muted.
How Does Color Change If the Room Gets A Lot of Midday Light?
(South-Facing Windows): Bright and direct, bringing out the truest version of colors with minimal distortion.
How Does Color Change If the Room Gets A Lot of Afternoon Light?
(West-Facing Windows): Warmer and golden, intensifying reds, oranges, and yellows while making blues and greens fade from the hue.
If Your Space Receives Consistent Throughout the Day
(North-Facing Windows): Indirect and cool-toned, often making colors appear slightly more subdued and grayish.
Tip: If you’re choosing paint or fabric colors, test swatches in different areas of the room and observe them at various times of the day.
How Natural Light Impacts the Temperature of a Home
Sunlight naturally heats up a space, but the effect varies depending on window placement:
South-facing windows get the most direct sunlight throughout the day, making them great for passive solar heating in winter but potentially too hot in summer without window treatments.
West-facing windows receive intense afternoon sun, which can overheat rooms in warmer months. Consider this for spaces like kitchens. Appliances will heat this space up and harsh sunlight can quickly make the experience too hot to handle!
East-facing windows offer morning light, which is less intense and won’t overheat a space. Consider the brightness in the morning, though. If this will be a room you will use a lot in the morning, like a bathroom, then make sure the windows won’t create uncomfortable glares or inconsistent lighting while trying to get ready.
North-facing windows provide the coolest, most consistent light without significant heat gain.
Tip: To keep your home comfortable, use thermal window treatments, exterior shading, or strategically placed trees to block harsh afternoon sun.
How To Maximize Natural Light in a Dark Room
If a room doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, there are several ways to amplify natural light:
Use mirrors: Place them across from windows to reflect light deeper into the space. Not only is this a great addition to your wall art, but a creative way to add light!
Choose lighter paint colors: Whites, pastels, and soft neutrals help bounce light around. Contrasting fabrics can enhance the brightness of the walls and bring the design together.
Install glass doors or transom windows: If privacy between an adjacent and brighter room is not an issue, these allow light to pass between rooms ad can significantly improve the natural light in the space. This gives you freedom to choose where your light comes from too!
Opt for glossy finishes: Shiny surfaces like lacquered furniture or polished floors reflect light better than matte finishes and will brighten your space. If these are not an option, try a lighter colored area rug.
Tip: If you can’t add more windows, consider light tubes or skylights to bring in natural light from above.