Ruth’s most-loved shades for an east-facing space

East-facing spaces can present a decorating challenge, as they experience varying natural light throughout the course of each day.

Rooms that face east receive the beautiful morning sunshine. This means they benefit from plenty of light at the start of the day, but they then become darker in the evening.

Read Ruth’s tips for selecting shades for an east-facing room to create a harmonious environment that complements the changes in light…

Ruth Mottershead.

Calm, earthy hues

Ruth writes: “In east-facing rooms, you will usually see strong light in the morning. For a space like this, I recommend selecting colours that have a more muted, earthy feel. Go for a lighter colour palette to keep things nice and bright in there, from morning until evening.

Consider our Green Stone family: Green Stone, Green Stone – Light and Green Stone – Pale. These gentle, natural greens have inviting earthy undertones, making them very easy to use on all aspects of a room. You could use two or more shades in combination, or select a single shade and embrace it all over. If you would prefer something that appears less green and more neutral, the Portland Stone Colour Scales would work perfectly in an east-facing environment.”

Children's nursery painted in 3 different shades of green neutral 'Green Stone' with children's toys and a small wicker chair.

Wall, Ceiling & Window Trim: Green Stone – Pale, Upper Panelling: Green Stone – Light, Lower Panelling: Green Stone

Outdoor dining area with walls painted in green neutral shade 'Green Stone' with a table and chairs to the right and a large window in the back.

Ceiling: Flint, Wall: Green Stone

Mid-strength colours

Ruth writes: “If you’re looking for a colour rather than a neutral, consider going for something that is quite mid-strength. Opt for a colour that feels quite neutral, either based on green, or containing a mix of hues.

Boringdon Green, Windmill Lane and Book Room Green are three lovely, soft, mid-strength greens to complement an east-facing interior. You can easily use these greens all over to create a scheme that will feel harmonious in both natural and artificial light.

Alternatively, if you want something a bit punchier, I’d suggest a darker shade of teal like Tea with Florence or Goblin. Sumptuous, deep teals are often very versatile, as they combine a green base with a warmer blue.

You could also try a warm, muted blue like Juniper Ash, or softer Celestial Blue, which has a greener undertone. These stronger colours work particularly well in spaces that receive a lot of natural light, as they are beautiful when bathed in warm sunlight.”

Versatile neutrals

“In the Little Greene palette, we have three neutral families that will work well in any interior. French Grey, Slaked Lime and Portland Stone all have that elegant, complex pigmentation that means they are truly versatile neutral shades. Each one will provide a timeless, calming neutral backdrop that feels seamless in different lights.

Slaked Lime is a mineral white, which has umber in its makeup to offer discernible warmth. It doesn’t contain yellow or orange, so it’s designed to beautifully complement any interior setting.

Portland Stone has a greener undertone, and this will really neutralise any yellow in your east-facing room. Again, you can easily use these neutrals in any environment. And an old favourite, French Grey is our most neutral grey. It contains a little bit of blue and a touch of red. Not too cool and not too warm, French Grey is perfect for any space, no matter the aspect.”

Neutral living space painted in 'Portland Stone' with grey drawers, fireplace and an armchair.