7 Paint Colors for Rooms With Lots of Natural Light

If your house is washed in sunlight, you’ve been given a unique opportunity to play with color. What that looks like is entirely dependent on your taste and the space itself. Perhaps you want to paint your home a uniform neutral, then bring in color via a wallpaper accent wall. Or maybe your furniture is going to be the true star of the show, and you plan to pick a paint color to complement it.

Whatever direction you take, you can’t go wrong with any of these paint colors for rooms with lots of natural light.

1. White

For a room with a lot of natural light, white is an obvious choice—and one that never goes out of style. Picking the right white comes down to personal preference and whether you prefer cool tones or warmer hues, as well as what other elements you’re working with in the room, such as hardwood floors versus concrete. 

If you’re unsure and your taste lies somewhere in the middle, choosing a white with a touch of umber is a safe bet. And testing out multiple shades of white by painting large swatches on the wall is always a wise move.

For Inspiration:

• Sherwin-Williams® Pure White

• Benjamin Moore® White Dove

• Sherwin-Williams® Natural Linen

• Sherwin-Williams® Alabaster

• Clare Fresh Kicks

2. Deep Purple

With its whimsical vibes and instant mood-boosting qualities, purple is about as versatile a color as you’re going to find. It runs the gamut of shades from jewel-toned amethyst to deep eggplant like Benjamin Moore’s Exotic Purple to lighter on the color wheel like this year’s Pantone Color of the Year, a blue-heavy periwinkle with violet-red undertones. Painting a bedroom? A fresh lilac is also a timeless color, one that’s well-suited for nurseries and kids’ rooms in particular.

For Inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Purple Haze

• Sherwin-Williams® Inspired Lilac

• Benjamin Moore® Seduction

• Clare Prince

• Benjamin Moore® French Lilac

3. Bright Blue

Blue is a popular interior paint color thanks to its ability to set your mind at ease. It’s also said to spark imagination and create a soothing, calming vibe. There’s a reason many beach houses are dressed up in shades of blue—it’s a great option for rooms with natural light, as windows will reflect the color of both the sky and the sea back into the home. 

If you consider yourself a trendsetter who doesn’t mind going big and bold, an ocean blue or a dusky navy can do wonders to set the mood in any room.

For Inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Breath of Fresh Air

• Sherwin-Williams® Iceberg

• Clare Hyperlink

• Farrow & Ball® Lulworth Blue

• Sherwin-Williams® Aviary Blue

4. Rich Green

Mint green, emerald green, earthy green—you have your pick of shades to complement a sunny space. A brighter green will pop against dark woods and trim and look great with velvet furniture. If you have a large yard and your windows reflect the color of the grass into your home, you might want to go with a more contemporary jewel-toned paint to offset the earthy hues.

For Inspiration:

• PPG Palmetto

• Farrow & Ball® Green Smoke

• Sherwin-Williams® Cape Verde

• Clare Two Scoops

• Sherwin-Williams® Derbyshire

5. Neutral Beige

If you’re working with an open floor plan, you may want to paint the majority of your walls a uniform shade of off-white, beige, or cream, then bring in pops of color through lighting, an accent wall, and furniture. Playing with greige paint—a cross between gray and beige—can also help you achieve a balance between warm and cool tones if you’ve used a mixture of both in your room.

For Inspiration:

• Benjamin Moore® Bone White

• Benjamin Moore® China White

• Sherwin-Williams® White Duck

• Benjamin Moore® Paper Mache

• Sherwin-Williams® Accessible Beige

6. Bright Yellow

Lighter colors reflect light, whereas darker colors absorb it. This is why paint colors like yellows are popular in rooms with lots of natural light.

If you want your walls to shine bright, you can opt for a lighter shade that will make your room a sunny space. Or, if you love the idea of living in a virtual sunflower field, you may want to choose a brighter hue or a paint that’s almost gold.

For Inspiration: 

• Benjamin Moore® Banana Yellow

• Sherwin-Williams® Gusto Gold

• Sherwin-Williams® Moonraker

• Clare Golden Hour

• Sherwin-Williams® Decisive Yellow

7. Bold Orange

Orange is a color some homeowners tend to shy away from, as it certainly makes a statement (and a little can go a long way). But a room with natural light is a great canvas for an orange accent wall—or the entire room if you’re so inclined—as it can energize any space. It’s also well-suited for mid-century modern designs, as burnt orange was used liberally in wallpaper, upholstery, carpet, and other furnishings from that design era. 

For Inspiration: 

• Benjamin Moore® Adobe Orange

• Farrow & Ball® Charlotte’s Locks

• Benjamin Moore® New Dawn

• Benjamin Moore® Corlsbud Canyon

• Sherwin-Williams® Obstinate Orange

If you’re still searching for the right paint color for a room with natural light, you could consider hiring a local interior designer to give you professional input or a local interior painter to give you their insight.

Tips for Choosing a Paint Color for a Room with Lots of Natural Light

With endless options in every hue, choosing a paint color for a room can feel intimidating. However, you don’t have to be a professional to confidently choose the right shade for your room. When choosing a paint color, consider the following:

• Room size: Lighter paint colors open up a space and make it look larger, while darker colors make a space cozier.

• Find a color scheme: Take inspiration from your home and find a color that coordinates with your decor or furniture.

• Apply color theory: For more help, know how colors work together on the color wheel. Comparable colors are next to each other on a color wheel, whereas colors that complement one another are opposite. Or, you can go bold and only use the primary colors.

Cost to Paint a Room

The average cost of hiring a professional painter to paint one room is $1,100. A DIY job is significantly less expensive, with most of the cost going into materials such as paint, brushes, and painter’s tape. The average cost of materials for a DIY paint job is around $100. Many factors influence the cost of painting a room, whether you hire a professional or not, such as square footage, repairs, and any texture you have on your walls.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

The cost is one of the largest differences you’ll find between a DIY paint job and hiring a professional painter. Depending on the amount of materials you already have on hand, a DIY paint job can cost a fraction of hiring a pro. However, there is a significant amount of time involved when you take on the project yourself. From prepping a room to the actual paint, it could take 4 to 6 hours or longer if you choose to do it yourself.