Which Way Does Your Burnsville Room Face? What Each Side Needs

Each side of a Burnsville home needs something different in winter. North rooms get soft, steady light. They need warmth more than glare control. South rooms get the most low sun, so a light-filtering shade helps. East rooms get a short, bright burst in the morning. West rooms get low glare in the afternoon. Figure out which way a room faces. Then pick a covering for that job.

Why does direction matter more once winter arrives?

The sun takes a different path in winter. In summer it climbs high. It rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest. In winter it stays low and short. It rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. That shift moves the light. In July it hits the top of your windows. In December it shines straight across your rooms.

The days get short here, too. In early December the Twin Cities sun sets at 4:31 p.m. That's the earliest sunset of the year, according to MPR News. By December 21 we're down to just 8 hours and 46 minutes of daylight, MPR News reports.

So late fall and winter are a good time for a quick walk through the house. Grab your phone, open the compass app and sort your rooms into four groups.

How do the four directions compare in a Burnsville winter?

Here's the short version. The sections below fill in the details.

What do north-facing rooms need?

North rooms are the quiet ones. They almost never get direct sun in winter. Glare is rarely a problem. A lot of people love them for a home office because the light stays steady all day.

What north rooms can lack is warmth. With no sun to help, the glass stays cold. That's where a cellular shade makes sense. Its honeycomb pleats hold a layer of air against the window. You can see the full range of cellular shade options on the Budget Blinds product page.

Pick a light-filtering fabric so you keep the soft daylight. A dark, heavy fabric can make a north room feel gloomy by 3 p.m.

What about south-facing rooms?

These rooms get the most out of the low winter sun. On a clear January day, sunlight can stretch across the floor for hours. That's free warmth, and it feels great.

The catch is glare. Low south sun hits TV screens, computer monitors and the kitchen island. A light-filtering roller or cellular shade takes the edge off. You still keep the light.

One simple habit helps. Open the south shades on bright mornings. Lower them partway when the glare gets annoying. Then close them at dusk to hold the warmth in.

What do east-facing rooms need?

You get the first light of the day on the east side. In winter it shows up later. But it comes in low and straight, often right at pillow height.

In an east bedroom, most people go with a room-darkening shade. It lets you sleep past sunrise on a Saturday. In an east kitchen or breakfast nook, we'd lean toward a light-filtering shade. It keeps the morning bright but gentle.

Think about privacy here, too. Morning is when neighbors walk dogs and kids wait for the bus. If an east window faces the street, you'll want daytime privacy as well as light.

What about west-facing rooms?

West rooms get the afternoon. In winter the sun drops toward the southwest early. The glare doesn't last long. But it's very direct, and it often hits right at eye level just as everyone gets home.

A light-filtering roller shade handles this well. Some people pick a solar-style screen fabric instead. It cuts glare and keeps a view out. Sunset comes before 5 p.m. in December, so plan for evening privacy too. A west living room turns into a lit stage soon after the glare fades.

Picture a west-facing family room on a winter weekday. At 3:30 p.m. the sun is in everyone's eyes. By 5 p.m. it's dark and the lamps are on. Now the room is on view from the street. One shade that lowers for both jobs makes that room a lot easier to live in.

Do homes near Crystal Lake, Lake Alimagnet or Buck Hill need anything different?

They can. Burnsville isn't a flat grid, and that changes the light. The City of Burnsville says the city sits on a bluff overlooking the south bank of the Minnesota River. Buck Hill is here. So is a section of Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve. Crystal Lake is the city's largest lake at almost 300 acres. Over at Alimagnet Park, there's a canoe and kayak launch on Alimagnet Lake.

Water and slopes change how light behaves:

• Lake-facing rooms can get extra brightness on sunny winter days. Snow and ice on the lake bounce light back toward the house.
• Homes on slopes or near the river bluff may look down on neighbors or up at them. A window that's private from one side may be in full view from another.
• Homes near open ground get wide sky with fewer trees to soften the sun.

Burnsville has grown a lot, too. The city says it had about 2,700 people in 1960. The Metropolitan Council puts it at 66,725 in 2025. So you'll find homes from almost every decade here. The compass rule works in all of them. Find the direction first. Then pick for the job.

Does your yard back onto woods or parkland? Winter adds another layer of change there. Our guide to light and privacy on wooded lots after the leaves drop covers it.

Where should you start?

Start with the room you use most after dark. Then do the bedrooms. Most homes have one side that causes most of the trouble. Fix that side first. The rest of the house usually feels easier after that.

Building new? You can plan by direction before you ever move in. Our move-in planning guide for new Lakeville and Rosemount homes shows when to make each choice.

Want a hand sorting it out? Someone from Budget Blinds of the Southern Twin Cities can walk your rooms with you. We'll note which way each window faces. We'll also bring samples to hold up to your actual windows. Book your free consultation whenever it suits you.

Kevin Sill is CFO and co-owner of the family-owned Budget Blinds franchises serving the Southern Twin Cities.