An east-facing house is one whose main road and front side are towards the east. It is one of the most asked-for facings in Delhi NCR, mainly because the front of the house gets the gentle morning sun. But in Vastu, no facing is good or bad by itself – what really matters is how the rooms inside are placed. A well-planned east-facing house works beautifully; a badly planned one does not, whatever its facing.
This guide explains how we plan east-facing homes at Design Tech+, combining traditional Vastu guidance with the practical limits of Delhi building bye-laws.
How to check if your house is east-facing
Stand inside the house at the main door and look outside. If you are looking towards the east, the house is east-facing. Use a phone compass, but stand away from steel gates, cars and electrical panels, which can disturb the reading. In many Delhi colonies the roads are not exactly north–south, so the facing may be something like "east, slightly towards north-east" – that small angle matters when we divide the plot into zones.
The best position for the main door
Divide the east side of the plot into nine equal parts, counting from the North-East corner. The main entrance is traditionally best in the 3rd to 5th part – that is, the middle of the east side, leaning towards the North-East.
- Good: the middle and North-East half of the east wall.
- Avoid: the extreme South-East corner for the main door.
- On narrow plots (for example 20–25 ft wide), we often shift the gate and the door slightly within the good parts instead of placing them dead centre.
See our detailed guide to the main entrance in Vastu.
Room-by-room placement
| Room | Preferred direction | Notes for east-facing plots |
|---|---|---|
| Living / drawing room | North-East, North or East | Fits naturally at the front, near the entrance |
| Kitchen | South-East (second choice North-West) | South-East is the front-left corner when you face the house |
| Master bedroom | South-West | The rear-left corner – the most stable zone |
| Children's / guest bedroom | West or North-West | Rear side of the plot |
| Puja room | North-East | Front-right corner, or a puja unit in the living room |
| Dining | West, East or North | Close to the kitchen |
| Staircase | South, West or South-West | Keep it off the front (east) side |
| Toilets | North-West or West | Never in the North-East or the centre |
| Underground water tank | North-East, North or East | Usually under the front setback |
| Overhead water tank | South-West or West | On the rear side of the terrace |
A sample layout for a Delhi plot
For a typical 200 sq yd (about 167 sq m) east-facing plot, for example 30 ft × 60 ft with the road on the east, a well-balanced ground or stilt floor often looks like this:
- Front (east): stilt parking or a front lawn, the main gate in the middle or towards the North-East, and the underground water tank below the front area.
- Front-left (South-East): the kitchen on the upper floors, with a window to the east.
- Front-right (North-East): living room or puja corner – kept light and open.
- Rear-left (South-West): master bedroom on each floor.
- Rear-right (North-West): second bedroom, guest room or toilet block.
- Staircase and lift: on the south or south-west side, away from the centre.
On stilt + 4 floor buildings the stilt parking usually takes the front of the plot. That suits an east-facing house very well, because the east side stays open and uncluttered – one of the most important Vastu points.
Practical tips for east-facing homes
- Keep the east side more open than the west. A front setback, garden or open stilt is ideal.
- Use bigger windows on the east, smaller and shaded ones on the west – this also keeps the house cooler in Delhi summers.
- Avoid a tall structure, overhead tank or heavy store on the east side.
- Keep the centre (Brahmasthan) open – no toilet, staircase or heavy column right in the middle.
- Keep the North-East corner clean, light and low – no toilets, heavy storage or dustbins there.
- Heavier and taller parts suit the south and west: staircase, lift core, overhead tank and store.
Common mistakes we see
- A toilet in the North-East because the plumbing was convenient. It is one of the most avoided placements in Vastu.
- Kitchen in the North-East just because the front of the house is bright.
- The main door at the extreme South-East corner to fit a staircase.
- Overhead tank on the front (east) side of the terrace.
- Blocking the morning sun with a tall boundary wall or a dense hedge right in front of the east windows.
Vastu and the building bye-laws
Delhi's bye-laws decide the setbacks, ground coverage, FAR, height and parking on your plot – and they always come first, because a house that is not sanctioned can face sealing or demolition. A good architect plans the Vastu zones within these limits, for example by choosing which side of the plot takes the staircase or where the stilt parking goes. Read more in our guide to Delhi building bye-laws and use the free FAR calculator to see how much you can build.
Frequently asked questions
Is an east-facing house good as per Vastu?
Yes. East-facing houses are considered auspicious because of the morning sun, but the room placement inside matters more than the facing. A well-planned east-facing house is excellent; a badly planned one is not.
Where should the kitchen be in an east-facing house?
The South-East is best (the front-left corner when you face the house from the road). The North-West is the usual second choice. Avoid the North-East.
Can the staircase be at the front of an east-facing house?
It is better on the south, west or south-west side. If the plot is very narrow and the staircase must be at the front, keep it towards the South-East rather than the North-East.
My east-facing flat does not follow these rules. What can I do?
Many points can be balanced without demolition – the position of the stove and bed, colours, keeping the North-East clutter-free and the use of rooms. Our online Vastu check shows which zones need attention.
Planning an east-facing house? Try our free online Vastu check, read our Vastu tips for house design, or book a free consultation at our office near Ramesh Nagar Metro, West Delhi.
Vastu is a traditional design guide. Structural safety, natural light, ventilation and the building bye-laws always come first in our designs.