Bathroom Colour Ideas: Which Colour Scheme Should You Choose?
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Modern bathrooms offer a welcome sanctuary to escape the daily grind. For some, this could be a luxurious space filled with grandeur, while others may prefer a more simple and natural vibe. Regardless of what bathroom interior designs you have in mind, a fundamental design element is choosing the right bathroom colour scheme.
The right colour can instantly transform these practical rooms into a chic and stylish oasis primed for indulgence and relaxation when you need it the most.
To help you along your journey to bathroom bliss, we’ll be running through some of the best colours for bathroom designs, giving you all the inspiration you need to make a solid choice.
The best colours for bathrooms
AChoosing your bathroom colour scheme is often down to personal choice as you may have a love for a specific colour or interior design style. But if you’re at a loss for which bathroom colour scheme to go for or you just want some inspiration on up-to-date styles, here are some of the more popular bathroom colour ideas you could try (plus styling ideas!).
- White
- Black
- Grey
- Green
- Neutrals – cream, beige and taupe
- Blue
- Pink
All of these colours can be used either as a single, standalone shade or combined with other complementing or contrasting hues for impactful bathroom interiors. They can also be used to create a wide range of different looks, from cool and contemporary to classic and chic.
White
White bathrooms offer a clean, crisp finish that’s primed for making bathrooms feel light, airy and spacious. This makes it an ideal choice for small bathroom colour schemes where you want to create the illusion of larger proportions.
White is also a solid choice for windowless bathrooms or those with limited natural light, as when used on walls, floors and ceilings, it reflects more light around the room – particularly when paired with mirrors or shiny surfaces.
However, when opting for an all-white bathroom colour scheme you can run the risk of the space feeling cold and utilitarian. This makes it important to use a mixture of textures and possibly different colours to dilute and soften the aesthetic.
When it comes to the question of what colours go with white in the bathroom, there are endless possibilities. Plus there’s the option of off-white that can reduce the starkness of bright white.
Styling ideas
Marrying well with practically any other shade, white is an incredibly versatile colour scheme to use as your base layer and can be the centrepiece for pulling off a wide range of bathroom interior designs.
For a classic look that’s straight out of a Victorian period property, embrace marvellous monochromes with white and black. For floors, this could be a traditional black and white checkerboard design, while glossy, bevelled white metro tiles with a black subway tile border will transport you back to a bygone era. Finish the look with white painted walls, a classic-style bathroom suite and plenty of vintage decorative accents.
Another classic and luxurious look is white marble that can be adorned on floors or walls. This natural stone design instantly elevates white bathrooms and can be given a more contemporary or industrial touch with brass or pewter fixtures and fittings.
At the other end of the spectrum, white can effortlessly nail a modern aesthetic, too. If you want everything white, pair white painted walls with funky hexagon tiles with a matt finish or a pale grey. The blend of shades, shapes and textures will soften the look and bring oodles of interest for an ultra-modern stylish bathroom.
Black
Black bathrooms began to grow in popularity last year and we can see why. Dramatic, bold and ever so opulent, there’s something about black bathrooms that feels incredibly indulgent.
Perfect for conjuring up a luxury style bathroom, black bathroom colour schemes demand to be noticed. With the right balance of textures, materials and shades it doesn’t have to feel oppressive.
Styling ideas
For a chic look, use matt black paint on larger wall areas that beautifully contrast with glossy black tiles for shower enclosures, sink splashbacks and anywhere else you want to protect walls from water. Black shell-shaped wall tiles can lend a stunning Art Deco vibe, while shiny quartz can bring it into the 21st Century.
If an all-black bathroom colour scheme is a touch strong for your tastes, break up masses of colour using black patterned tiles instead. An ideal choice for floors, take your pick from vintage-inspired encaustic designs through to funky geometric patterns to create a striking floor that uses black as the anchor colour.
If you’re wondering what other colours go with black to help dilute the aesthetic, an on-trend hue like blush pink or pale beige can give you a fresh feel, while white and pale grey will provide a classic colour combination. When it comes to added extras, introducing gold or brass accents for taps, mirrors and hardware can also enhance that luxe feel.
Discover more black bathroom decor ideas.
Grey
Grey remains a popular choice for bathroom colour schemes as it brings such versatility. Whether you want a more traditional finish or something with modern flare, introducing grey in any form will get the job done and it can be accompanied by a range of other tones, too.
This is certainly Pantone’s view who elected solid Ultimate Gray and vibrant Illuminating Yellow in their Color of the Year 2021 report, seeing their union as expressing “a message of positivity supported by fortitude”.
Styling ideas
If you fancy adopting Pantone’s shades in your bathroom colour scheme, use grey as the foundation of your design with similarly coloured grey bathroom floor tiles. Introduce yellow with brightly coloured wall tiles like yellow metro or funky multi-coloured hexagonal wall tiles, like those in our Naples Hex range.
If a classic grey bathroom is more your thing, use a darker shade like dove or slate grey alongside vintage-style bath suites to effectively pull off a period bathroom colour scheme idea. Paired with white walls and painted grey wall panelling (a popular feature right now), you can master that Victorian bathroom look in no time.
Green
With a lust for nature-inspired interiors, green is having a big moment in interior design – and bathroom colour schemes are no exception. We’re not talking 80s avocado bathroom suites, but rather using green as the base colour to create a calm and tranquil bathroom design that feels connected to nature.
Darker, moody green are becoming a go-to choice for statement bathroom colour schemes, as according to Sue Wadden from Sherwin-William, “we’re drawn to hues inspired by nature, such as Rosemary Green, so they’re pleasing to the eye while still being a bold design choice”.
Styling ideas
If you fancy making your bathroom the star feature of your home design, using green hues like sage-coloured wall tiles will not only bring organic colours into the mix, but also different tile finishes where you can add oodles of texture. Complementing with natural wooden accents and soft neutral shades elsewhere in the room will bring an instant sense of serenity.
Lighter shades of green are also primed for use in the bathroom, bringing with them a cool and fresh vibe. Think glossy mint or pistachio green wall tiles for showers and sink splashbacks. Sat alongside bright white or cream for floors and painted walls with plenty of organic accents, you can feel like everyday is a spa day.
Neutrals
Tones of cream, beige and taupe are a solid choice if you want a bathroom colour scheme that will see you through the years. These delicate shades never seem to go out of style and can be kept on-trend by simply swapping out decorative features like bath linens and fixtures when the mood takes you.
These neutral hues also bring a wonderful sense of serenity, mimicking the look you find in spa or contemporary hotel bathrooms that take their lead from Scandinavian design.
Styling ideas
For a modern finish, combine different textures on floors and walls using warm neutral shades to get a layered look. For instance, using matt or textured finished walls tiles in a peachy cream or sandy colour will provide a chic look that’s far from bland when paired with shiny brass accents.
Equally you can achieve a traditional look using neutrals through your choice of wall and floor tiles and other decorative accents. For instance, rustic bathrooms demand natural stone (or stone-effect) coverings for walls and floors in soft terracottas and beiges. If you’re opting for all-cream, natural stone can also work to break the colour up.
If you want to blend classic with contemporary, opting for a traditional design like crackle glaze brick tiles on the walls with gold or even pewter fixtures and fittings could be just what’s needed.
Blue
Similar to green bathroom colour schemes, blue has the ability to bring a sense of calm to typically functional spaces, making your daily bathing routine much more of a pleasure. In recent years we’ve seen a big shift towards using bold blue hues in interior design, but there’s also a place for pale and interesting options if that’s more your thing.
Given its association with water, it’s no surprise that blue makes the perfect choice for a fresh and clean bathroom colour scheme. The key is to choose the right tone. If you want style statements, bold blue colours like navy and royal blue are solid choices, while paler tones will deliver a more understated look.
Styling ideas
For a dramatic look, dark blue wall tiles with brushed gold fixtures will transform your everyday bathroom into a luxurious oasis with minimal effort. To soften the look, why not introduce warm neutral colours or blush pinks for an on-trend feel?
Blue doesn’t have to be used as a solid colour in your bathroom though. In fact, it works brilliantly incorporated into patterns. This could be funky printed bathroom wallpaper on a feature wall, or you could look to introduce patterns with tiles on floors and walls.
The key to using patterns in your bathroom colour scheme ideas is to ensure they’re well balanced and don’t feel busy – particularly in small bathrooms. One trick is to use them in one specific area – so either the floors or your walls – and offset them with another single colour.
In terms of complementing colours, blue and white always work well together, cream or beige can deliver a classic style, while fashionable hues like pale yellow, blush pink and burnt orange can give it an en vogue feel.
Pink
Pink bathrooms are quite often associated with 80s homes, but over the past few years, pink has had a makeover. First it was brighter shades like millennial pink and playful bubblegum, but this has mellowed into peaches, blush pinks and grown up rosy hues in recent times.
It’s these sophisticated tones that make for an ultra stylish and sleek bathroom colour scheme and they can be surprisingly adaptable to various genres, too.
Styling ideas
When it comes to pink bathroom colour ideas, pale and interesting is the way to go. As a relatively subtle palette, choosing a less conventionally shaped tile for the walls in a light pink tone, set against a white bath suite, can deliver a clean and fresh aesthetic.
If you’re worried all-pink walls may be too full on, you can tone it down using other colours. For example, tile walls up to shoulder height in pink, then use a matt white paint to create a calming, feminine feel. Similarly, pairing soft pinks with other pastels like blue or a pale mustard yellow can create striking colour contrasts for a more modern finish.
Choosing your bathroom colour scheme can seem like an uphill struggle, but the above ideas will give you some food for thought in picking just the right bathroom colour to bring your ideas to fruition. And remember, one of the main things is to pick a colour you actually like, not just one that’s currently in favour – after all, you’re the one who has to live with it day in day out!
Are you ready to start your bathroom redecoration project? First, familiarise yourself with all you need to know when tiling a bathroom. Then, take a look at our diverse range of bathroom tiles with colours, shapes, finishes and sizes galore and you can even order small tile samples from just £1.99 to help you fully visualise how they’ll look in situ.
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