Paint bathroom walls ideas

If you want to stick to an earthy color scheme that's visually appealing and works well with wood accents, consider a mustard-yellow shade.

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Hunter Green

Designer Mandi Gubler transformed a cookie-cutter bathroom into a boho haven with a gorgeous emerald statement wall, new tiling, fixtures and more for only $939! See more of the incredible transformation on her blog, Vintage Revivals.

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Deep Navy

Sometimes bolder is better. This dark navy shiplap brings serious drama to a powder room using just a can of paint. What's more, the deep shade has a traditional feel that suits gold accents, like the lighting and faucet.

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Peachy Pink

This guest bathroom may be pink, but it's all grown-up. The peachy hue brings a little playfulness and a touch of glam to a truly pretty vanity. See more of this space at A Beautiful Mess.

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Monique Valeris

Senior Home Editor

Monique Valeris is the senior home editor for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."

Mariah Thomas

Assistant Editor

Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work. 

11 best paint schemes for your bathroom |

The latest bathroom paint ideas embrace rich and daring tones. In fact, gone are the days when a serene scheme was limited to neutral colors and plain finishes. From bold blue to scarlet red, you can be brave with your bathroom ideas.  

However, paint ideas for bathrooms need to be chosen with care, since this is the room that is often the smallest in the house. We're here to help you make the best paint choice for your bathroom with a list of inspiring paint ideas and bathroom color ideas.

Bathroom paint ideas

Give your bathroom space a quick and easy new look with a fresh lick of paint, a great choice for bathroom wall ideas.  

For inspiration, we have compiled a list of the most popular paint ideas for the bathroom, highlighting where they will work and where they wont.

1. Use color to create contrast

(Image credit: Future)

Opt for a daring combination in your bathroom by pairing primary colors from the opposite ends of the color wheel. 

Red is often considered a brave choice for interiors, but when red bathroom ideas are used creatively it can introduce a welcome burst of energy and flamboyance. 

Pale aqua makes a wonderful backdrop for vibrant accents of red that have been given a light-hearted, theatrical note using stripes and checks. And because it's a fresh shade, it will reflect lots of light, perfect in a small or light-starved room. In this bathroom, a wonderful example of ceiling paint ideas and bathroom wallpaper ideas, the use of contrasting colors feels stylish and unique, establishing a stand-out space.

2. Go dark with shades of gray

(Image credit: Future)

Color has a huge impact on mood, and bathrooms have a tendency to sidestep polarizing hues in favor of pale neutrals and whites, which are refreshing and easy to live with.  

At the opposite end of the spectrum, gray bathroom ideas in dark shades, including slate, are also popular for creating a cocooning effect. Team this shade with luxurious Carrara marble fittings for a boutique-inspired hotel look.

What to consider? A dark bathroom must be accompanied by good natural daylight or artificial lighting. Bathrooms can be made cozy with dark colors, but they also need to be practical so that you can see clearly what you're doing, working with accent colors for gray will also create and added lift to the space.

3. Paint a bathtub

(Image credit: Future)

This is one of the easiest bathroom paint ideas but can have the biggest impact. 

'Adding wow factor to the bathroom is all about thinking outside the box,' explains Rob Whitaker, Fired Earth’s Creative Director. 

Whether you choose bold colors or pattern, or move towards a more neutral shade, a painted bathtub can bring an elegant, contrasting note to a bathroom space. Here, the dark gray painted bathtub creates a beautiful contrast between the rustic, country bathroom atmosphere of florals and green painted walls.

4. Think in (pale) pink

(Image credit: Future)

Introduce a dash of blush pink to your bathroom for a bold or barely-there effect. If you think pink is best suited to country schemes, you'd be wrong. Used in a subtle way, pink can look equally good in a modern bathroom. 

Perfect for cool-feeling, light starved bathrooms, pale pink with a hint of yellow to it will add warmth without making the space feel enclosed.

A nod to the chevron trend (above) is made with a contrasting zigzag on plain curtains, while sleek fittings ensure that the decoration remains the focus.

Below, pink has been given an Art Deco appeal. 

Few colors have enjoyed a more dramatic or unexpected reinvention than pink, with a range of pink room ideas becoming more and more popular for the home. Soft, versatile and subtle, it is adding a new layer of depth to minimal interiors and modernist furniture.  

A natural partner to grays and soft whites, this is a shade that looks set to stay. When decorating a pink room, pair the shade with accents of green and mirrored finishes for a modern bathroom that echoes an Art Deco chic interior.

5. Be bold with red bathroom paint

(Image credit: Future)

Go for a daring look in your bathroom with strong color and geometric patterns. This bathroom wall idea features a claret-red painted wall decorated with white hexagon tiles set with red grout for a striking effect. 

What to avoid with red bathroom ideas? Red on all four walls will be somewhat overpowering and on a practical level will cast a red-tone on your skin when you look in the mirror. Good natural daylight and bathroom lighting ideas with natural-daylight lightbulbs are a must with this color scheme.

The stand-alone, designer basin and mixer tap give the room ultra-cool character, while quirky accessories, such as this wave hand hook and a Moorish mother-of-pearl mirror, take the look East.

6. Take inspiration from nature

(Image credit: Future)

On walls and cabinetry, this perennial hue can create a life-enhancing link with nature. The huge variety of eye-catching paints in verdant shades is providing opportunity for strong new looks.

In soft shades, green bathrooms evoke a natural sense of calm and harmony, while bolder and darker tones provide individuality and depth. ‘Try walls of saturated color in paint or tiles,’ says Yousef Mansuri, Director of Design at C.P. Hart.

Pale greens are a better option for light-starved bathrooms, but avoid pale greens tinged with blue tones, which can feel cold and unwelcoming.

7. Warm up with earthy bathroom paint ideas

(Image credit: Future)

Embrace natural pigments to turn up the heat in your bathroom scheme. 

Alongside the mood for comfort comes the move towards warmer tones, including terracotta, rust, caramel and biscuit. Look out for paints in earthy colors that make the perfect antidote to cold and clinical.  

Try contrasting them with brass taps and accessories to add definition. Untreated timber can also work well, this time by echoing the natural, warm mood.

8. Decorate in cool blue

(Image credit: Future)

Paint walls blue for a refreshing bathroom scheme. Blue bathroom ideas combined with white might be associated with classic interiors but it is increasingly being used to add a crisp feel to contemporary schemes. 

An additional ensuite bathroom offers an opportunity for more adventurous decorating, as shown here with the strong wall color and chequered flooring. 

Echoing the palette of the bedroom scheme ensures a unified look. When decorating with blue, brilliant azure-blue walls will create a dramatic backdrop for a fresh white bathroom suite. Patrick O’Donnell, Farrow & Ball  Brand Ambassador states, 'teal is an impactful bathroom shade against the standard white sanitary ware. Team with the blackest of greens or rich plum-tinged reds'.

9. Pick clashing tones for a dramatic effect

(Image credit: Future)

Break up a scheme with a stripe of color in a contrasting tone to make a striking focal point on a large wall. Go for something bright and punchy against a neutral wall to really stand out and bring your room to life.

Clashing colors can be a tricky art to perfect but when it’s done well it can totally transform your space. Choosing the colors within your décor is what gives a room character and reflects your personality, so think carefully about what you want your space to say about you. 

When it comes to colorful bathroom ideas, as a general rule, avoid mixing in too many colors at once, as this can make a scheme appear cluttered or messy. At the same time, steer clear of having everything in perfectly matching shades. 

It’s all about finding a balance, so play around with combinations and use the color wheel for inspiration until you find something you’re happy with.

10.

(Image credit: Simon Bevan)

Use a combination of paint and decorative bathroom tile ideas to create a truly bespoke bathroom. 

Paint really comes into its own when used alongside tiles in tonal colors. Tonal colors are basically a variety of shades of one color, also known as tone-on-tone or monochromatic (not to be confused with monochrome). 

Decorating with this color palette will result in a uniform scheme as it uses only different tones – both lighter and darker – of one color.

11. Evoke purity with a white on white bathroom paint scheme

(Image credit: Richard Powers)

Decorating with white will always be timeless and an all-white scheme can make a real statement, great for master bathroom ideas.

Glamorous yet relaxed, mix up different tones of white for a fresh and airy feel. 'White also works well with brass accessories as it will allow them to stand out against the background,' explains color expert Judy Smith.  

'This is also true for colored bathroom ceramics or accessories, painting the wall a light color will help them stand-out and be the focal point of the room.' 

A white bathroom is more complex than you think. As there are no distractions every choice becomes critical. Wood will warm up a white scheme as will marble, glass and ceramic accessories.

What is the best paint color for a small bathroom?

The same basic decorating rules apply here just like in any other room. 

You’re likely to want to choose soothing, neutral shades for your small bathroom and inject a pop of color (a feature wall, vanity unit...) or choose a toning palette with differently weighted notes of the same color, or a harmonizing palette featuring different colors of a similar depth.

'White tends to be the main go-to color for a small bathroom,' says Judy Smith, Crown Paints Color Consultant. 

'However, some people believe that all-white can be too clinical but having a lighter tone will open up the space and make it feel brighter especially if your bathroom lacks natural light.  

'Bathrooms are often the smallest room in the house and a dark color can make it feel too closed in, unless you are lucky enough to have a large space with plenty of natural light.'

'When choosing the scheme for your ensuite, consider creating a sense of flow from your bedroom into the bathroom with a complementary scheme,' advises Helen Shaw, Benjamin Moore UK Director. 

'This does not necessarily mean being too matchy, however picking out key colors works particularly well. Your ensuite should feel personal and have the same haven feeling as your bedroom. 

'Soothing pastel shades or off-whites help to ensure the room feels relaxing while also maintaining a feeling of spaciousness due to the lightness of the colors.'

(Image credit: Future)

What is the best paint color for a bathroom?

With so many to choose from, it can be hard to know the best paint color for a bathroom.

We all know bathrooms should be restful sanctuaries as well as utilitarian spaces, and a well-thought out decorative scheme will reflect both practical and aesthetic elements.  

Current bathroom trends, including painted bathtubs, as well as walls and ceilings in bold colors, are making a splash in this room just as much as any other in the home, so make sure that yours isn’t neglected.

Break free of a staid design and add pops of color to your room with these bold and bright bathroom paint ideas. 

Adding a bright hue to your bathroom will really lift your whole home, bringing this functional space into line with the rest of your decor. Or, if you prefer a chic and modern take on interiors, you can choose muted grays to complement your otherwise neutral bathroom color scheme.

Don’t forget that part of the beauty of paint is that, unlike tiles or wallpaper, you can give your room an update at a later stage. 

‘Using paint means you can adapt to changing fashions,’ says Michelle Alcock, Director of Pride & Joy. 

‘There is more opportunity than ever to paint the bathroom, or part of the bathroom, in whatever takes your fancy. A great way of keeping on trend is by painting a bold feature wall, then using accent colors on freestanding units and soap dispensers.'

(Image credit: Future)

What paint can I use in the bathroom? 

Due to the constant moisture that's often in the air, it's important to consider the type of paint used in the bathroom.

'When it comes to painting a bathroom, you need to be able to create proper ventilation in the room to avoid condensation peeling the paint and creating mold,' advises Rachel Martin, Merchandising Director at C.P. Hart . 

'Always opt for an appropriate finish, such as eggshell, or other water-resistant types of paint. Crown offers a specialist bathroom paint range which is specially formulated with built-in anti-mold technology, ensuring bathroom walls look fresher and cleaner for longer.'

'If you’re feeling unsure about using bold tones or want to ensure you can future-proof your bathroom, you can always incorporate pattern and color in a variety of semi-permanent ways.  

'Bright colored paint is a great way of using your walls to inject some tonal variation and can be easily updated when you like. This works particularly well with small cloakroom ideas, as well as in a larger, family bathroom.'

What is the most relaxing paint color for a bathroom?

As well as being a functional room, it should also be a calm space, so what is the most relaxing color for a bathroom?

Simple, white fixtures and fittings are timeless, but consider making an impact when it comes to surfaces such as walls, ceilings, floors, windows and counter tops. 

High quality bathroom furniture adds a luxurious effect, but it is the background elements that really underpin the feel of the space and allow experimentation with color, texture and pattern.

‘Bathrooms can now be so much more than purely functional spaces,’ explains Yousef Mansuri, Head of Design at C.P. Hart . ‘More of our customers want to create an oasis of wellbeing at the heart of their home – somewhere that they can enjoy as a private retreat to de-stress and unwind.  

'We call this trend “cocooning” because it’s a way for people to wrap themselves in comfort and a quiet sense of luxury.

'As well as simple luxuries like scented candles and a warm robe, cocooning is a mood that can be created with soothing paint colors, such as a palette of warm grays, taupes and off-whites.'

ideas on what and how to paint the walls in the bathroom

When it comes to renovating a bathroom, most people prefer painting. This finish is more resistant and durable than wallpaper. Before painting, you need to choose a paint. Read more about how to paint the bathroom, will be discussed in this article.

Contents

1. Which paint can be used in the bathroom
2. Oil paint
3. Alkyd enamel
4. Paint Water-dispersion
5. glossy paint
6. matte paint
7. textured paint
8. latex paint
9. Silicone paint
10. Rules for painting walls in the bathroom yourself
11. What kind of paint can be used in the bathroom

    When choosing a paint for the bathroom, give preference to resistant to heat, moisture and light. The paint must not be deformed by impact, friction or steam. The product must not contain hazardous substances.

    The composition of the paint should contain antifungal components and algaecides against the development of mold. Read more about what paint to paint the walls in the bathroom, will be discussed below.

    Oil paint

    This type of paint belongs to the category of budget goods. This paint is insoluble in water. It will not get scratched if it comes into contact with hard objects. She does not lose her attractiveness for a long time. Walls painted with oil paint can be washed using household chemicals.

    The oil paint will dry for at least 5 days if the room temperature is around +20°C. It smells unpleasant, and the smell must be weathered within a week.

    Alkyd enamel

    Alkyd paint features include:

    • durability;
    • water repellent;
    • easy to clean;
    • chemical resistance;
    • Hue saturation retention;

    Apply this type of paint in several layers. The temperature in the bathroom should be between +5°C and +35°C . If this condition is not observed, the paint will not be fixed on the surface. The term of complete drying is 24 hours. In this case, the temperature should be + 20 ° C. Drying is faster at higher temperatures. When the enamel dries, a thin film may form, which will accentuate irregularities and defects.

    Painting a bathroom with alkyd paint must be done in a respirator. The unpleasant smell keeps indoors for a long time, it is very difficult to erode.

    Water-dispersion paint

    The paint contains water dispersion polymers. It does not contain organic solvents, so it is non-toxic. The aroma is almost completely absent. After drying, a film forms on the surface of the paint, which prevents the absorption of water.

    Water-dispersion paint is characterized by resistance to fading and abrasion. Wall cleaning can be done with detergents, and they will not spoil the coating. The composition of such paint may contain fungicides, algicides and antiseptic substances. Drying speed - 60 min.

    Gloss Paint

    If you are decorating your bathroom in a high-tech or minimalist style and don't know how to paint your bathroom walls instead of tiles, it is better to use gloss paint. It will visually increase the size of the room, and make it a little lighter. Painted walls in a bathroom with a smooth surface are easy to clean, but you can notice bumps, dust deposits and other contaminants on them.

    Matte Paint

    If you have a large bathroom, you can paint it yourself with matt paints. They will allow you to slightly reduce the room, and make it more comfortable. On matte surfaces, defects are barely noticeable. Due to the porous structure, it is more difficult to wash walls with matte paint. Matte surfaces are suitable for styles such as classic, eco-style and Provence.

    Textured paint

    Using textured paints creates a relief surface. Substances must be applied in a dense layer. To brighten the walls, add color to the classic snow-white version.

    Textured paints are applied with a brush, roller or spatula. Drying speed - up to 8 hours. If you cover the walls and ceiling with a thick layer of paint, you can hide the defects. Textured paints are characterized by heat resistance and moisture resistance. They do not fade and do not peel off over time.

    Latex paint

    This type of paint belongs to the water-based category. Forms a dense film on the surface, and is well applied. Characterized by durability.

    The disadvantages of latex paint include high price and the need for pre-preparation of the surface for work.

    Silicone paint

    This type of paint is water based. They can be used to paint the bathroom. Sold at a low price, resistant to water and steam.

    Rules for painting bathroom walls yourself

    There are several rules for preparing and painting bathroom walls. If you don't want to hire workers, you can do it yourself. More details on how to paint the walls in the bathroom in stages will be described below.

    Preparing the walls

    First you need to prepare the surface for work. The surface must be dry so that the paint lays down evenly. Otherwise, condensation will form, which will shorten the life of the coating.

    There are several steps to finish the walls:

    1. Remove the old coating. Old paint can be removed with thinner, spatulas, sandpaper or scrapers.
    2. Prepare a draft. Cover the walls with plaster or drywall that is resistant to moisture. When the plaster dries, proceed to further work.
    3. If the walls show irregularities , they must be puttied. For this, acrylic or latex putty is suitable, which penetrates deep into the walls. Apply a primer before using putty.
    4. Prime walls with primer to finish. Apply it in several layers. Each of them should be applied when the previous layer is dry.

    Painting process

    When the primer is completely dry, you can start painting. This is easy to do on your own, without the help of specialists.

    To properly paint your bathroom, follow these guidelines:

    1. Use masking tape to cover all objects and surfaces that you will not paint. These are faucets, toilets, shelves, pipes, heated towel rails, etc.
    2. If there are bumps on the walls, first apply the paint with a brush. It will create a denser layer that will mask the defects.
    3. Smooth surfaces are painted with roller . It will evenly apply paint to the walls, and reduce the consumption of materials. In hard-to-reach places, use a brush. It is much more compact.
    4. Get the paint ready. If you add color to it, mix the materials thoroughly so that the color is uniform.
    5. First coat thinner with thinner .
    6. Apply the second coat of paint after the previous one is completely dry. You may need 3-4 coats.
    7. Watch for drips and areas that are not covered.
    8. The composition must be homogeneous , without additional impurities.

    Common wall painting mistakes

    Everyone who works with paint can make a mistake. If you are new to such work, then the risk of errors only increases.

    Common bathroom painting mistakes include:

    • Using the same roller for different paints. If the existing roller is painted with a different paint, then it is better to use new tools for painting the bathroom. Otherwise, streaks or changes in the desired shade may appear.
    • Incorrect use of the brush . If you use a brush, apply the paint evenly with it. Do not change the direction and amplitude of the swing. Otherwise, after the paint dries, the appearance of the wall will not be aesthetic.
    • Wrong paint dilution. When you dilute the paint, do everything according to the instructions described on the bank. If you have friends who have used such materials, you can ask them for advice.

    Now you know how to paint a bathroom, and that this process is accessible to anyone, even a beginner. If you pick up tools and materials, as well as prepare the surface for painting for work, the result will please. Follow the recommendations and the right combination so that the painted surfaces retain their appearance for a long time.

    What color to paint the bathtub is up to you — inspect the furniture and appliances in the room, the proposed photo design ideas, and choose a tone that will be in harmony with the items in the bathroom.

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