Make an impact with bathroom colors that soothe and invigorate. Here, 10 designers share bathroom color ideas, including their top paint picks, ways to incorporate fun finishes, and encouragement to play with bolder styles. Whether you infuse your bathroom with trending colors for 2025, wrap your space in wallpaper, or take on statement-making tile, your dream oasis awaits.
Bathroom Colors And How To Use Them, According To Designers:
Graphic Tiles Can Make A Statement
"I love a graphic tile as a vessel for color, sometimes leaning into traditional warm tones, but often reaching for something bolder. My team and I don’t have many go-to’s because we love trying something new!"
—Annie Downing, Annie Downing Interiors | Austin, Texas
Farrow & Ball James White is found in this bathroom. The floor tile is from Popham Design.
Dare To Be Dramatic
“I like a classic bathroom with marble tile and high finishes. I am also not opposed to a bit of drama for those spaces. I do prefer that the primary bath is a bit of a sanctuary but for secondary rooms, I believe you can move the needle some. In this bath we used classic marble tiles as specified by the spec designers for the project but we were partial to a deep black for the cabinetry and soaking tub, as well as a high drama style for the light fixture. We softened the look with custom shades and a gold rimmed mirror and the personal artwork of the owner. It works because its a classic combo of black and white with some gray marbling from the tiles and the gold accents of the lighting and hardware.”
—Joy Williams, Joyful Designs Studio | Chicago, Illinois
This bathroom by Joy Williams features nods to Afro-classicism. Paints include Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black and Pure White.
Opt For An Unexpected Neutral
“When it comes to bathroom paint, I love going bold and moody. A rich, deep brown is an unexpected choice-it brings warmth, depth, and a touch of luxury to the space. This color creates a cocoon-like feel that transforms a bathroom into a sophisticated sanctuary. Paired with brass or gold fixtures and softened with cream accents, it offers a calming, yet striking, alternative to typical neutrals.”
—Ginger Curtis, Urbanology Designs | Texas
This bathroom's rich walls are painted in Benjamin Moore Mississippi Mud.
Don’t Be Afraid To Go Bold
“I say go bold in a small space! I don't have a go-to bathroom color… we lean on the color preferences of our clients. What colors do they absolutely love but are scared to use on a large scale? I recently used Benjamin Moore’s Deep Mauve on reeded paneling for interest and depth in a client's half bathroom and absolutely loved the effect.”
—Charlotte Lucas, Charlotte Lucas Interior Design | Charlotte, North Carolina
Benjamin Moore Deep Mauve adds depth to this half bathroom.
Paint Isn't Just For Walls
"I love adding a shot of color to a vanity. It’s such a fun way to bring color into the room, especially in spaces used by the kids or guests. Why not have a little fun with it?!"
—Amy Vroom, The Residency Bureau | Seattle, Washington
The light green vanity in this bathroom is painted with Sherwin Williams Fresh Eucalyptus SW 9658.
Looking to add more punch to your palette? Check out designers' predictions for the top paint colors of 2025.
Implement Multiple Shades Of The Same Hue
“We love like-colors juxtaposed. Blues are especially fun in a bath. It doesn’t look busy if done right, rather it reads as modern and energetic.”
—Kathleen Walsh, Kathleen Walsh Interiors | New York City + Wellesley, Massachusetts
This bold blue locker room (with walls painted in C2 Mykonos) gets a playful nudge from the colored vanity (painted with Benjamin Moore 728 Bermuda Turquoise) and tile selections.
Go For A Glossy Glow-Up
"You cannot go wrong with glossy black vanity paint. The deep color grounds the room, and the sheen provides visual interest. Not to mention, gloss is quite functional as it’s easily wipeable for cleaning. Here we paired a black vanity with a high contrast black and white botanical print wallpaper, but you can pair this vanity style with just about any wall color or pattern."
—Emilie Munroe, Studio Munroe | San Francisco, California
A guest bathroom in a San Francisco home by Studio Munroe featuring Benjamin Moore Black on the vanity and door.
Choose The Right Base
“We like to create spaces with personality and bold elements, whether these features are brought into the space through a paint color, wall tile or a vanity design, we need to ensure there is cohesiveness. If a large design impact is felt through the tile or vanity design, we tend to stick with a more neutral wall color to keep the focus on those other impactful elements. A few of our go-to neutral paint colors for bathrooms are Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, Benjamin Moore Distant Gray and Benjamin Moore Dove Wing.”
—Mark Schubert, Phillip Harrison Interiors | Chicago, Illinois
Green tiles make a statement in this powder room.
Wallpaper Can Level Up Your Bathroom Design
“I love incorporating wallpaper into bathrooms and bringing in bold colors that way, I have specifically been using a lot of blue wallpaper recently.”
—Sarah Stacey, Sarah Stacey Interior Design | Austin, Texas + Nashville, Tennessee
Voutsa’s Nero Dot wallpaper in blue and gold adds intrigue to this bathroom by Sarah Stacey Interior Design.
Balance Your Design
“We study the balance of light/dark, hard/soft, straight/curve with regard to the way we combine these elements. A warm toned wood can often make a modern tile less stark the same way that lots of natural light can open up the possibilities of multiple dark glazes or wall/wallpaper colors.”
—Amy Pigliacampo, Amy Pigliacampo Interiors | Los Angeles, California
Light and dark balance beautifully in this bathroom.
