If you want to paint the bathroom, you don’t need to renovate. You simply grab some brushes and roll up the sleeves. But one of the first things you discuss with the contractor before a bathroom remodeling is the color schemes – funny, isn’t it?
Anyway, the multi-million question in such cases is one: which color! If white is boring, black is too much, and grey is not you, then what! And how about mixing colors, making combinations? How can you tell which goes with what in what bathroom?
Let’s talk about bathroom color schemes
Let’s get one thing straight. There’s no bad color. It’s only about choices and decisions – and you have plenty of those to make before and during a bathroom remodel.
Such decisions always have to do with the bathroom, for starters, and your personal taste. If you just hate yellow, it goes without saying that you are not going to paint the bathroom yellow. But do you know what? If you paint the bathroom grey and use white fixtures, a shred of yellow in the form of trim, accessories – anything, will look fantastic.
What I am trying to say is that the end results depend on how you use & combine colors. Also, the results are subject to factors, like the size of the bathroom and the natural light. Let’s see all that.
Natural light
There’s no just one white or one blue or one black. There are variations, scales, choices. And they all look differently based on the room’s direction in relation to the natural light. So, the size of the windows or any opening and the way the natural light falls on particular parts of the bathroom throughout the day all influence decisions regarding colors. A bright white may not be so bright under the wrong light. Or – if you will, the bright white will look different every hour of the day. At times, it may not look white at all. So, one of the first things you should do is consider this aspect – the artificial light too.
Home style
If you like consistency and uniformity throughout the house, you need to consider the colors that dominate around the home. That’s unless you don’t mind playing with neutrals all around the house and paint the guest bathroom orange.
Bathroom size
The common rule is that dark colors are not the best choice for small bathrooms. But one of the most beautiful small bathrooms I’ve ever seen was black, floor-to-ceiling.
It’s just common sense to say that dark colors make spaces look smaller and gloomy – something nobody wants in a bathroom, especially if it’s small.
Personal preference
Don’t leave out what you like – or, what you feel like, if you will. Naturally, bathroom renovation projects don’t come cheap. If you are going to spend some money to upgrade, better do it to perfection. Sure, but does this cancel choosing a color that will be to your liking, even if it goes against all odds? If you like a particular color, do dare – break the rules. It’s your bathroom.
Bathroom color combinations – how to distribute
The golden ration of color distribution? 70-20-10. To create a base upon which you can build and subtract over the years with accessories, it’s best to use neutral for about 70% of all the bathroom’s surfaces. Neutrals, like whites, creams, greys, are excellent choices because they can easily make both a statement or stand back and let other colors do all the talking. It depends on how you use them. And since we all get bored of the same colors, the dominant neutral in the bathroom will allow you to play with colorful accessories (which are easy to add and remove) to change the mood. Now, 20% of the bathroom should be painted colors a bit bolder than neutrals. That’s your grey on white. And if you want something bold – the yellow we talked about, it should occupy only 10%.
Don’t say no to bright colors – don’t overdo it either
Go for bright colors, even as focal points. Talk with your bathroom remodeler about adding a colorful tub, vanity – anything. The color doesn’t come only through the walls and trims, but all surfaces and items in the bathroom.
Now, if you like colorful accessories, stay low with the boldness on the walls. If there’s some colorful or floral wallpaper, stay neutral for the rest of the bathroom. Too much intensity in one room, especially if it’s small, may be cute but only for a while. Then, this will tire you as much as it would a stagnant white – I dare to say, even more.
