What color do you want to wake up to every morning? A watery blue? A tan as cozy as a blanket? A red so shocking it’s sure to open sleepy eyes?
Choosing a color to paint a bathroom can be fun—and tricky, because you have to pick a color that works with existing fixtures and in a small space.
We asked local interior designers their favorite paint colors for bathrooms. Almost all are by Benjamin Moore.
For baths with a white sink, tub, and tile, designer Skip Sroka prefers pale shades like Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue (HC-144) or Hancock Green (HC-117). The effect? “It always feels like spring,” he says.
If tiles are not as white as they once were, he suggests a color such as Wilmington Tan (HC-34) or Putnam Ivory (HC-39) to make the tiles look brighter. Sroka used bold Dorset Gold (HC-8) in his own vintage black-and-white-tile bathroom to balance the opposing colors and brighten the white tiles.
Designer Barbara Hawthorn also recommends soft, warm tones such as Benjamin Moore Roasted Sesame Seed (2160-40) or Farrow & Ball’s Hound Lemon (#2). She says to be careful when painting a bath green or yellow because it can make a person’s skin appear sallow.
That doesn’t mean you should shy away from vibrant shades. One of Hawthorn’s favorite bold colors is Benjamin Moore Million Dollar Red (2003-10). A powder room painted in this, she says, is “like a jewel box.” Several designers recommended balancing bold colors with trim done in a neutral like Benjamin Moore White Dove.
If you don’t dare paint your bathroom red, designer Michael Roberson suggests the soothing shade of Benjamin Moore Gray Cashmere (2138-60). She used it in a bathroom with glass tile and says the color reminds her of shimmering water.
Want a calming, versatile color? Designer Nancy Colbert suggests Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (HC-172), which blends easily with other colors.
Designer Sue Burgess created a spalike space for her own bathroom using Benjamin Moore Emerald Vapor (845) and Winter Ice (866). “It’s just so clean and fresh,” she says. “It’s where I want to start my day.”
