Bathroom Paint Colours
Bathrooms are often small, steamy and lit by a single window, so colour behaves differently here than anywhere else in the house. Watery blues and greens feel fresh, warm pinks flatter cool light and skin tones, and deep shades turn a bathroom into somewhere to linger. Every shade below comes in our mould-resistant Bathroom Wall Paint and as a 60ml sample.
The best bathroom colours suit both the room's light and the way you use it. Soft blues and blue-greens are the classic fresh choice for brighter bathrooms. In a cool north-facing bathroom, warmer, earthy and pink-toned shades are kinder to the light and to skin tones in the mirror. Small bathrooms don't have to be white: a deep, enveloping colour can make them feel deliberate rather than cramped. Whatever you choose, use a paint made for steam.
At a glance
- Start here
- Light, steam and size. Look at how much daylight the bathroom gets and how steamy it becomes. Then decide whether you want it fresh and bright or deep and enveloping.
- North light
- Warm pinks and soft whites. Cool north light can make blues feel chilly. Warm, plaster-toned pinks and softly warm whites are kinder to the room and to skin tones in the mirror.
- South light
- Watery blues and greens. Bright, warm light keeps blues and blue-greens fresh rather than cold. It is the easiest bathroom for clean, airy colour.
- East light
- Fresh mornings, softer later. Bright morning light suits fresh blues and greens for getting ready. Later in the day the room cools, so check the sample in the evening too.
- West light
- Cool mornings, golden evenings. Morning light is cooler and flatter, then warm evening light gives soft greens and pinks a gentle glow for a long bath.
- Finish
- Matt, made for steam. Bathroom Wall Paint comes in Matt and resists the impact of mould without fungicides. Keep the room ventilated and treat any existing mould before painting.
- After dark
- Check under the mirror light. Bathroom lighting is often bright and cool. Hold your sample near the mirror and basin as well as by the window.
- Sample tip
- Check every change of light. Move your sample between walls. Check it in morning and afternoon daylight, then under the lights you use at night.
Tap any tile to read more.
Soft blues and blue-greens
Watery blues and greens for a fresh bathroom.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms
Blue and green are the colours most people picture in a bathroom, and for good reason: they recall water and planting and feel clean without being clinical. These range from airy pale blues to soft sea-glass greens and a confident turquoise-leaning blue.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing bathrooms, where warmer daylight keeps cool colour fresh. In a north-facing bathroom, try the warmer shades further down the page first.
Warm pinks for cooler bathrooms
Flattering warm pinks soften cool, flat light.
Best in north-, east- and west-facing rooms
A soft plaster pink is one of the most flattering bathroom colours there is. It warms cool light, sits beautifully beside white sanitaryware and brass or chrome, and is kind to skin tones in the mirror.
Best in north-facing bathrooms with Camisole™ and Sillygoose™, and in east- or west-facing bathrooms with any of the four. Lottie™ and Boatswain™ are best kept to east- or west-facing rooms.
Clean whites for simple bathrooms
Soft whites keep a small bathroom light and calm.
Best in north-, south-, east- and west-facing rooms
A white bathroom doesn't have to be brilliant white. These softer whites carry a hint of yellow, blue or green, so they look clean beside tiles and sanitaryware without glaring under bright lights.
Best in any direction with Coco™ and Nonchalant™. Bassett™ suits south-, east- and west-facing bathrooms, where its green undertone stays fresh.
Quiet greyed greens and blues
Softly greyed shades for a calm, spa-like room.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms
For a calmer, more grown-up bathroom, these greens and blues have had their brightness softened with grey. They pair well with natural materials such as stone, timber and linen, and suit a bathroom that should feel like a retreat.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing bathrooms. Glaed™ is the exception, suiting every direction, so it is the one to try first in a north-facing room.
Deep colour for a bathroom to linger in
Rich depth for a cosy, enveloping bathroom.
Best in north-, south-, east- and west-facing rooms
A small bathroom will never feel huge, so a deep colour can be the better choice: it blurs the corners and makes the room feel cocooning. Try it on every wall, or pair it with white tiles for crisp contrast.
Best in north-facing bathrooms with Pandher™, south-facing bathrooms with Bellyetter™, and east- or west-facing bathrooms with Skibbidy™ or Apatura™.
Sample it the way we would
Step 1
Paint your peel-and-sticks
Each £5.99 sample comes with three paintable peel-and-sticks. Give them two coats and let them dry fully.
Step 2
Stick them around the room
Put them on two or three walls, including the wall opposite the window, at eye level and lower down.
Step 3
Live with them for a day or two
Look in the morning, the afternoon and under your evening lamps. Move them around until you are sure.
Your questions, answered
What is the best colour for a small bathroom?
There isn't one right answer. A soft white or pale blue-green keeps a small bathroom light, while a deep colour on every wall can make it feel cosy and deliberate. Avoid stark brilliant white under bright, cool lighting, as it can feel clinical.
What colour suits a north-facing bathroom?
Warmer colours, such as soft plaster pinks, warm whites and deep earthy shades. Cool blues can look chilly in north light, so sample them beside a warmer option before deciding.
North-facing room coloursIs your Bathroom Wall Paint anti-mould paint?
Not in the way most tins mean it. It resists the impact of mould without using fungicides. It can't fix damp or replace good ventilation, so treat existing mould and keep the room ventilated.
Bathroom Wall PaintCan I paint my bathroom cabinet to match?
Yes. Use our Bathroom Cabinet Paint on vanity units and cabinets. Choose the same colour as the walls for a seamless look, or a deeper shade from the same section for contrast.
Bathroom Cabinet Paint