Light gray.

Black.

Or Mocha-like. Benjamin Moore 1033?

Benjamin Moore's Coventry Gray would look great!

This could be a great ---small and easy--- space to utilize that painted stripe technique AT was featuring a week or so ago! A medium charcoal tone like the tile but in matte then gloss stripes.

I agree with gray!

i would match the edging tiles, and have black towels

I love the tiles; I wouldn't necessarily match the gray tile, but maybe with a lighter or darker gray -- although I'm thinking lighter, at least for the walls. A slatey blue-gray color, maybe?

White towels, maroon/brown/wooden accents, a small splash of bright green with art or a plant and the walls in a dark blue-grey.

I suggest you have a look at "summer nights", "new york state of mind", "new providence navy", "midnight blue" or "wescoot navy" by Benjamin Moore. Really, just pick a blue that won't make your tiles look sickly and gross.

I find dark grey toned walls in mens homes make them seem mature, self confident and well groomed. I don't know why. :)

"Stone" by Benjamin Moore. It's really sexy.

Charcoal grey would definitely look good, but you could also use a dark steel blue -- not like navy, but a nice grey blue. You could also bring in more dark wood to pull out the color of your trim tile and really man it up.

Farrow and Ball light blue would look great with the gray tiles. It is a gray blue but is light enough that it will keep the small space clean and bright looking.
http://www.farrow-ball.com/productlist.aspx?cid=PC&language=en-GB

I think that I would leave the colors as they are and invest in a longer better mirror, that comes well above the windows. with either a blood red frame or a frameless one, and paint the windows grey to match the tiles. You have a lot going on here and I think simplicity would be good. I would suggest navy blue towels, a simple nude line drawing on the left side of the sink. It does not need much.

Chocolate brown - masculine and sexy... would look great with the blueish tiles.

I'd definitely go with grey, maybe a shade or two darker than the tiles.

How about a coppery color? That would tie in with the tiles as well. Or a slate blue. I guess either way would blend with the tiles and be manly.

Everyone is doing grey these days (including myself).
Also, I'm having a hard time telling if your tiles are blue or grey - they look like those pale blue vintage tiles in so many bathrooms, so I'm assuming they're blue, and I don't really think that many greys would look very good with baby blue and burgundy tiles.

I think that, if you want to stand apart, you should pull inspiration from the vintage tiles themselves - why not use a really dark blue? It makes me think of beretta ads, and manly studies in old english manor homes or something... A nice red/brown could also look really nice.

(ps - if the tiles ARE a nice grey, then disregard the last post, and I think a really *dark* grey would look lovely)

I think it's hysterical and endearing that you're asking for masculine decorating advice on apartment therapy. Love it.

Navy blue is masculine.

A light version of the blue/grey tile. Your bathroom is really cute!

Grey - either a shade lighter or a shade darker than what you have in the tile.

Don't do copper or blue or whatever: You already have 3 basic colors in the room: Grey, Burgundy and White - That's enough for any small room.

I'd check out two options.
1) SW Sommelier (a deep, deep plummy burgundy)
or
2) SW Knitting Needles (sorry, not a masculine name, but a fitting cool medium grey) for walls with vanity painted in SW Peppercorn (deep charcoal blue)

Ok.... so I know this is a little off the wall... (pun not intended).... but I think if you're looking for something awesome... why not giant argyle? Do a grey a smidge lighter than medium and a grey 2 shades deeper. Then off-set it with a slightly darker than medium red line outlined in white. Make the argyle 2 - 3 ft tall so it's not super busy. It would play off the squares of the tile. But you gotta ask yourself... how brave are you?

Think about a well tailered flannel suit. Gray/Grey (what is the difference?!). I'd recommend painting the cabinet the same as the walls but do the walls in a flat paint.

Mid to dark dark is what I'd like to see...and a larger miror.

I'd get a mirror that would actually be wide enough to cover 1/2 of each window but mounted between the windows. So as to look like it is floating.

my 2Cents

Dane

Let us know what you do!

CHARCOAL GREY

Wow. This is the reason I really enjoy this blog.

Thank you all for your input and thoughts, you are a wonderful resource.

Will send pictures in after it is complete.

Thanks!

Hmmm... everyone is saying grey, but the tiles look really more like blue on my screen, If they're blue, I would do a dark blue-grey, like venus_thames said. If they're grey, I would go with a shade of grey lighter than the tile.

And, Dane, grey = British version of the spelling; gray = American version. I use the British version because I read more British literature than American, and that spelling looks correct to me now. They're the same color though, and I think people still know what you're talking about, regardless of the spelling! :)

Ralph Lauren's Modern Light line "Limestone" color (RL number: ML 13).

I would find a paint color that closely matches the blue/gray tile and then paint the vanity, trim, walls and ceiling in lighter shades of that same color. Maybe the darkest of the shades on the vanity to link it more with the floor and counter tiles, medium shade on the walls and lightest shade on the ceiling. The red tile is so beautiful, bringing the rest of the room closer to the blue/gray tile color would really make it shine. Add white towels and dark wood accents with maybe a dark, wood-framed line drawing on the left.

I think the key to all of these suggestions - most of them anyway - is that a dark color would work well. Maybe a grey a couple of steps darker than your tile counter. Many people are afraid that a dark color makes a space feel smaller. The truth is that dark colors, particularly blues, grays, cooler colorts - RECEDE in a room, potentially making it feel less closed in.... with the added benefit of not being too feminine.

Dark chocolate brown, walls and ceiling!

a dark dark version of the grey in the tiles.

Dark grey woodwork, light grey walls. (Keep the bump-out of the sink white, though, so the entire thing reads like it's the sink and helps tie in the white toilet.)

Just make sure to bring home a bunch of chips so you can hold them up against the tiles. Greys are like whites - there is a huge range of colors within them, and getting the right one makes all the difference.

Almost forgot - also get a black or dark wood (to match the general color of the reddish tiles) toilet seat.

Dark grey walls would be attractive and masculine. LOVE that original tile!

I wish I had that old tile in my bathroom. Love it!

The tile is amazing in this bathroom...don't change it. I would do a beautiful dark brown to bring out the tile accent on the vanity. Keep the windows and the trim white. That would be striking. And...because you have those beautiful windows, I would put a plant in each one...either hanging, or if the sills are wide enough, right on the sill. You're lucky to have a wonderful vintage bathroom to work with!

I would add simple pull down shades in light linen or taupe....a couple of shades darker than the white trim, for privacy. You could have them up to bring in light. Or...maybe in a pale, greyish blue tone similar to the tile color.

Ok..my last idea. :)...keep the vanity white, and, if it were my bathroom, I would put a skirt below the sink to cover the plumbing. That's not masculine, though..so that's not in keeping with your question. Maybe some sort of cover...but if it's not an issue for you, forget it. I'm done now...

I have to ask -- what does "male feel" mean to you?

In decorating, "manly" often seems to imply dark colors and neutrals, stripes, an absence of pink... /- duck hunting related items.

But seriously, this is 2010, right? "Manly" could include pink, pastels, or disco balls. You have to define it for yourself.

In terms of your space, I agree with the folks who suggest either picking up the color of the tiles (either the blue-grey or the maroon) or going with a grey or brown. I also think you could pick a warm pale yellow/cream, which would harmonize with the tiles IMO.

Or there's always pink.

I would go with a dark green so black one minute it looks dark green, and the next minute it looks black, and do it in a high gloss.

Gary is so DULL, and the gray tile with red tile is interesting. Black would make it pop. Another gray would make it disappear. It just depends on what you want.

Gray and black is pretty classic for a man's bathroom.

Everyone is saying gray - which is a great choice, but hear me out here. Try BROWN.

I know what you're thinking, the last thing you want to be reminded of in the BR is BM. The key is selecting the right shade of brown. If you stick to something that's more of a dark chocolate (avoid anything with a warm, red tone - like maroon) it can work as a great dominant third color there. I think it can bring a matte finish will bring a real velvety richness into the room.

Dark mahogany has always been a classic masculine tone. Whenever you can incorporate that dark wood as an accessory - it can make your room look much more expensive and sophisticated in a snap!

In case you're leaning towards gray, be careful about going too blue. If your tiles there are blue, a cool gray will make your bathroom feel even colder. Those little 7oz color samples will be your best friend when testing out the right shade. Don't be afraid to sample a good sized square, and let the color dry completely before making your final decision.

Paint the vanity and the wall underneath it the same color burgundy as the tile to make it look like a piece of mahogany furniture.

Be careful you don't go too dark. Consider a white with a tint. I painted a well lit bathroom a medium blue and it sucked all the light from the room. It was too dark for my husband to shave properly.

Apple green!

Definitely charcoal grey!

If the accent tile is a warm brown (and not maroon) then that would be my answer.

Otherwise, I'd find a dark paisley for a shower curtain and inside-mount Roman shades that works with your tile colors, and pull the paint color from that.

Another option for the window shades would be a very natural grass.

I'd paint the cabinets the same color as the wall, too, or an almost-black (like Benjamin Moore's Wrought Iron or Black Bean Soup).

I too, think grey would be an awesome color. Try to go with a satin (you need a bit of a shine for the moisture/mold, but Satin never looks too shiny at all!) and pick a dark grey, like the sky when it's about to rain.

Not only will it look manly, but people will be impressed with the bold decision and it will look awesome!

-Amie from http://www.abbeycatchat.com

PLEASE DONT PAINT IT GREY TOO PREDICTABLE!! LEAVE IT WHITE..USE ACCESSARIES OF LIGHT GREY,WHITE,BLACK.CHANGE THE DOOR KNOBS A TARNISH BRONZE TO MATCH THE FAUCET..CHANGE OUT THE MIRROR OR FIT A BLACK FRAME. GET A COUPLE OF BAMBOO SHADES TO COVER THE WINDOWS, THESE BLINDS CAN BE PAINTED IF YOU LIKE. A FRIEND OF MINE SPRAYED HIS CHOCOLATE BROWN WITH A CELLERY GREEN BORDER, LOOKS VERY COOL!

God, my first step would be demolition! (I saw an almost identical vanity (in shape) done with pink and maroon tiles demo'ed on an old edition of "Designed to Sell" just this weekend. Hideous! Both theirs and yours! Sorry!)

chocolate brown... the richness will do well with the maroon and blue tile... grey might look a gas station bathroom...

I've always liked white because it is classic and simple. If you want something a little more "edgy" then go with a green, if you want to play it safe try a dark grey.

-Jeff from StarDecorating