apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


Dark Grey Bathrooms

091409_greyBath2.jpgSo, I've been thinking about re-painting the guest bathroom for the past six months or so, and I've committed to do it this weekend. The only problem is that I can't quite seem to make a decision on the actual color. The bathroom has classic, simple white furnishings--but there's definitely a catch: the tile around the tub is light pink, edged with maroon.

 
 

Initially, I considered going light: a soothing taupe or beige to keep the room neutral. But now I'm hankering to make the bathroom a bit more dramatic with a dark hue, and I initially considered painting the room a rich espresso. However, after some consideration, I'm worried that with the pink tiles and white sink and tub, the bathroom will look like Neapolitan ice cream. A friend of mine suggested that I try a dark grey instead: "I think it'll go well with all the white pedestal sink and vintage style hardware. Keep the trim white, paint the walls grey, and then you can play with a wide range of pink and reds as accent colors."

What do you think of dark grey bathrooms? Here's a few photos from Living Etc.:

091409_greyBath1.jpg

091409_greyBath3.jpg

091409_greyBath4.jpg

(Images: Living Etc.)

Tags

bathroom, bathroom colors, charcoal grey, dark grey bathrooms

Related Links

Share

Comments (17)

The floor color/material isn't mentioned but, based on the info provided, I think gray would work for the walls.

posted by mirandabee on September 14th 2009 at 8:37am
view mirandabee's profile

I spent the weekend in Belgium, and little girls were all dressed in dark grey linen (jackets, skirts) with pale blush pink (tees, tights...).

It is a pretty combination, but the maroon ruins it. Would it be possible to get rid of the maroon tiles?

posted by mschatelaine on September 14th 2009 at 8:40am
view mschatelaine's profile

Wow I just love how streamlined and modern, but still classy and approachable the color is, especially when paired with that great hard wood floor and orange accent.

However, not sure how long the hard wood would last in a bathroom..at least in my house. I'd probably replace the wood with a creamy nice tile, or even some terra cotta style in a dark color?

posted by maybeamezzo on September 14th 2009 at 8:50am
view maybeamezzo's profile

The dark grey makes everything pop!

posted by jeffnyc on September 14th 2009 at 9:20am
view jeffnyc's profile

A grey with a warm cast (like photo #3) would work great -- the white bath furnishings would definitely pop against it. And it'd cast a flattering light, always good in a bathroom!

posted by ursamin*r on September 14th 2009 at 9:30am
view ursamin*r's profile

I have two pink bathrooms and dark grey is totally my fix-it color. I think it would work for most color-dated bathrooms: you can salvage the original tile color by just putting in a slate floor.

posted by home body on September 14th 2009 at 9:54am
view home body's profile

That grey in #3 is an awesome color. All those undertones of je ne sais quoi. Very cool.

posted by JoanneM on September 14th 2009 at 10:44am
view JoanneM's profile

My husband and I just recently did exactly this! I was inspired by the color of a toy battleship. I thought it would be fun to paint the bathroom a dark color like that. It turned out great!

posted by redbeard on September 14th 2009 at 10:58am
view redbeard's profile

love the 1st 2 rooms. not sure how it work in my cave of an apt, but great stuff.

posted by greybreaks on September 14th 2009 at 11:27am
view greybreaks's profile

Hi, Grace!

I'm wondering if we live in the same building, because my bathroom is exactly as you described - pink tile, maroon edging, and white fixtures. I was considering dark grey, too, but I'm worried the maroon will muddle it.

posted by bfootnovellista on September 14th 2009 at 11:28am
view bfootnovellista's profile

i have a dark grey bathroom, and it's great

be careful: there are so many greys, and they change with the daylight

posted by sunan on September 14th 2009 at 11:56am
view sunan's profile

I love the dark greys. It definitely relays a sense of cool (not so much the hipper than thou cool, but calm cool) - I hope that makes sense???

We did our tiny bathroom in a lighter shade of grey (textured tiles rather than paint). Offset with custom warm walnut for the vanity. It was definitely a fun project - a lot of learnings too!

http://donkeehouse.com/?p=74

posted by bitdot on September 14th 2009 at 11:58am
view bitdot's profile

I personally like grey a lot. I you are worried about the pink and maroon clashing with the grey on the wall, then I would paint it a more unsaturated grey.
For my bathroom renovation I was thinking of a lighter grey béton ciré (dove or maybe even a mossy grey) with white walls and blond wood.

http://newangles.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/beton-cire/

posted by Menno on September 14th 2009 at 12:19pm
view Menno's profile

The grey is beautiful - especially with the orange accents in the first photo. And that wallpaper in the last photo is killer!

posted by aperfectpeach on September 14th 2009 at 1:33pm
view aperfectpeach's profile

Very inspiring. I especially love the cork, saarinen and bone inlay furniture used in a bathroom. Sigh, I wish my bathroom had enough space for furniture.

posted by EasilyAmused on September 14th 2009 at 2:01pm
view EasilyAmused's profile

Great post! I just tiled my guest bath in an awsome two toned grey tile and came to a dead stop at complimentary paint colors. Great ideas!

posted by cliokitty on September 14th 2009 at 3:37pm
view cliokitty's profile

If you're looking for colors, Benjamin Moore's Stonewall Brown is a perfectly cozy warm grey. It made my bedroom much more 'cavern-like'. Love the idea!

posted by takeanightdrive on September 14th 2009 at 3:56pm
view takeanightdrive's profile