apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

In spite of this strong color, I think you are blessed with very attractive fixtures.

Yes, I second the motion to introduce as much bright white as humanly possible into the space. White towels, floor covering, accessories, an all-white chair...

Or, if all-white is not you bag, try introducing an equally gusty color, in equally gutsy doses. Go for the intentional clash, in the "if-you can't beat 'em..." vein.

I also think you can drastically alter the perception of a room like this by introducing a piece of art or fabric (shower curtain) that takes a color you don't like and introduces counterparts to it you might not expect. I have a friend who turned the tide on his pink half bath by introducing copper, mocha, sage and orange... all colors that came out of a masculine wood block print and bold striped towels that held their own against even the small-patterned floral wallpaper. Suddenly that pink girly bathroom was something different entirely.

It's hard to see, but are the tiles patterned?

The second time I've found the packaging of this CB2 candle to provide possible color inspiration!

http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=910&f=1513

(Ah, just saw the other photos, confirming the tiles are indeed patterned. Oy.)

I'm not a huge fan of the floor, but I think the tile color is getting short shrift here. Perhaps Linoleum could be laid on the floor to balance out the starkness of the green, which could be removed upon moveout.

If you don't want to drill into the tile over the sink, you could remove a few tiles under where you'd like to put a mirror, and either use molly bolts or stuff some cheap tile in its place until you move out and replace the old.

that said, my rental also has an inexplicable white/tan combo in the bathroom that I've had to think about a bit and something I came to realize is that you could keep everything as it is, adding only to the tan/green scheme. since everybody allows sinks, tubs, and toilets to be white enamel, you can focus on the other colors and the fixtures will always look fine.

If it's OK to paint, think about pale celery green walls, which will help neutralize the color a little. That candle that P2 shows is great. Use colors from that for the walls!

And here's an idea that I have never seen done, but it might work: take a tension-rod style shower curtain rod and put it at that back wall of the tub area and put a white shower curtain on, just to cover up some of the actual tile? It kind of looks like this tub is the narrow kind that they have in the hotel I stayed at in Paris, though, that might make it crowded.

OR... you could work a lot of botanical-looking stuff in there -- actual ferns or whatever will grow in there if you have a green thumb? Then maybe you'll begin to think of that green as more of an organic background of garden, instead of the hideosity you now find it to be.

If you don't have a green thumb, maybe big fake peace lillies around the base of the sink, since the flowers have white in them?

Or, if it's OK to paint, maybe you want to do it in sort of a light blue-gray (a lighter shade than what's in that candle), so it will be kind of like a sky (but please -- no painted clouds in here) And maybe your shower curtain can be basically clear with bright flowers that pop out against the green?

Since the predominant color is green, you could also consider pushing the "natural" in the room... introduce sea grass or jute rug, pick a modern mirror and accessories made from bamboo, etc., to possibly turn that slightly unnatural green into something more earthly.

Saw this at Crate & Barrel, and thought the colors could work, and the scale could hold its own against the sea of sea-green tiles:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1400&f=7777

PS: Make sure to spring for a custom shower curtain, so it will hang as low as possible, to cover as much of the tub surround as possible.

What a fantastic apartment! Of course, there's always a drawback, so in this case, the hideous green-patterned tile. I agree with the suggestions above about a large white shower curtain -- or other bold color to detract from the green. Also, it is evident from photos that there are connections for washer and maybe drier -- when you have installed these I am sure it will cover a large portion of the tile walls. Since your appliances will most likely be white, working with white fabrics may well prove to push the green into the background.

Curious what city you are in (guessing Paris, but not enough detail to know) -- are you able to find good shower curtains? Not to cause trouble, but I have never understood the european avoidance of shower curtains! But all kidding aside, it looks like you have found a wonderful place to live. I really appreciate that the toilet is a separate room from other bath functions -- very classy to my mind. Hmmmm, now that I think of it, I have never understood the american avoidance of bidets . . .

i would go with lots of white, celery green accent walls and then splashes of orange. Funky & with purpose. An orange theme painting of wall hanging, some orange accents. Could be fun!

I'd go boho. I'd put a martha stewart shower curtain in there. A big mirror - like some one else said - over the sink. I'd lay down fFunky, stripey contempo linoleum. I'd put in one of those woven plastic hampers that are in lots of bright colors. I'd put a sweet small rug on the floor - there is one at Urban Outfitters - a hooked rug with a bird on a branch design. And art on the walls. I'm describing my bathroom of course.

Another route, to push it in an intentionally retro direction, would be to add (in addition to a healthy dose of bright white) some crazy lemon yellow. Like an all-yellow "raincoat yellow" vinyl shower curtain.

Strangely enough, the longer i look at those tiles (which upon first glance, are rather horrific) the more I'm starting to like them. While I'd vote in the lots and lots of white camp, I think getting something down on that floor would just make a huge impact. It's that clash of tile-pattern with marble-esque swirl that hurts to look at. Linoleum really would be the way to go.

Of course, my totally impractical suggestion: astro-turf. Or some faux-grass-type flooring.

That said - it truly is an absolutely beautiful apartment! Enjoy it!

Your bathroom could be so, so much worse. I love Art Deco, but man, those pinks bathrooms are infinitely worse than this.
I kinda like the tile actually. Not something I would pick, but could work with them. But that marble floor ... nahhhhh. No linoleum, though!
I'd go with p2's suggestion to take it natural. Lots of bamboo and other woods. Do something to cover up the marble floor (there are two wooden shower mats at holdeverything.com for inspiration) and the exposed pipes (some shelving?).

Maybe I'm not just not feeling too outside the box today, but the first thing that struck me was to go for a Moroccan feel.

Lovely apartment, by the way. I love the ironwork on the railings.

Call me crazy - but I think the bathroom is kinda cool. Here's what I'd do:

Go more retro with wheat/harvest gold/mustard towels. Bath accessories would be stainless steel or chrome. Maybe find some stainless steel shelves that attach with suctioncups to the tile.
And other shiny pieces of steel furniture like:
http://www1.holdeverything.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?parentId=HE-SHPBDBBFN&partNumber=HE-PROD3574&retainNav=true&cmsrc=HE-SHPBDBBFN&storeId=11001&langId=-1&catalogId=11001
http://www1.holdeverything.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?parentId=HE-SHPBDBBTHFRN&partNumber=HE-PROD3673&retainNav=true&cmsrc=HE-SHPBDBBTHFRN&storeId=11001&langId=-1&catalogId=11001

Conversely, you could try to 'go ethnic'
Rich spice colored towels (cayenne, curry colors).
Mid to dark wood accessories and hammered antiquey brass accents.
Embroidered shower curtain with a jaquard pattern with rich colors.

I vote for ethnic too--specifically the Moroccan spice market colors previously suggested by Jennifer. (Good call on the Moroccan feel, Doug.) But why not go over the top? Layer multiple textures, patterns and colors. Tie the colors in somehow with a Persian rug or Kilim and silk tapestries for a shower curtain. An oversized clay pot or oversized Moroccan candle lantern as an accent piece (if you have the room). It could look pretty sweet if you wanted to go in this direction. I say embrace the weird green tiles rather than neutralize them. [But if you decided to neutralize them, I would stick a lot of white to balance it out.] Final thought--I think going for an Asian/zen vibe would be tough with those tiles. It's like the tiles have a life of their own.

If you do go off-the-shelf with the shower curtain, consider this new offering from West Elm:
http://ww1.westelm.com/cat/pip.cfm?template=8grid&pkey=cbedsho&gids=p136&cid=bedsho&area=shp

I agree that a lot of white or using a neutral beige color will help. If at all possible can tiles on front of tub be removed? That will make it less green! A nice mirror with a frame, shower curtain, towel bar with pretty towels,you know homey touches. Floor could use scatter rugs, floor cloth, some type of covering.Someone suggested using a beige. That may be it. Green and a tan color work well.I think it will be fine. I've seen worse. Good Luck!

I also like introducing a turquoise/cerulean blue, like the vases in the Global Table post.

well thanks a lot for all the nice comments and ideas :) the appartment is in Paris, and it's true that i've never seen anyone putting a shower curtain around a bath. and for the bidet, which i don't find particulary useful, we were thinking about putting a plant on it.

A-HA! So it IS Paris! If you're in Paris, what are you doing being at home enough to worry about what your bathroom looks like? Especially when the tiles are so fresh and clean looking!

Your only bathroom complaint should be the public toilets, some of which are indistinguishable from the ones that they had in China back in the early-'80's (and probably still have), where it's just basically a hole in the floor! Seriously, folks, I don't know about y'all, but that was the ONLY thing that this little traveler found to be entirely too weird to believe when I went to Paris.

Meanwhile, your tiles are growing on me, too. I'm kind of liking them, especially as I envision the various suggestions made here.

I actually like the green - I'd get either white or light green towels and call it a day. Looks 10x better than my "dirty white" bathroom that I want to repaint.

in the name of my country, i apologize for the damage our public toilets have caused to the tourists :)
thanks again for the great ideas, i just hope i'll be able to find those items in french shops

I think a bunch of hot pink towels and matching
puffy rug would look pretty good with that green

I'm in the Moroccan camp on this one. (Whatever can Doug be like when he IS thinking outside the box?) Lots of elaborate brass and bronze stuff, and I'd go so far as to slather the [unfortunate] floor with little oriental rugs that are color-compatible with the wall tiles. Mmmm, decadent. Oh, I see Enrique already said this. And no complaining about having to shop in French shops, please, Marie!

Au, who is moving in the near future and hopes that Enrique won't mind being her design consultant

I actually like the green tiles. From the picture they look like they are in good condition. The built-in tub is interesting and it makes it look like a bath house spa so I see this going in the direction of an intimate bathroom. I agree with the others about introducing more white to brighten and enhance the green tiles. If the tiles are embossed with a design on it ( I cant see too well but if it is like a filigree design?) I would think a delicately filigree framed miror would do nicely. Some neutral column candles in one of the corner and a leafy plant that loves humidity in the other. I would get a rug because the only thing that throws me is the flooring which I would cover up as much as possible.

I definitely agree with the Moroccan look. Even a Spanish/Moorish look would be pretty. See if you can get a nice big mirror (maybe round, to counteract all those geometric squares?) with a WIDE frame. A mother-of-pearl mosaic edge would tie the tiles in with the floor - or bronze/copper would pull some contrast out of the green. If you're into brighter colours, by all means, go turquoise or terra cotta. However, if you want to soften it up (and I'm assuming it isn't too huge a space) try sheerer coppers and rich neutrals. That green is leaning towards warm, so don't be afraid to use cooler 'warm' colours like orange or red.

Another option is to put curtains over your mirror... just to put SOMETHING on the walls.

Or for a totally different (and rather When In Paris... theme) look, think Absinthe and the Moulin Rouge and go Boho meets Edwardian. Retro posters, "Chat" shower curtain, maybe even some heavy framed vintage photographs of who-knows-what. The Victorians and Edwardians made busy work - you could too.