Look We Absolutely Love: Dark Colors for the Bathroom

After getting burned by Eisenhower-era pinks and olive greens, we’ve been playing it safe, color-wise, in the bathroom for a long time. Subway tile and white walls dominate modern bathrooms, with maybe a little grey tile on the floor for contrast. But that may all be about to change. More and more now I’m starting to see bathrooms that embrace the darker, moodier colors that are already so popular in other parts of the house. Take a look at these nine stylish examples.

The dark walls of this bathroom from Made by Girl contrast beautifully with the brightly colored concrete floor, and makes the bright pink of the towels almost seem to leap off the wall. (You’ll notice, if you look closely, that at least one wall of the bathroom is still painted white — a great way to keep a space from feeling too dark or drab.)

The dark sink and tub surround set a moody tone in this bathroom from Design*Sponge. They’re especially nice paired with a traditional black-and-white checkered floor and a rich-but-not-too-dark blue.

This bathroom from West Country Shutters is proof that hunter green and copper are a winning combo. Also notable: the radiator is painted black, which keeps it from standing out too much and contributes to the room’s moody aura.

In this bathroom from Godrich Interiors via Decorpad, navy walls set off a unique set of pedestal sinks — and allow the Gio Ponti mirrors to really shine.

A wainscot adds character and dimension to a black bathroom from House & Home. If you choose to do this in your bathroom, you could paint both halves in the same color, but the wainscot in a slightly higher sheen, for a bit of subtle contrast.

You don’t have to go all the way black (or navy) to get a moody, stylish look. This bathroom from Frenchy Fancy pairs grey walls with beveled grey subway tile in the same shade. (Searching for colored subway tile? You may find this post helpful. Its focus is on square 4×4 tile, but many of these companies also make colored subway tile as well.)

I really love this not-quite-hunter-green from Hunted Interior — it’s dark and lovely but with just a hint of springtime green.

From Design*Sponge, another way to get the dark look without painting the whole bathroom black: paint just the wainscot.

Alternatively, you can use white tile on the lower half of the walls and a dark color on the top, like in this bathroom from Covet Garden via The Blooming Hydrangea. It’s the best of both worlds: clean brightness with a bit of moody glam.