Ideas For Painting a Smaller Bathroom

When decorating a bathroom, a key part of the planning process is choosing not only the colour scheme but how you’re going to drip feed your colours across the bathroom.

Many find this a daunting task, particularly when faced with choosing colours for a smaller bathroom. However, you don’t have to be a design pro to piece together a stunning bathroom colour scheme even in the tiniest spaces.

One of the easiest, most inexpensive and DIY-friendly approaches to spreading the colour love across a bathroom is with paint.

It may seem obvious, and you may have already considered painting your bathroom to build out colour, but there’s so much more you can do with a splash of paint.

From trendy colour schemes and palette inspiration tips to tricks and advice on how to get the best out of bathroom paint finish, we’re here to provide you with some helpful ideas to springboard your small bathroom redesign into action.

Why paint your bathroom?

If you’re not convinced that painting your bathroom is the right move, here’s some food for thought as to why using paint could be the right move for you:

A little paint goes a long way

The beauty of paint is that even just a fresh coat of new colour can change the dynamic of your bathroom completely.

Within just a few coats, you can turn an understated room into a statement feature within your home.

Whether you’re looking to create a bold and bright feature wall or simply want to revive a tired-looking space, painting is undoubtedly the easiest way to freshen up a smaller bathroom.

There’s always wiggle room

 

 

If you’re unsure about your bathroom colour scheme, it's really easy to add and take away with paint.

Let's be honest, when it comes to home decorating projects, it’s not always easy to get the colour right the first time around.

We’ve all been there; picked up a colour from our local DIY shop, popped the lid and spread it across the wall, only to realise that the colour just isn't quite right.

However, with paint, if you don’t quite get it right first (or second and third!) time around, as a forgiving decorating medium, it’s pretty reversible.

Feel the need for more or some different colours? Get the paintbrush out and add a little more.

Or perhaps you’ve gone a bit far and need to reign things back in again or choose a more toned-down colour. Once again, it’s easy to get the paintbrush out and try again.

An inexpensive way to spruce up your smaller bathroom

 

 

If your bathroom features are in good condition and you like what they bring to the room, why rip them out and start again?

Instead, consider how a different colour could change the look and feel of your space, to make it more you.

Perhaps all you need is a brand-new coating of paint, some fresh new bathroom accessories or taps and a new set of towels to completely transform your space.

What’s more, paint is a cheaper alternative to other bathroom materials such as tiles or wall panels.

So if you’re working to a budget and need to cut back, why not consider paint instead of other materials?

 

Find colours that compliment other features and materials

 

 

One of the best things about paint is that it’s available in a huge variety of different colours and shades.

Finding a colour that will compliment your key features, such as vanity units and storage cabinets, is entirely achievable when you start to explore the paint colour wheel and pick from an enormous range of shades.

What’s more, you can use paint to build texture and depth when mixing and matching between different colours and materials such as tiles, wood panelling and natural stone tiles and panels.

Things to remember when painting a smaller bathroom

 

What do you want from your smaller bathroom?

Perhaps you want to find colours that draw light through your smaller bathroom to enhance a feeling of space and size.

Maybe this home DIY project is all about being your own muse and considering how to add a little personal touch, incorporating your favourite colours and tones.

It could be that you’re aiming for a themed look that complements the existing decor around your home. Colour is a superb way to express your core design ideologies, whether that be a traditional look, a modern feel or something that’s a little more art deco.

Or perhaps you’re looking for paint colours that embrace the smaller space, creating a more intimate and cosy feel.

How will your paint choices compliment your chosen bathroom features?

If you’ve got your eye on a bright and colourful furniture set, consider how you can enhance the look of these stand-out features.

Whilst paint can be used as the main event in a room, it can also be incorporated as a modest, neutral balancer to enhance the look and body of other bathroom features.

When choosing neutral tones, avoid clashing colours with those features that you want to draw attention to.

 

How do you plan to compliment your paint colours?

 

 

On the flip reverse of this, you may want your painted features to stand out as the main attraction of your smaller room.

Perhaps you’ll create a feature wall, or maybe you plan to paint your bath panel a striking colour.

To make the paint pop, explore different accessories, fixtures and fittings that you may not have previously considered to get the best out of your chosen paint colours.

A few different ways to paint your bathroom

When we talk about painting a bathroom, most people immediately think about wall colour.

And, yes, whilst this is one place you can splosh paint across your smaller bathroom, it’s not the only way to use this inexpensive decorating medium.

 

Mix and match between paint and tiles

 

Tiles and bathrooms go hand in hand. But quite often, tiling a bathroom from floor to ceiling, particularly in a smaller space, can feel a little overpowering and static.

Instead, mix between tiled and painted walls.

The half-and-half look, with light and clean tiles or panels at the bottom of the wall and bright and bold colour at the top half of the wall, is a great way to incorporate colour into the space, whilst emphasising wall height to elongate the room.

Alternatively, you could create a bright and bold feature wall using tiles. Pick a modest complementary paint colour to draw out the patina and stature of your tiled feature wall.

If you want your painted feature wall to be the main event, flip things around. Opt for a bold block paint colour, contrasted against texture-building panels or tiles.

Make paint pop with texture

 

Looking to add something extra special to a feature wall or painted section of wall? Go that bit further and use wooden panelling.

For a glamorous early-century small bathroom design, choose shaker wood panels. Or to create a more subdued hint of texture, choose cladded-style wood panels.

Both will give your painted wall space that bit more character, perpetuating colour through 3D effect.

 

Use paint to create zones

 

Even in smaller bathrooms, zoning is a fantastic way to break up the space and give the eye a little more to explore.

However, you do run the risk of making the bathroom look smaller if you start bringing solid linears and bulky features into play to achieve the zonal look.

Instead, use colour to create clear, yet linked sections.

Incorporate a mixture of neutral tones against colourful or dark colours for a sophisticated way to slice the space.

 

Paint the ceiling

Do something different to the norm.

Rather than white paint, consider bringing moody greys to your ceiling space.

Be bold with black or mix things up entirely with a bright ceiling colour that compliments flooring or furniture.

Get experimental with patterns and textures

 

 

Have you considered how applying the paint differently could enhance your small bathroom?

Cultivate a rough and ready look with a limewash paint effect.

Or tell a story with a mural of patterns and shapes. For a mid-century retro feel, add an eclectic mix of primary colours paired against corrugated vanity units and cabinets.

Paint isn’t just for the walls and ceiling

 

Unable to find the perfect colour match for vanity units, cabinets and bath panels?

Accomplish the look that you have your sights set on by painting them a colour of your choice.

Bounce beams of captivating bright colour across your bathroom space and centralise the room when letting the features do all the talking through paint.

Opting for trimmer space-saving features such as a corner basin or back-to-wall toilet?

Tease colour through the bathroom by adding a lick of paint to the door skirting boards and window frames to add a subtle extra dimension of colour to a slimline bathroom.

 

The best colours for smaller bathrooms

Here are a few ideas:

 

Which paint colours will make the bathroom feel bigger?

If you want your smaller bathroom to look bigger, bright and lighter is the way to go. The fairer the colour, the more light will bounce around the room, creating a more open feel.

Start in neutral

Neutral colours are a good place to start because they can be added to with bolder and darker tones through furniture and features.

For something humble and homely, choose oatmeal, creams and even magnolia. For added warmth, lighter browns and golden wheat colours are a superb selection.

 

 

Grey is bang-on trend at the moment as a neutral paint colour. For dinkier bathrooms, where the focus is on enriching space, a light dusting of grey with pale pebble or near-white marble paint both offer a neutral, light rebounding, let buildable colour.

 

Buildable lighter colours

Blue and green

If you’re striving to achieve a spa-like feel, it has to be light sky blue and minty greens. These breezy, refreshing and crisp colours are perfect if you’re going for a minimalistic look built out through classic white bathroom features. There’s also plenty of potential to complement light blue or green paint walls against light and dark grey flooring tiles and features.

 

 

Earthy tones

A wholesome and organic vibe can be achieved with light green paints. Sage green carries an earthy compound through a bathroom space and can be further enhanced with natural earth-born materials such as wooden panelling and stone wall panels and tiles.

 

 

Blushing pinks

Light fluffy candy floss pink is another blushing paint colour that works really well when aiming to create a feeling of more space in a smaller bathroom. It’s a fun and fancy colour that is pretty versatile. Match with matte black features such as taps or shower enclosures, white basins and vanity units as well as greys and brushed brass. To keep the look soft and spacious, pair against light marble wall panels.

 

 

Well yellow

Say hello to yellow. Create a yellow feature wall contrasted against a bright white panelled wall. To bring things back to the modern day, choose contemporary uplifting white bathroom features such as a space-saving combination vanity unit and WC unit.

 

 

Bolder paint colours

If you’re all about making a statement, why not turn things up a notch by choosing a radiant and bold paint colour?

Quickly and effortlessly add a whole new level of enriched character into even the smallest of bathrooms.

Whether you’re looking to create a gusty glow with a feature wall or aiming to distribute painted pockets of colour across your bathroom, here are some colours you might want to consider.

 

Brighter blue

For a punchy patch of blue, consider painting walls and features with cornflower blue. This is a superb choice if it’s a more traditional style, with whimsical hints of summer tones that you’re aiming for. Pair this stunning colour with oatmeal and the lightest brown neutral tones as well as vintage white bathroom features and whitewashed natural materials such as timber-cladded wall panelling.

 

Warmer tones

Does your bathroom feel cold? Warm things up with peachy keen rusty orange or bright musky pink paint. Keep it simple by pairing these colours with white tiles and flooring, or ignite your imagination by mixing them with blue or green vanity units and furniture pieces. To bring contrast into the space against white neutral tones, choose matte black taps.

Pick a purple

Pack a real colour punch with purple. Get deep with opulent plumb and forest berry purples to achieve a humble yet luxurious finish. Don’t forget to lighten things up with crispy white features such as white basins and countertops, tiles or panels. For an added element of contrast choose a small vanity unit with grey shaker doors. And, to complete the look, why not select traditional four-spindle taps to gather together a sumptuous classic country house look?

 

Darker paint colour schemes for small bathrooms

It’s important to recognise that just because you have a smaller bathroom, you don’t always have to be on a mission to make it feel ‘bigger’ all the time.

Instead of fighting against the smallness, why not embrace it and indulge in darker colours that create a more intimate space?

Boujee blues

We’ve already talked about blues from a lighter and more modest angle, however, there’s also lots to be said about using darker blue paints across your smaller bathroom. Baritone bold blues such as peacock blue and navy blue pair perfectly with crispy white tiles and features when creating the shabby chic vintage look.

 

Gradual grey

Alternatively, you can mix blues with grainy greys to achieve a glamorous hideaway feel.

 

Feature sneaky sections of blue walls and shelving against shimmery grey tiles for a modern and mysterious vibe.

Go all out grey when painting a wall grey, and pair it with grey cabinets and a vanity unit. Don’t forget in a smaller bathroom you may still rely upon some brighter tones to ensure there is plenty of texture ruffled throughout the space. So, consider adding a dash of white across with a traditional basin bonded together with matte black taps. If things look a little too dark, opt for a half and half white and grey wall colour mix across the walls.

 

Set the mood with monochrome

And finally, for something with real dramatic appeal, opt for black and white colours in your smaller bathroom. Use rich dark wall panels to create a feature wall contrasted against a bright white wall. Bring things in a little closer by painting the ceiling black and choose sexy matte black taps and shower features to set the mood.

 

Which kind of paint should you use in a bathroom?

Bathrooms are susceptible to a lot of moisture build-up from shower or bath steam. So, for a long-lasting look, be sure to choose the right paint finish that is tough enough to deal with the steam.

Be sure to choose mildew and mould-resistant paint finishes.

 

Glossy paints tend to be more resistant as you can wipe them down easily. They are ideal for window seals, skirting boards, doors and other woodwork.

For walls, eggshell offers a more robust option as it can be washed and scrubbed more easily than flat paint.

Alternatively, you could use satin, but be aware that this should only be used in low moisture bathrooms, such as cloakroom toilets.