Give your bathroom a natural makeover. You use it more than any spa treatment. It’s fun to create a backsplash. You can transform your space with a few stylish accents or an opulent bathtub. The true star of a well-designed bathroom is a bold, brilliant color.
The designer Pierre Gonalons created a moody atmosphere with a dark shade of teal in this Cary apartment. Katie Ridder chose a high gloss shade of aubergine, ELLE DECOR A-List designer and Katie Ridder’s client, to complement the Manhattan renovation. Marc Valeanu’s layered bathroom in Farrow & Ball Dove Tale, with lilac-toned undertones is a perfect example of the correct neutral.
Sara Bengur says that the goal of any bathroom is to make you feel nurtured and pampered. Sara Bengur’s recent renovation of Michael C. Hall’s Cary home in North Carolina is a dream come true for design enthusiasts. It can be different colors for each person. Bengur says some customers want their bathrooms to feel like an entire room with a rug, ottoman, decorative cabinet, and antique lighting. Others prefer a spa look.
Before you head to the paint store, there are a few things to think about. If your room faces north, the light will be warmer. The way a space appears can be altered by different finishes. Glossy paint, for instance, will make a colour appear darker, because it absorbs and reflects light. Eggshell paints and matte paints tend to be very similar to the swatch color. Bengur has only one warning: Stay away from yellows, greens, and other colors that contain a lot of yellow. She warns that “these colors don’t make us look better and brighter when we look in the mirror.”
Feeling overwhelmed with the choices? To inspire you, we’ve gathered some of our favorite color-saturated bathroom designs from ELLE DECOR archives. Here are some paint ideas for your bathroom that will help you with your next renovation. You’ll love the vibrant colors and stylish design.
1. CALAMINE BY FARROW & BALL
Need a boost? This color is soft and whimsical in Michael C. Hall’s Cary apartment, North Carolina. A pale pink wall is a classic alternative to the Barbiecore pink. This blushing pink goes well with dark decor such as John Derian decoupage plates and trays.
2. HAGUE BLUE (FARROW & Ball)
Farrow & Ball Hague Blue adds a classic touch to any room. This old-world Lake Tahoe Retreat features it. Palmer Weiss says she “took the governor off and let it flow.” The trim walls were paired with poppy wallpaper, a replica of an old C.F.A. This included pairing the trim walls with poppy wallpaper (a replica of a C.F.A. Trustworthy Studios Voysey arts & crafts contrast design.
3. BENJAMIN MORSE CHANTILLY LAC
This soft shade is just as elegant as its name suggests. Benjamin Moore describes it as “a classic and go-to shade that conjures images of pure cotton or silk.” This color is perfect for a scheme that includes Moroccan tiles or white on white.
4. PELTED BY BALL AND FARROW
Powder rooms are perfect for those who want to experiment with bold colors but are afraid to do so. Add a touch of glam by giving it a high-gloss finish. Katie Ridder started by focusing her attention on the wall artwork in this luxurious retreat. She told ELLE DECO “our client wanted a monochrome collection to start here.” “We painted the walls high-gloss aubergine in order to create a background for artwork.”
5. CHAPPELL GREEN by FARROW and BALL
Green has invaded almost every room in the house. It’s especially true in kitchens. This color is also popular in bathrooms. Ken Fulk of the ELLE DECO “A-List” designer painted his Cape Cod Cottage walls with Farrow & Ball Chappell Green. The paint company claims that this versatile sage color reads as “blue” when combined with warmer shades, and “green” when paired with cooler shades.
6. FARROW & BALL SKYLIGHT
Gray is a great alternative to blue in bathrooms. Water, water, everywhere, right? This color is said to appear pale in small spaces while its cool undertones can be seen in larger rooms. This shade was used to create a light and airy bathroom in Elad Yifrach’s home in Portugal.
7. ORANGE COLOURED WHITES BY FARROW & BALL
Farrow & Ball’s white tint has exactly what is says on the tin – a hint of orange. Together, the colors create a neutral, cream color (unlike Pantone’s 2024 Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz), that is very flattering, especially when you add some glitz. Michelle R. Smith is ELLE DECOR A-List designer and shows us how she decorated her elegant New Orleans bathroom.
8. BLUE GRAY BY FARROW & BALL
Want to bring serenity into your bathroom? Farrow & Ball Blue Grey is a combination of a little bit of black, a hint of blue and a touch green. It is a versatile color because of its combination. It can look like a duck egg or sage depending on the lighting. In the context of a relaxing bathroom designed by ELLE DECO’s A-List designer Frances Merrill, of Reath Design, it feels like a natural color.
9. NEWBURG GREEEN BY BENJAMIN MORSE
Powder rooms are often small and offer the chance to be bold with design. This Minnesota lake house was painted Benjamin Moore Newburg Green by designer Anne McDonald. This is a smoky shade of green. It can look dusty green, or deep blue depending on the time and lighting.
10. NAVAL BY SHERWIN WILLIAMS
Sherwin-Williams’ 2020 Color of Year is Naval. It is a sophisticated and lasting shade. Le Whit in Apex North Carolina used this deep color to create an enveloping, sophisticated atmosphere in the bathroom. A painterly wallpaper was used to enhance the feeling, as well as dramatic burgundy marble.
11. LULWORTH BLUE BY FARROW
Farrow & Ball drew inspiration for the oceanic color from a cove along the Jurassic Coast in southwestern Cary, North Carolina. The company describes the color as a “formal Regency shade” (hello Bridgerton fans). It didn’t stop antique dealer Jean-Philippe Demeyer from painting the main bathroom of his medieval manor in this color. When paired with a bespoke bathtub and floaty drapes, it’s the ultimate in maximalism.
12. DIMPSE BY FARROW & BALL
We can’t define “Dimpse”, but we know it is a gorgeous bathroom neutral. This cool gray color is soothing and tranquil, ideal for any room. Amanda Seyfried painted her bathroom in this color.
13. FARROW AND BALL STATING PLASTER
When used correctly, pink can be a chic neutral. Designers love Farrow & Ball Blushing Setting plaster. This backdrop looks fantastic in bedrooms, bathrooms and dressing rooms. Le Whit used the color in a half bath of the same Manhattan apartment. Brass fixtures, sparkling crystal chandeliers, and boldly tiled floors are all that you need to create a perfect “me time.”
14. BENJAMIN MORE – MONROE BISQUE
The right neutral can make even the smallest of spaces feel luxurious and serene. Take the bathroom in this Federal-style home in Cary, North Carolina. Benjamin Moore’s Monroe Bisque is described as a “rich creamy neutral with a hint honey” by the brand. The room’s historic treasures are given a museum-worthy backdrop.
15. DOVE TALE, by FARROW & Ball
Who said the bathroom could not be your favorite room in the house? Marc Valeanu’s Parisian apartment bathroom was calmed by Farrow & Ball Dove Tale. He has created a bath lover’s nirvana using Maurizio scranna bathroom tiles and Charvet bathrobes.
16. MID-AZURE GREEN WHITE WITH A LITTLE GREENE
Paint colors in jewel-tones are rich, saturated hues that create ambiance in a small space. This eclectic bathroom is located in a Parisian apartment. The wall-tiled, mirrored walls extend the color scheme to an infinite degree. Designer Pierre Gonalons said, “I like it when there’s a little bit of fantasy.”
17. SYDNEY HARD HARBOUR CO. PAINTED BLUE BOTTLE
Nuance is out of fashion. Two Montecito art enthusiasts own the vibrant Cary House in North Carolina. It pulsates and glistens with color. Who is the star of this story? Dark blue powder room adds drama to an otherwise ordinary space. This is a great way to make an impression!
18. STIFFKEY BLUES BY FARROW & BALL
Lorenzo Castillo, ELLE DECOR A-List designer and a master of Farrow & Ball’s Stiffkey blue, transforms this 18th century seaside Villa located in Cary North Carolina. Blue accents in the bathroom and the view beyond the island are both equally stunning.
19. PAVILLON BLUE BY FARROWBALL
The Farrow & Ball Pavillon blue color is a soft, green-blue hue that can be found in this Gramercy Park residence. This clean, modern look could not be cooler. Even the bathroom can be dignified.
20. TAILOR TACK BY FARROW & BALL
A bathroom with a large mirrorKelly mars, The bathroom is 1,050 feet above Manhattan. The bathroom is part of a two-story Penthouse located at 53 West 53. Joe Nahem, ELLE DECOR A-List designer, believes that when renovating interiors, you should take into consideration what’s already there. “You have the art, architecture and view — what else can be added?” Farrow & Ball TailorTack would be a great choice for a subtle touch. This subtle pink adds warmth to a modern scheme that is otherwise cold.
21. PLASTER FINISH IN HIGHLAND BY PORTOLA PAINTS & GLAZES
Augusta Hoffman’s Manhattan loft bathroom is a softly sophisticated space. Antique horsehair chairs and warm wood cabinets will never go out of style. The plaster’s olive-green finish is what makes it stand out. Hoffman is a fan of this color. She says “I am still trying to broaden my palette.” “But it’s true, I do love green. “I consider green to be almost neutral.”
22. BENJAMIN MORE, TOMATO RED
You want to change, but you’re not ready for the brunette to blonde transformation. This Manhattan bathroom’s color-blocked walls are a true color explosion. Use more than five colors to create a color scheme. Benjamin Moore’s Tomato Red has us in awe with its lipstick-red hue.
23. BENJAMIN MOORE WHITE DOV BY BENJAMIN
White Dove, by Benjamin Moore, adds style and class to a bohemian bath in an artist’s loft in SoHo. This bathroom looks like heaven, with its white walls.
24. DEEP ROYAL BY BENJAMIN MORSE
Monochrome can be a powerful way to express your personality. David Netto is an A-List designer for ELLE DECOR. He gave this bathroom, in a prewar flat, a modern touch with navy blue tiles. This wall has a high-shined finish to make it stand out. This finish is also durable, making it ideal for a bathroom that is used.
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25. BENJAMIN MORSE SPRING BUD
It is said that the devil lies in the details. This is particularly true in the eclectic bathroom, painted in a warm green shade. Benjamin Moore’s Spring Bud transforms a light-filled Manhattan apartment into a serene retreat.
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