Painting a Bathroom
When choosing colours for your bathroom, think about shades that create a sense of peace and calmness. To create a cosy atmosphere, opt for colours with warm undertones that make the space feel comforting and inviting.
You may be painting over an existing finish or creating a new bathroom scheme with fresh furnishings. Little Greene provide durable finishes to ensure your bathroom walls remain beautiful. Choosing the right bathroom paint finish is essential in spaces that often experience condensation and frequent cleaning.
Our guide helps you choose paint colours for bathroom schemes that soothe and inspire.
Explore inspiration and expert advice for painting a bathroom.
Selecting paint colours for bathrooms
When selecting bathroom paint colours, it’s important to create a tranquil space. Consider simple contemporary schemes with accent highlights to make a statement. Bathroom paint schemes usually fall into one of four key areas:
Soothing neutral bathroom schemes
Bathrooms are often smaller, functional rooms with little natural light. Selecting brighter tones or light neutrals will draw light into the room and help to create the feeling of more space.
Termed the ‘classic neutrals’, warm, refreshing tones such as ‘Rolling Fog’ and ‘Mushroom’ can replace whites and greys. Use neutral shades to create a restful ambience for your bathroom.
Single colour bathrooms
For immediate impact and opulence, opt for an all-over colour like 'Lamp Black.' The deep, moody hue will provide a sophisticated scheme. Pair deep black with white porcelain and high-shine accessories for a polished finish.
Colour highlights in small spaces
Colour blocking is a simple, contemporary way to introduce colour to a small space, without it being overwhelming. Pair contrasting shades for an interesting combination and a striking finish that really frames the features of a space.
Consider experimenting with the proportions of your bathroom by painting the ceiling using a bold shade. A colour like 'Deep Space Blue' will help draw focus to the height of the room.
Pair wallpaper and bathroom paint
You can use wallpaper in well ventilated bathrooms to add texture and pattern. Each Little Greene wallpaper design features three complementary paint shades. You can find complementary shades on our product pages and in our wallpaper books.
Here, the moody tree and petal damask effect floral 'Camellia - Smalt' creates the illusions of a fabric. Marble and natural rattan accessories create a striking contrast.
Choosing the right bathroom paint finish
Our Intelligent paints offer an unrivalled combination of beauty and durability for your bathroom. These paints are easy-to-apply, quick-drying and virtually odourless. These features allow you to transform a bathroom quickly - which is essential for a high-traffic space. Our Intelligent Eggshell is also up to 15 times tougher than ordinary matt emulsion paints.
Moisture is a key consideration when painting a bathroom, as these spaces tend to have high humidity levels.
Our Intelligent Paints are:
- Water-based
- Fully washable
- Extremely tough
- Certified child-safe
- Long-lasting
- Quick-drying (2-4 hours)
Intelligent Eggshell is available in the full Little Greene colour palette.
Intelligent Eggshell for bathroom walls & woodwork
For bathroom walls, we would recommend using Intelligent Eggshell. This type of paint is great for bathroom walls and woodwork, due to its long lasting, extremely-tough qualities. Intelligent Eggshell is a superb paint for rooms which may have limited extraction or suffer from condensation. This semi-matte paint finish is effortlessly moisture resistant.
Eggshell paint provides a beautiful, low-sheen finish which is completely scrubbable. This smooth surface finish will help you to remove any marks from the bathroom walls quickly and easily.
Find out moreCreating a beautiful bathroom scheme
Discover how to create the perfect bathroom scheme. Explore individual schemes in detail below, or browse our extensive bathroom inspiration gallery.
Introduce stripes for a classical yet playful bathroom design
Stripes are a popular design style that can feel overwhelming in a larger space. So a cocooning bathroom is the ideal space to apply these playful features.
Cavendish Stripe wallpaper dates from 1965. This particular fragment emerged during restoration work at Marlborough House on Pall Mall, London. This clean, versatile stripe pairs beautifully with Celestial Blue, a dusky variant of sky blue which provides a tranquil calm.
Broad Stripe - Pea Green wallpaper is ideal for use in a fun, family bathroom. When applied in multiple directions, this confident pattern can create the illusion of space. Pair with both primary colours for a bathroom design that will make guests smile.
Bring the outdoors in with green bathroom paint
Green bathroom paint creates a tranquil yet uplifting atmosphere, ideal for soaking in a relaxing bath.
Livid is a muted green shade, tempered with black. As a bathroom wall paint, this colour creates a moody yet restful atmosphere. Pairing with matching tiles is an ideal way to colour drench a bathroom, whilst retaining practicality.
Deep green shades, like Mid Azure Green, offset the trend of bathrooms painted in neutral shades. Embracing strong bathroom paint colours can create a sense of vibrancy and personality that invites you to spend time in a relaxing space.
Create texture with floral motifs
Using floral wallpapers alongside bathroom paint can create a bright, airy feel to your space. Transform a bathroom from functional to a country-house oasis with mildew resistant wallpaper.
Stitch (c1940) is inspired by embroidered chintz cottons. The use of stippling (dot-work) was popular in embroidery and printing. In the late 19th and 20th Century, ornate patterns in homes were a symbol of wealth, associated with prosperity. Using two print colours makes this paper especially easy to coordinate with other bathroom paint colours.
‘Woodblock Mono’ was created through the simplification and reduction of the larger ‘Woodblock Trail’ paper. This floral design represents the evolving trend for varying the scales of designs to create different visual effects. Rather more delicate, and infinitely usable in a smaller space, this monochrome version is available in five colourways.
Essentials to consider when choosing bathroom paint
Bathroom design needn’t be solely functional. As a space you use every day, consider the colours and patterns that inspire you most. Paint colours for bathrooms can embrace the entire Little Greene colour palette.
However, bathrooms require a durable, resistant paint. Choose a washable, hard-wearing finish in your preferred sheen level. Using intelligent paint formulations, Little Greene bathroom paint is available from matt to satin paint or semi-gloss finishes.
Finally, read our guide on preparing walls for painting, making sure to clean the walls with sugar soap before applying your first coat of paint. This process will ensure that your bathroom paint finish remains scrubbable and durable for as long as possible.
Explore more bathroom inspiration.
Or order a colour card to choose your bathroom paint colours.