Interior Designers Predict 2019’s Most Popular Bathroom Colors

Bathrooms can be one of the most difficult rooms to design and decorate. With dark colors, a bathroom can feel small and restricted, yet an all white-bathroom can lack personality. How can you make your bathroom a place of relaxation and reflection?

Creating a new look in your bathroom can be as simple as a new paint color. Before you start tearing apart your bathroom, take a look at what these interior designers had to say about traditional versus modern colors, the easiest colors to keep clean, the color of their own bathrooms, and their predictions for 2019’s trendiest bathroom colors.

Traditional bathroom colors

Kayla Hein, Modern Castle

“Traditional bathrooms saw a lot of taupes. Sherwin Williams Loggia or Shoji White are two examples of traditional taupes that can still be popular today.”

Kristen Chuber, Paintzen

“Bathrooms traditionally tend to be white, gray, blush pink or some other simple neutral, mostly because you are sometimes competing with different colors, textures, and patterns within the space. Tile floors and showers and porcelain or marble features can appear to limit you with paint colors. However, these varying colors and textures actually create an opportunity to do more with color! Use what already exists in a bathroom as inspiration and pull out your favorite accent colors to make a big splash with on your walls.”
Colors with a more modern vibe

Amy Wax, AmyWax.com

“Modern colors run a wide variety. Bolder earth tones are more and more popular than they have been for a while. Terracottas, taupes, even browns are coming back. On the other end of the spectrum, the pale grays are on their way out but people are bringing back blue grays, even green grays. What is popular is variations on a neutral palette with more saturation and accent colors giving each room a bold identity.”

Susan Serra, Susan Serra Associates, Inc.

“There is renewed interest in terracotta as a color, a very soft green/gray, clear colors in a variety of hues depending on personal preference and playing with neutrals, e.g., lights and darks.”

Kristen Chuber, Paintzen

“When it comes to more modern bathroom design, homeowners are opting for more color. Tranquil blues, sophisticated purples, and calming greens help create a relaxing ambiance in a bathroom. For smaller powder rooms, reds, pinks, and purples can add some drama — especially when paired with some wallpaper! We're loving Chilled Wine right now! For the most modern look, incorporate black. Black makes a HUGE statement in a space, especially with a glossy finish. Try Black Magic as an accent color, paired with bright white, for an extremely bold and modern look.”

Relaxing bathroom colors

Christina Miguelez, Fixr.com

“Pale, cool colors are considered calming, most because these colors recede visually from the eye. Some relaxing colors include lavender, sky blue, and soft green.”

Energizing bathroom colors

Sophie Kaemmerle, neighborwho.com

“For something more energizing, don't be afraid to add a pop of color. Deep purples or bold teals can be a fun accent to any bathroom. As a word of caution, avoid reds, oranges, or yellows for a bathroom. While these can be great colors as accents in decor, they can be very overpowering when used on a wall.”

The easiest color to clean

Brian Garcia, D+G Interiors

“When considering wear, tear, and maintenance, it’s all about the finish of the paint and not the color. I always suggest using a satin finish over a flat finish in spaces that will have high moisture.”

Kristen Chuber, Paintzen

“In terms of keeping a bathroom clean, it's less about the color and more about the paint finish. Semi-gloss and satin finishes are much easier to wipe down and clean. Additionally, semi-gloss paints are often the most moisture resistant. Flat or matte finishes can be tougher to clean but are better to hide wall imperfections or cover rough spots. Obviously the lighter the paint, the more likely it is that you'll be able to see stains or dirt, but as long as you have the right finish, you'll be able to easily wipe it clean.”

Designer-approved bathroom colors

Amy Wax, AmyWax.com

“My bathroom color is a beachy blue-gray; it's calming and a soothing room to spend some time in — a cozy and easy room to start or end every day in, with a calming sense of style!”

Kristen Chuber, Paintzen

“My bathroom has a palette of white, green, and purple. I have a lot of white tile on the floors/walls of my bathroom, so it didn't leave me much room to paint, but I brought purple and green into the space with decor and artwork. My inspiration for the palette was a beautiful orchid! Finding something to serve as the inspiration for your palette will help you tie things together and create a beautiful and cohesive space.”

Predictions for 2019’s most popular bathroom color

Kristen Chuber, Paintzen

“The trend for 2019 is going to be ‘bringing the outside in’ for a sense of tranquility, so shades of blue, green, and aqua are going to be extremely on trend in 2019. Using some of these colors will help to re-create the serenity associated with nature — the sky, the trees, and the ocean — and are perfect for a space known for cleansing one's self. Our recommendations: PPG Paints Kingston Aqua or Acapulco Cliffs for an aqua shade, or Harmonious for a subtle green.”

Kayla Hein, Modern Castle

“Top bathrooms colors on trend for 2019 fall in one of two camps:

1) Light, bright, and airy: This includes colors like Sherwin Williams Oyster Bay for a spa-like feel or Benjamin Moore Metropolitan for a sophisticated cool gray. Both of these colors are being seen paired with white vanities and white quartz tops. For something a bit more classic, consider contrasting the vanities and countertops.

2) Bold and beautiful: For the people who are breaking away from the light and bright feel of soft colors, bold colors are beginning to sneak their way back into the palette. Especially for smaller bathrooms, this can be a great opportunity to bring in a pop of color or pattern. Check out Benjamin Moore's Emerald Isle or Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black for a real statement.  For the best result, try to paint bold colors with a simpler palette elsewhere, like white tile and simple accessories.”

Susan Serra, Susan Serra Associates, Inc.

“Do you want to follow rules? If so, tie in bath colors with colors in surrounding rooms to achieve a visual connection. Otherwise, experimenting with color in the bath is the perfect place to do it as it's a small space to do over if necessary! Look to color palettes for inspiration such as complementary, analogous color schemes and so on for a foolproof solution.”

Brian Garcia, D+G Interiors

“I would highly recommend Origami White by Sherwin Williams. It is a soft neutral that has the perfect balance of beige and grey. It’s an amazing canvas for all types of material from natural stones to high gloss ceramic tiles. White walls have been the traditional go-to color palette for years. The right shade of white is simple and always classic. Looking for a more modern alternative? Try Slip by Benjamin Moore, it’s a grey that has a lilac undertone.”

Final advice

Sophie Kaemmerle, neighborwho.com

“Another way to cause a small bathroom to appear smaller is with clutter. Too many bright colors shrink visible space and result in this chaotic atmosphere. If you happen to be a rule breaker and wish to create an edge to your bathroom with bold colors, ensure you have proper lighting (white light works best), sheer window fixtures (if there are windows), and a paint color that contrasts with your bathroom fixtures.”

Andrew Schmeerbauch, Clever Real Estate

“Zillow ran the numbers a few years back and found that homes with bathrooms painted blue sold for an average of $5,440 more than their non-blue counterparts. If for whatever reason your other major features — sink, shower, toilet, tub — are not neutral colors (beige, white, or cream), you may want to reconsider blue.