How to Choose Paint Color for a Bathroom

Your bathroom is your sanctuary, your retreat from the chaos of this world. Or, at least, that's the way it should be. Creating this kind of spa-like retreat starts with choosing the right color palette for your bathroom. You can make even the smallest bath a soothing oasis with just a few brush strokes of the right paint.

Things You'll Need

• Swatches of bathroom wallpaper and fabrics

Instructions

1. Use the other colors present in the bathroom to help you choose the right colors for your bathroom. Everything from cabinetry to tiles to the shower curtain should be used as inspiration in your color palette selection process.

2. Choose a soothing color scheme for the ultimate spa bath retreat. You can build your color palette around hues of blue, green and periwinkle purple. These are all colors within the cool spectrum of the color wheel.

3. Use paint to make your bathroom feel warm and cozy. Rich colors such as burgundy, gold, and royal purple all appear in the warm section of the spectrum of the color wheel.

4. Add a sense of vibrancy to your bath by choosing paint in primary colors. Red, blue and yellow can be combined to create a primary color palette that will help motivate you through your morning ablutions.

5. Choose a neutral and sophisticated color palette by using colors such as brown and cream in medium values for your paint colors. You can bring color to this neutral backdrop through bath accessories such as plants, towels and decorative items.

6. Make your bathroom appear larger by painting the ceiling the same color as the walls. This trick is most effective when using a lighter shade of paint for the wall color.

7. Reduce the appearance of a large master bath room by selecting a darker value of your base color for the ceiling. By painting the ceiling a darker color than the walls, you can create the illusion that the room is smaller and cozier than it actually is.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the most of your palette by using color in the right proportions. Your base color should be used on 60 percent of the room, while your secondary color should be used in 30 percent of the space. An darker or lighter accent color should be used throughout the remaining 10 percent.

• Make sure that your bathroom is properly ventilated when painting. If you don't have access to a window in the room, use a box or standing fan to get the air circulating while painting.