How to Update a Pink & Gray Bathroom

Update a pink and gray bathroom with new accessories.

Pink and gray are Art Deco colors that were popular in home bathrooms in the 1950s and earlier. The soft pastel of the pink was thought to make a sophisticated complement to the soft gray. These colors actually work well and this color palette can also be found in modern style homes that are current and fresh. One way to push the older style bathroom forward is to add black and white to the color palette. White will make the colors more crisp and black will modernize the color combination.

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• Mirror
• Light fixtures
• Painter's tape
• Painted tile
• Curtain rod
• Shower rod
• Hardware
• Linens

Instructions

1. Remove everything from the bathroom so that you are left with the fixtures or fittings you cannot change. Generally what remains are a colored sink, commode and tub, along with colored wall and floor tiles.

2. Shift the way you view your bathroom. The primary color in the bathroom needs to be viewed as the neutral color. If your tile walls are pink, consider painting all of the non-tile walls in gray.

3. Add gray and black to the cabinet and to the mirror. Bring in new light fixtures with both an Art Deco and modern flair. Look for fixtures that are chrome and black.

4. Consider painting a border row of black tiles. To paint the tile simply sand the surface and apply a tile paint, which is usually epoxy or acrylic based. Maintain your grout lines by taping them off with 1/8-inch painter's tape before you paint the tile.

5. Bring in more black with a black curtain rod, black towel holders, hardware, a shower curtain rod and the framing of art work.

6. Bring in crisp white with white linens, curtains, shower curtains, trim paint, door paint. Go for textured or nubby linen fabrics and natural accessories to further neutralize the palette.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean everything. One of the best ways to make a room feel fresh is by cleaning and removing old stains, old grout, dirty caulk and anything which suggests age. Bring in art work that is updated in style and within your new color palette.

References

• Washington Post: Triage For Dated Tile
• Retro Renovation: Pink Bathroom