When you have everything you want in your home, but you struggle with a small bathroom, it might be time for an upgrade. Before you think you have to break the bank to make the best of a small bathroom, you can solve your space problems with the power of optical illusion. If you were wondering what colors make a small bathroom look bigger and feel more comfortable, keep reading. We scoured various sources to uncover what colors work best and how you can apply color to transform your bathroom's look and vibe.
If you have a tiny bathroom but want it to appear larger and more luxurious, stick to lighter colors for the wall treatment, tile, and fixtures. The following colors are ideal for a smaller bathroom.
- White
- Beige
- Powder Blue
- Teal
- Muted Violet
- Canary Yellow
- Soft Gray
When you want to increase the space of a room without physically elongating walls and ceilings, it's time to trick the eye with color. Stick with lighter colors that naturally reflect and increase the light in a bathroom. Additionally, installing larger mirrors and a smaller vanity and countertop help too. Make sure your bathroom treatment applies the same color and tone throughout the bathroom so the eye won't stop anywhere abruptly, including baseboards, wainscots, and molding. Read on and learn colorful design solutions for small bathrooms with or without windows.
Bathroom Color Theory to the Rescue
Don't let a small bathroom have you feeling like the walls are closing in on you every time you enter. Instead, transform a tiny bathroom with the right color. Colors that are in pastel tones and even some electric colors can help make a powder room seem a lot larger than it is. Learn what makes specific colors visually increase the size of your bathroom without having to alter walls or raise a ceiling.
Fall in love with your bathroom again when you choose to install tiles that match the same color as your walls and ceiling. After you apply color properly to your bathroom, you might find yourself feeling more relaxed and less stressed. Whether your bathroom has windows with plenty of natural light or you rely on installed fixtures, the right color treatment works wonders. Make sure to reduce clutter and visual distractions like dividing lines caused by architectural details like wainscots, and give your bathroom breathing room.
White
The floor in this bathroom may have a busy, intricate pattern, but it is in neutral tones and light in color. Notice that the tiles in the shower extend to the ceiling, which increases the sense of spaciousness and helps reflect the natural light coming from the window and light fixtures. The design of the vanity is streamlined, which makes the bathroom appear larger, and there are minimal accessories.
One reason this small bathroom looks large and luxurious is thanks to the larger white tile that extends itself from the floor to the ceiling. Additionally, the glass shower door helps reduce any sense of division within the bathroom and helps reflect the slightly recessed light above. Note that all of the visible walls have the same color tiles, and the built-in shelving in the bathroom gives a sense of spaciousness and is still in a light, non-offending color.
Beige
Bring serenity to a small bathroom and make it seem wider by relying on the earthy power of beige. In this bathroom, the walls are covered in a curious but visually appealing mix of smaller tiles surrounding the mirror and sink, abut larger tile surrounding the bathtub and window. Also, the window treatment uses blinds in the same color family as brown and beige, which provides texture and creates a warm focal point.
Powder Blue
Blue is a naturally calming color and is perfect for a small bathroom. The tiles on the walls play off of the accents on the floor tiles, which is mostly white but is peppered with blue squares. The sizeable mirror and installed light fixtures help increase the light and complement the color treatment well. Instead of feeling cramped, the soft blue color, coupled with the white ceiling and fixtures makes this bathroom feel larger.
Teal
Some people may stray away from a more electric color, but it is a safe bet to choose teal for the walls and flooring of a bathroom. You get the benefits of an uplifting color with plenty of energy, but it is still light enough color that it gives a sense of airiness and makes it feel like your bathroom has extra space.
Muted Violet
Take the plunge and choose to give a small bathroom a lovely color treatment with muted violet or lavender. You get a pleasant softness and feminine touch, but still, plenty of light is reflected, which makes a space seem bigger. Notice how both the walls and the slanted ceiling are painted the same color, which helps cement the optical illusion that the bathroom isn't cozy.
Canary Yellow
In this tiny attic turned into a small bathroom, the yellow tile behind the bathtub creates a warm focal point and makes the bathroom pop with the slanted white ceiling. All of the natural light from the skylight and window behind the bathtub makes the yellow accent seem brighter and create a sense of space.
Soft Gray
There may be limited space in this bathroom, but you wouldn't know it because of how the gray color is utilized so well. The wall treatment consisting of large lighter color tiles with a solid painted wall complements the dark color wood vanity. The ceiling and opposing wall to the vanity and horizontally aligned wall mounted cabinet are in pleasing neutral colors, which increase the sense of space and opulence.
How Else Can I Make My Small Bathroom Look Bigger?
Make your small bathroom look larger by installing built-in cabinetry and shelving with a vertical orientation. Stick to the same color family and choose tile and paint colors in varying shades to trick the eye and make a small bathroom appear larger. Additionally, an oversized light fixture gives something for the eye to focus on and controls how light is reflected. Install larger mirrors to make a bathroom seem more spacious and install slim sinks, vanities, and toilets. Avoid too much clutter, busy patterns, and dark colors, which can make a bathroom feel more cramped than appealing.
Check out these articles on inspiring home decor treatments and accessories for your bathroom.