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Powder room paint to brighten space

J R
2 months ago

I have the opportunity to paint my powder room and would like to brighten the space. It is a small powder room, and when we painted it nine years ago, I don’t think I fully understood different colors and how they would look against different tiles. The white in the tile is a bright and crisp white, whereas the trim white is decorators white, which seems very creamy and milky in the space.I am considering two different colors on the top and the bottom, where separated by the chair rail. I would love some recommendations on colors that would brighten the space, but also make it interesting and striking. I would also love some recommendations on trim colors for the chair rail and baseboard to try that would go better with the bright white in the tile.

Right now the walls are Benjamin Moore 1466, smoke embers. The ceiling is Benjamin Moore 1462, gray mountain.

I am adverse to green, brown, and yellow tones. I fall much more into the blue and gray cool tone.

Comments (22)

  • ffpalms
    2 months ago

    Would you be open to wallpaper above the chair rail? A deep color below the chair rail such as this vivid blue would make the white fixtures look very sculptural, like the second photo. I’d paint the chair rail to match the white fixtures.



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    BeverlyFLADeziner
    2 months ago



  • happyleg
    2 months ago

    You could do a gray blue paint color on the walls on the uppers and bright white on the lower

  • kandrewspa
    2 months ago

    Since you like cool colors I am thinking of blue like happyleg. I painted my powder room a light to medium true blue and got a pair of art prints of peacocks which turned out great. Any shade of blue would work with the tile and floor you're showing and it would be more interesting than the current color. You said brighten up the space - do you also maybe need to increase the wattage of the bulbs in your light fixture? You could do that (within the specs of the fixture) and put it on a dimmer switch if not everyone wants more light. Is this a windowless room? Add towels and a rug like Beverly shows. Wallpaper is always a good idea, it's just more work. Here are some blue and white powder rooms:


    Hockessin Residence · More Info


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    Jasmine Powder Room · More Info


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  • J R
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    I love the deep blues you show. I am not interested in wallpaper, but the blue paints are super intriguing. Whats interesting to me is that the blue is on top of the rail and the white is below. Is that for any particular reason? Or just preference? I’m thinking something from Missoni for hand towels - I love their colors and patterns.

  • J R
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    Happyleg: I assume the bright white on the bottom would be the same as the molding white?

  • happyleg
    2 months ago

    You could bring home a white sample and a bright white sample but that's what it looks like

  • jck910
    2 months ago

    Better lighting will help.

  • J R
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    I realized that the powder room is adjacent to my dining room that has the bright blue grass cloth wall paper. Should the powder room not be blue as well? Too much too close?

  • ci_lantro
    2 months ago

    The ceiling is Benjamin Moore 1462, gray mountain.

    Gray Mountain has a LRV of 18.5--"deep gray...reminiscent of a stormy mountaintop".

    I would suggest a gray that is a nick lighter than the gray in the tile and paint both the walls and ceiling. The trim white is too yellow so repaint that, too.


  • J R
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    Yes, the entire bathroom is getting repainted. I totally agree that the trim is way too yellow. It is decorators white, and while it works in the rest of my house, it is very yellow in the small windowless bathroom. I’m going to test out a few whites, but do you have any to suggest?

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    Norwood Architects
    2 months ago

    I will always advise that a powder room is the place to go big and wild with design. There are so many great inspiration photos on the internet. Wallpaper can really make a small space like a powder room into a real show space. Would suggest you do some searches online to find images that really inspire you. Good luck!

  • happyleg
    2 months ago

    You could do it blue most people have most of their same colors throughout the house but my bedrooms are different color than the living room dining room area or kitchen the other areas are the same colors

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    lisedv
    2 months ago

    I don't see a problem in coordinating your powder room with the adjacent dining room. You can do a reverse painting below the chair rail in blue with white above. You can get a sample of BM Chantilly Lace and see if that works well with your white tiles (see the 2 colours compared below). I also suggest you install moulding below the chair rail to give texture to that area. There are several nice navy paints, choose one that will coordinate with your other blue. I would paint the ceiling, walls, and all trim in white using Chantilly Lace Matte Finish for the ceiling & walls and the the trim also in Chantilly Lace but in the Satin or Semi-gloss finish (which ever matches your other finishes in your house).




  • J R
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    @lisedv: I did just that today!!! Left is the chantily lace and right is what I have now (decorators white). Loving the crispness of the chantily lace - just wondering if it’s “too icy.”

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    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    I think PRs are a place to go crazy they do not have to coordinate with the rest of the house in fact I try to avoid that and make that space really crazy . I would look at some reallygeat wallpepr with cream. white and blue in it them paint the walls a color from the wallpaper

    This one if you are a bit nervous

    And this if a but gutsy


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    lisedv
    2 months ago

    J R

    On my screen Chantilly Lace looks like it matches the white in your tile nicely compared to the other white. If you want an idea of what it would look like on the wall, buy a large piece of foam board (usually available in dollar stores as well as small foam paint rollers), give it 2 coats of paint (sample size available at BM). Then you can look at it in different areas of the room to see how it looks.

  • happyleg
    2 months ago

    Chantilly is the whitist white. Do samples and don't trust anyones screen.

  • J R
    Original Author
    last month

    Well, we painted and I love the color BUT I did flat finish and think I messed up!!! My son washed his hands a few days after the paint was done and left a water mark on the wall!!! ☹️. What finish would you redo it in??? Eggshell? Semi gloss???

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    lisedv
    last month

    I have Benjamn Moore's Aura flat paint in both bathrooms and never had a problem with water stains. What kind of paint did you use?

  • happyleg
    last month

    Eggshell or satin finish make sure the paint is good and dry before using the bathroom unless that's your only bathroom and hopefully you have an exhaust fan in the ceiling that helps take out moisture when a shower or a tub use