Bathroom Design
10 Bathrooms With Calming Color Palettes
To create a bath sanctuary, try incorporating sky blue, soft sherbet, spring green or another of these hues that soothe
If our assortment of bathrooms with fun, bold and bright color palettes raised your heart rate too much, this collection of beautiful bathrooms with soft and soothing colors should offer a sense of calm. As you’ll see, serene colors don’t have to be a snooze. On the contrary, all of these bathrooms feature interesting dashes of color — some small, some large — while still managing to remain calming and comforting.
Need a pro for your bathroom remodeling project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
2. Spring Green
A crisp yellow-green calls to mind the rebirth, growth and renewal of the warming, sunny days of spring. To me this is the color of hope and a bright future.
Tip: Select your bathroom surface materials and coverings before you settle on paint colors. The former are more limited in selection than paint colors and tend to carry longer lead times. Once you’ve settled on these items, you can pull a paint color or colors from them, which also helps reduce anxiety about how to narrow down the paint color choices.
A crisp yellow-green calls to mind the rebirth, growth and renewal of the warming, sunny days of spring. To me this is the color of hope and a bright future.
Tip: Select your bathroom surface materials and coverings before you settle on paint colors. The former are more limited in selection than paint colors and tend to carry longer lead times. Once you’ve settled on these items, you can pull a paint color or colors from them, which also helps reduce anxiety about how to narrow down the paint color choices.
3. Soft Sherbet
Bathrooms tend to feel cold and stark due to the large swaths of hard, watertight surface materials required for the floor, vanity top, and bath and shower. Warm hues breathe life into these spaces and help cozy them up. I’m a big fan of big, bold orange hues, but this knocked-down version is just as eye-catching without coming on too strong.
Tip: This lovely bathroom illustrates my favorite and often-repeated piece of color advice: Use neutrals for materials that are difficult and expensive to change, such as tile and countertops, which then allows you to go a bit more adventurous with the paint color, which is easier and more affordable to change down the road.
Bathrooms tend to feel cold and stark due to the large swaths of hard, watertight surface materials required for the floor, vanity top, and bath and shower. Warm hues breathe life into these spaces and help cozy them up. I’m a big fan of big, bold orange hues, but this knocked-down version is just as eye-catching without coming on too strong.
Tip: This lovely bathroom illustrates my favorite and often-repeated piece of color advice: Use neutrals for materials that are difficult and expensive to change, such as tile and countertops, which then allows you to go a bit more adventurous with the paint color, which is easier and more affordable to change down the road.
Feeling Inspired? Shop for Similar Products
Item 1 of 2
4. Sky Blue
Arguably the most soothing color of them all, sky blue is a smart choice in a bathroom. This shade makes small spaces (which most bathrooms tend to be) feel open and expansive. It’s like bathing or showering in the great outdoors, but within the protective privacy of your own home.
Tip: Avoid a nursery room vibe when picking light blue hues by going for a blue that has a bit of gray in it.
Arguably the most soothing color of them all, sky blue is a smart choice in a bathroom. This shade makes small spaces (which most bathrooms tend to be) feel open and expansive. It’s like bathing or showering in the great outdoors, but within the protective privacy of your own home.
Tip: Avoid a nursery room vibe when picking light blue hues by going for a blue that has a bit of gray in it.
5. Warm and Mellow Yellow
Yellow shades are such happy hues, especially when they are a slightly muted tone of it, such as the appealing wall color pictured here. This is an ideal color choice if you live someplace with fewer than average sunny days. It mimics the happy-making glow a sunny day brings.
Tip: Don’t go too muted when choosing a yellow color. Yellow hues with too much brown in them can look dirty and drab in certain light.
Yellow shades are such happy hues, especially when they are a slightly muted tone of it, such as the appealing wall color pictured here. This is an ideal color choice if you live someplace with fewer than average sunny days. It mimics the happy-making glow a sunny day brings.
Tip: Don’t go too muted when choosing a yellow color. Yellow hues with too much brown in them can look dirty and drab in certain light.
6. Quiet Violet
Purple colors are thought to lower stress hormones, so they’re a good choice for a peaceful-feeling bathroom. I like the minimal and muted palette here — light purple, white and silver. It’s clean and simple yet super charming.
Tip: Picking the right shade is key because a dark purple can appear gloomy, especially when used in large amounts and in a poorly lit space.
Purple colors are thought to lower stress hormones, so they’re a good choice for a peaceful-feeling bathroom. I like the minimal and muted palette here — light purple, white and silver. It’s clean and simple yet super charming.
Tip: Picking the right shade is key because a dark purple can appear gloomy, especially when used in large amounts and in a poorly lit space.
7. Tranquil Teal
Channel your favorite travel destination for a bathroom that evokes vacation time. A tropical hue that has been toned down a few notches is a great choice in a bathroom where you want to mentally escape for a bit.
Tip: Minimalist bathrooms can sometimes veer a bit cold and sterile due to the plethora of hard surfaces and lack of ornamentation. Wood is your friend here, as it softens and warms up these spaces nicely.
Channel your favorite travel destination for a bathroom that evokes vacation time. A tropical hue that has been toned down a few notches is a great choice in a bathroom where you want to mentally escape for a bit.
Tip: Minimalist bathrooms can sometimes veer a bit cold and sterile due to the plethora of hard surfaces and lack of ornamentation. Wood is your friend here, as it softens and warms up these spaces nicely.
8. Pop of Pretty Pink
Warm shades of pink and coral are flattering to all skin tones. Those who need a morale boost when looking in the bathroom mirror first thing in the morning, or right before going to bed, might want to wrap their bathroom in this complimentary hue.
Tip: Give support to whatever accent color you pick for your bathroom by including elements and items in similar shades. Here, the floor tile, wall art, towel and plant pots have a touch of pink in them, which ties in nicely with the fetching color on the tub.
Warm shades of pink and coral are flattering to all skin tones. Those who need a morale boost when looking in the bathroom mirror first thing in the morning, or right before going to bed, might want to wrap their bathroom in this complimentary hue.
Tip: Give support to whatever accent color you pick for your bathroom by including elements and items in similar shades. Here, the floor tile, wall art, towel and plant pots have a touch of pink in them, which ties in nicely with the fetching color on the tub.
9. Fresh Veggie Green
This color is a ripened version of the spring green in the earlier photo. It’s more of a lush summer hue that calls to mind leafy greens and freshly cut grass.
Tip: Take a look outside for color inspiration. A palette informed by hues found in nature will always look balanced and serene.
This color is a ripened version of the spring green in the earlier photo. It’s more of a lush summer hue that calls to mind leafy greens and freshly cut grass.
Tip: Take a look outside for color inspiration. A palette informed by hues found in nature will always look balanced and serene.
10. Perfectly Peachy
Here’s another warm color option that brings a comforting vibe. Pick a peach that’s a touch darker than pastel for a more grown-up and sophisticated vibe.
Tip: Due to high humidity levels common in bathrooms, it’s important to pick the right paint sheen. Go too flat or matte and you might have issues with moisture. Discuss with your painting contractor to make sure you select the best finish for your space.
Your turn: What’s your go-to comforting color for the bath? Please share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
10 Bathrooms With Big, Bold Color
How to Choose the Right Bathroom Sink
Find home design and remodeling professionals
Shop for bathroom products
Here’s another warm color option that brings a comforting vibe. Pick a peach that’s a touch darker than pastel for a more grown-up and sophisticated vibe.
Tip: Due to high humidity levels common in bathrooms, it’s important to pick the right paint sheen. Go too flat or matte and you might have issues with moisture. Discuss with your painting contractor to make sure you select the best finish for your space.
Your turn: What’s your go-to comforting color for the bath? Please share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
10 Bathrooms With Big, Bold Color
How to Choose the Right Bathroom Sink
Find home design and remodeling professionals
Shop for bathroom products
Blues and greens are my go-to hues for a bathroom when a tranquil vibe is desired. I think that because we associate these colors with the sea, the sky and other elements of nature, they have the potential to lift our mood and bring a peaceful, contented feeling.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to mix a variety of patterns and textures in a small space. As long as you keep to a limited color palette — green, blue, white and gray are used here — it feels cohesive and not too visually busy.