The Pros Have Spoken: The 7 Best Small-Bathroom Paint Colors

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updated May 19, 2021

Powder room with white walls — Tessa Neustadt for Homepolish

While we love a stylish kitchen, a luxe living room, and a blissful bedroom, nothing compares to the peaceful respite a well-designed bathroom offers. It's a place of refuge where we beautify ourselves for the day ahead and then wash off a hard day's work. It's a time for reflection and relaxation. (Who doesn't love a bath, especially in a freestanding tub?)

But decorating a bathroom can be challenging, particularly when your loo is on the smaller side. The most transformative tool in your decorating arsenal is a paintbrush.

"Bathrooms aren't the easiest spaces to make homey or stylish," admits interior designer and author Abigail Ahern. However, she has a trick to stop your bathroom from veering into sterile and soulless territory: dramatic paint.

"Going bold with your color choice is an instant game-changer," she says. Ready for a revamp? We tapped several interior designers for their favorite out-of-the-box small-bathroom paint colors.

Read on for the best paint colors for small bathrooms.

Add pops of color with accents to finish the look of your small bathroom.

01 of 07

Benjamin Moore Super White

White can often look too cold, but this Benjamin Moore shade is bright without reading stark. "This bright, clean white doesn't get into the cold territory like some whites can. It makes the room feel modern and fresh and lets the wooden vanities remain the focal point of the space," says Orlando Soria, interior designer.

Benjamin Moore Super White $45-80

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02 of 07

Abigail Ahern Mott

small bathroom paint color ideas — Courtesy of Abigail Ahern

"A bold hue is the single most transformative thing you can do to your space. Even if your bathroom is small, do not—I repeat, do not—fight it," says Ahern. Instead, embrace it. Try painting it a dark blue hue. "It will make it look and feel far chicer and cocooning. Plus all those whites and metallics we tend to have in a bathroom are so much cooler against a dark background, believe me. If you paint a tiny bathroom white, you'll just end up with a small, boring room. A rich, inky dark hue will immediately bring oodles of intrigue, drama, and glamour."

Abigail Ahern Mott $6 (sample)

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03 of 07

Benjamin Moore Englewood Cliffs

white bathroom — Courtesy of Greg Natale

Monochromes are always a failsafe base color in a small space. "I tend toward grays; my current favorite is Benjamin Moore's Englewood Cliffs. I find it to be a softer option, and it allows you to bring in a bit of glamour and pops of metal in your fittings and fixtures," says interior designer Greg Natale.

Benjamin Moore Englewood Cliffs $45-80

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04 of 07

Farrow & Ball Wimborne White

bathroom paint colors — Zeke Ruelas for Brady Tolbert

Another choice for those who fear the stark all-white vibe? This Farrow & Ball hue, which proves that white can work in a vintage space as well as a modern one. "In my vintage bathroom, I went with Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball, which is a perfect slightly off-white color that still feels clean enough to read as white, but not so stark that it goes cold and modern," says Brady Tolbert, Emily Henderson's editorial director. "It works well with some of the warmer yellow tones in my tile and still somehow seems to hide the dark circles under my eyes. It's a win for the walls and a win for me."

Farrow & Ball Wimborne White $110

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05 of 07

Benjamin Moore Charcoal Linen

bathroom paints — Tessa Neustadt for Homepolish

In a powder room, consider going darker and creating drama with a dark paint color or an unexpected wallpaper. For a full bathroom, however, "go pale, like gray. My go-to is Dior Gray from Benjamin Moore. With white tiles, brass, and chrome, you can't go wrong," says interior designer Nate Berkus. Though Benjamin Moore doesn't make Dior Gray anymore, Charcoal Linen is your next best option.

Benjamin Moore Charcoal Linen $45-80

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06 of 07

Benjamin Moore Sebring White

paint colors — Tessa Neustadt for Homepolish

In a small bathroom, you can also opt to keep it light and simple. "I love Benjamin Moore's Sebring White, a very faint gray with just a hint of pigment. It gives the space a soft look and just a hint of hue without being oppressive. It's very relaxing and elegant," Soria says.

Benjamin Moore Sebring White $45-80

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07 of 07

Benjamin Moore Midnight Navy

paint colors for small bathroom — Courtesy of Greg Natale

If you want to bring a little bit of drama with a dark hue but still want to keep it classic, consider navy. "Navy blue is where I head when we're feeling a little bold and daring (and we feel like the space can take it). I like Benjamin Moore's Midnight Navy for that big blue moment. Dark walls can be very dramatic, and people often shy away from them, but with the right consideration for lighting, they can be wonderful, evocative rooms—bathrooms and powder rooms being no exception. I have been known to use Ralph Lauren's grass-cloth wallpaper in small bathrooms too," Natale says.