Color in interior decoration is a vital part of the whole process. Color can create different atmospheres and can affect one’s mental perception of a given space, from creating a relaxing mood to making it look as if the room is larger than it is. Bathrooms tend to have only a limited space to work with.
Therefore, it is crucial to maximize the floor space available and utilize color to accentuate the positive aspects. In this article, we will give you tips on incorporating color into your bathroom design to help make it look roomier.
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Colors That Will Make Your Bathroom Look Bigger
The importance of color in creating the right mood in a room cannot be understated. Check out establishments such as fast-food restaurants. Must incorporate the color red and yellow in their design as these colors tend to stimulate one’s appetite. Areas wherein physical activities are encouraged, such as indoor sports centers, feature warm and bright colors that motivate and hype you up. Now, cooler colors such as blue-gray are often incorporated in areas where you can take a break and relax.
The same logic applies if you want to make a particular space look larger, which is often the case for designing the bathroom. Specific colors that you can apply to the wall, floor, and ceiling can help ‘trick’ your mind that the room is bigger. You can implement these ideas is your master bathroom, guest bathroom, or powder room. Below are colors that are ideal for bathrooms as they can give a roomier vibe.
White
Pretty much the most common color utilized in the bathroom is white. White helps reflect natural light around the room, and by using white tiles with white walls, you can give it the appearance of a seamless space as the borders are not that visible. In addition, the spaciousness that the color white evokes can significantly make a cramped room look a bit larger while also being compatible with both modern and traditional bathroom aesthetics.
We recommend you install a glass shower stall and doors to help retain the streamlined appearance of the bathroom as it avoids breaking the optical illusion offered by the white-colored interior. Additionally, glass and mirrors can also assist in creating a more spacious appearance. As for other bathroom fixtures such as cabinets and shelves, we recommend that you opt for similarly light-toned colors.
What colors go with a white bathroom floor?
Pale Blue
Speaking of other light-toned colors, if you feel that white is a tad bit too bland, you can go with pale blue or powder blue. It emphasizes a similar ambiance as a white while having a bit more character as it exudes a calming vibe – which is a welcome element in the bathroom. You can even combine white and pale blue together if you wish, such as alternating between the two when it comes to your floor tiles.
Add in a larger than a standard mirror, a white ceiling, the proper lighting, and you have yourself a bathroom that not only looks larger but also an excellent place to chill.
Beige
If you are looking to create a more ‘Earthly’ and nature-inspired atmosphere in your bathroom, a good color to start is beige. Plus, beige can also make a room look bigger. As for the other bathroom fixtures and accessories, you can go with similar color tones of brown. You can even add some greenery to hammer in that nature-lover atmosphere. Finally, add in some wooden window blinds to give the bathroom a sleeker and modern feel.
Lavender
Let us deviate from the standard colors and go with something a bit more left-field with lavender or muted purple/violet. As you can imagine, lavender can spruce up a more feminine vibe in your bathroom while making it look more spacious. Despite being a slightly darker color tone, lavender still has that reflective quality that will bounce light around the room to give it a larger appearance.
Also, lavender is a pleasant color that is often attributed to serenity. Couple this color tone with a nice bubble bath, red wine, and lavender-scented candles, and you have yourself a great way to unwind in your bathroom.
Teal
Teal is another excellent color for your bathroom wall and floor, even though it is considered an ‘electric’ color. Electric colors are color tones that appear to glow or have a level of intensity to them. That said, teal threads the line between a warm and cool color, making it a versatile option. It also reflects light enough that it will also give the illusion of having a bigger room.
Canary Yellow
Combining a lively canary yellow colored wall, white ceiling, and a combination of the two for the floor tile makes a room appear more spacious and adds a pep to its appearance. Simply put, a bathroom with a canary yellow wall does give off a feeling of joy and calmness. Also, while it is a warm color, canary yellow is soothing to look at.
Soft Gray
Soft gray is a personal favorite of mine when it comes to the wall color. The color works well with light-colored tiles and white. Soft gray is a perfect neutral color and can even deliver that calming effect as it exudes that rainy day vibe. Being that soft gray is a neutral color, it is compatible with many other color tones within the same shade. It can also convey a classy allure for those looking to focus on a more elegant bathroom aesthetic.
Tips to Make Your Bathroom Look Bigger
Incorporating the correct color is just one way of making your small bathroom look larger. Below are several tips that should help you further give your bathroom a more spacious appearance.
Use Sleek and Ergonomically Designed Fixtures
For bathroom fixtures such as shelves and cabinets, we advise you to opt for built-in designs and go with a more vertical orientation so that it won’t take up too much space. Also, stick within the same color shading as your wall, floor, and ceiling when it comes to these bathroom fixtures. Finally, avoid installing bulky-looking bathroom furniture that has sharp edges. Instead, go with sleek, smooth, ergonomically designed sinks, vanity, toilet, and bathtub.
Utilizing Mirrors Effectively
Mirrors are essential fixtures in the bathroom, and not only are they functional, but they also add aesthetic value. Additionally, a well-placed large mirror in the bathroom can give the illusion of the room having more space than it does. The optical illusion provided by the mirror is due to its highly reflective surface, which not only bounces off light but also reflects other sections of the room.
The mirror trick is a classic interior designer technique that gives any room a more spacious appearance. Take advantage of this method when it comes to your bathroom. If you have a window, try positioning the mirror to better reflect the natural ambient light from outside. See the types of bathroom mirrors that work best.
Avoid Clutter
This tip is pretty straightforward. Clutter can ruin any room’s design as not only is it give off an unpleasant vibe; it can also make the room look cramped. When it comes to bathrooms, we recommend you limit the number of accessories to the bare necessities.
Too many accessories, even if you manage to organize them, can make a shelf or counter look too crowded. So instead, we advise you to pick visually pleasing and functional accessories such as putting your shampoo in a decorative bottle.
Install Glass Shower Doors and Glass Panels
Rather than using shower curtains, we recommend you go with glass panels and glass shower doors. Shower curtains tend to block the seamless appearance of the floor and wall, which is why we recommend you go with glass panels instead. If privacy is a concern, you can go with frosted or tinted glass panels.
The idea behind making your bathroom look bigger is all about creating a streamlined appearance and allowing light to bounce off every area of the room. Hence, why we suggest you drop the shower curtain altogether in favor of a somewhat see-through glass panel.
Proper Bathroom Lighting
As you might have already figured out, making your small bathroom look bigger revolves around lighting. As such, correct lighting placement will also be a crucial factor. Natural light helps make rooms appear larger, but since bathrooms don’t have much natural light available, what is the alternative?
First off, having multiple light fixtures will do wonders in solving the lack of natural light sources. For example, rather than using a light bulb on the ceiling, choose tube lights instead. Second, go for light bulbs or tube lights that emanate cool white or blue-rich lighting as this is the closest one that mimics natural lighting.
The Right Floor Tile Design
When it comes to bathroom tiles, we refrain from using the typical black and white combination pattern as it will make the floor look crowded. Instead, go with larger tiles with light or neutral colors such as white, canary yellow, beige, soft gray, and pale blue. Also, make sure that the color tile will complement the wall color so stick within the same color shading.