Asked on Jan 10, 2017

What color should I paint this bathroom?

I want to paint my old ceramic tile in my bathroom but I have no clue what colors to do it in. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you!
  54 answers
  • Kathy Lacy Kathy Lacy on Jan 10, 2017

    Get paint that will adhere to linoleum and paint the floor a nice walnut brown. The buy paint that will adhere to the tile in a nice shade of any color you love. Lastly select paint for the wall paint in a color that is a shade or two lighter than your tile paint is. This will truly make it your bathroom by design!

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    • Kathy Lacy Kathy Lacy on Jan 13, 2017

      your welcome Laura beach wold be fun and you could use a shower curtain that is striped to look kind of like a sail on a sail boat!

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    • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Jan 11, 2017

      you need to reply to the home talker who asked the question

  • D roach D roach on Jan 10, 2017

    you may find re-tiling over the old tiles better , as any tile paint I have seen starts to flake off and soon looks messy.

  • Carroll Carroll on Jan 10, 2017

    I would lay black and white tile on the floor. There are some stick and peel tiles that are easy to install. Paint only the brown on the tile wall. Paint it the same color as the walls try to match the paint and wall paint as close as you can. I like blue or green for a bathroom. Get a new set of towells, if you have a blank wall put a mirror on it. I have a large picture for each season that I put over the toilet. Also look for a small picture with colors of the bathroom "6"x" 4 " on the wall over the light switch leaver "1" space between switch and picture.

    . Hide the toilet brush. Shower curtain should be a soft muted color to match the walls paint. I also have string lights around my mrror over the sink which are pretty at night I removed the medicine cabinet and put a beautiful large mirror on it that I got on the Internet for $10. Bath mats match accordingly. Hope this helps.

  • Carroll Carroll on Jan 10, 2017

    PS. I have a small red frame over light switch that says "I love paris" a pop of color does not hurt as long as it is small.

  • Gail Lozier Gail Lozier on Jan 10, 2017

    I think there is no bathroom that isn't best in all white. It's classic and clean- feeling, and elicits the spa feeling of calm and order.

    I think you'd have the most beautiful bathroom if you sprayed all your tile white, splurged on a white tile floor, (maybe penny or mosaics on sale at a large box store, or peel and stick white). Have the tub professionally sprayed if it gets use.

    Resist the temptation to accent anything with color. Buy all white towels at Costco in the thickest cotton you can afford. Hang a simple, heavy, absolutely clear shower curtain liner, which comes in very long lengths online, and buy the longest. Hang your rod close to the ceiling to make your room look larger and your shower more elegant.

    If you add a shelf, make it glass. Put a yummy WHITE scented candle on the shelf so you can bathe and breathe in the luxurious feeling of your new spa/bath.

  • Melissa V Melissa V on Jan 10, 2017

    In my opinion, you could spend time and money working on tile and paint, but if the tub is still 70's gold, it's all for naught. Either replace (it is stained) or get a professional to redo the color.

    Painting the wall tile when you've obviously got some water issues around the tub faucet tiles, it looks like you have bigger issues than your tile color (even tho' I have to agree, that is a LOT of pattern in that bathroom).

    For that closet, get some bifold doors, the curtain setup is not working for hiding anything.

    For flooring, find a neutral roll vinyl that you like and one sheet covers the floor, water resistant, not slippery and looks great. White or light neutral paint on the walls and the cabinet.

    I should look for our "before" pictures of our bathroom redo (blue/white 1" tile everywhere, including the shower and floors) and then show you now. How going with all neutrals, then changing it up with shower curtains, rugs and towels is all you need from then on. Keep us posted! Don't be afraid to ask more questions...

  • Laura Yanni-Brown Laura Yanni-Brown on Jan 10, 2017

    Thanks Melissa! I will definitely check out the neutral roll vinyl for sure. I would love to see your before and after pictures. And we did have some water issues but the tile hasn't been replaced since then. It's definitely a work in progress.

  • Laura Yanni-Brown Laura Yanni-Brown on Jan 10, 2017

    I can definitely picture that! And I love it! Thank you!

  • Sophia,M.,McConnery Sophia,M.,McConnery on Jan 11, 2017

    Ask him his preference in colors.Go from there!

  • Diane Kirsch Diane Kirsch on Jan 11, 2017

    white, white, white....you can then accent a different color at your whim, by changing out the shower curtain, rugs, etc... I usually change my color scheme about 3x a year... some months lavender, some months beige/black...etc.. Its fun to change things up when you have a clean, white pallette.... Have fun with your room!

  • Joanne Diamond Joanne Diamond on Jan 12, 2017

    To successfully paint tile, after cleaning and a light scuffing, prime it with Inslx Stix primer, leaving that to set a minimum of 24 hours before painting. The proper primer is what ensures your paint won't peel.

    Since you have a gold tub and are looking to update your space, I suggest painting your walls grey. Gold and grey are very timeless.

    It would be very inexpensive to get vinyl click flooring (I suggest grey plank) to update your floors. You will be amazed at the transformation with just those two things changed.

  • B. Enne B. Enne on Jan 12, 2017

    I would make the floor, tile and fixtures white. As others have said, you can add pops of colour through accessories and even the drywall if you want. There is always the risk that a coloured tile will go out of style. White stays in style and looks clean.

  • Elaine Elaine on Jan 12, 2017

    i don't find your tile offensive at all! The strip of brown looks just fine, however, if you can afford it, I'd change the flooring to a neutral and have the tub re-covered. Hang a very full semi-sheer (fabric) shower curtain (or cream depending on your flooring) then hang a plastic liner. Make sure you mount it as high as possible. I agree with some others that suggest an all white bathroom; creamy whites are nice too as they'd blend with the brown-ish strip of tile. I'd introduce some medium brown towels combined with soft blue ones - mix and match. However, make sure any touches of color you add blend with the adjacent hallway and other rooms.

  • Elaine Elaine on Jan 12, 2017

    PS: ... sorry ... I didn't see the other photos! Naturally, if you have water problems, they need to be dealt with first. I can't see if you have a medicine cabinet or not. If you do, can it be removed and just hang a large framed mirror in its place and store the medicine items in a linen closet? Get rid of any excess "do-dads" so the room is as clean and spa looking as possible, store the toilet brush under the sink if you have room, and only decide on wall paint when you are done and have a clearer vision of the room. Don't follow any trendy colors (or trendy accessories!) as they date a room very quickly!!

  • Kar15136572 Kar15136572 on Jan 12, 2017

    Years ago my bath had yellow tile and accents of black fish. I painted those black fish tiles white, and put a flower or something on them. Much better


    Now you you can get Decoart chalk paint for glass. I'd clean that tile and paint only that accent stripe a neutral color. Try not to paint the grout, you can tape them off.

  • Elaine Elaine on Jan 12, 2017

    You're very welcome, Laura, and good luck with whatever you decide on! There are some AMAZING sheet vinyls out there now that are stunning that I'm sure can be laid over your existing floor IF you change the floor. Sometimes, just making a few "cosmetic" changes is enough; just take your time at it. Go on Houzz and type in something like "small bathrooms" or "white bathrooms" ... things like that, then you will see lots of inspiration.

  • Mor17429403 Mor17429403 on Jan 13, 2017

    White

  • Gail Lozier Gail Lozier on Jan 13, 2017

    If you go with the all white bathroom, be sure to paint your vanity white using chalk paint. You can spray paint (silver or bronze/black) your faucets, escutcheons, mixer, etc. so they all match. To do that, remove all and use the kind of Rustoleum spray paint (in silver) that is made to adhere to metal or plastic.

    Both of these easy "do it yourself" projects produce great results because of technological improvements in the products designed to accomplish the results. There are easy tutorials online for using Annie Sloan chalk paints to transform your vanity, and other tutorials for spraying your bathroom faucets.

    If your budget is small, you can easily make your own chalk paint, instructions and recipe readily available online. If you can spring for Annie Sloan, it's very high quality with little to no prep work.

    If you're not loving the all white spa ideal, go for painting your trim tiles a color, and go one shade lighter in the same color on your walls above the tile. You should still do a white tile floor and have your tub professionally sprayed white. Still paint your vanity white with chalk paint. Vanity hardware should match that in the rest of the room in color. In this case it is especially important to keep your shower curtain clear or white, with my preference clear. Remember to hang the rod close to the ceiling! And no rugs on the white tiled floor when you're not showering! Your bathroom will look twice as big as it looks now.


  • Gail Lozier Gail Lozier on Jan 13, 2017

    Oh, and if that toilet is beige (It looks white to me), spray it white with the tub or change it out for a white one.

    • B. Enne B. Enne on Jan 13, 2017

      You can spray paint a toilet? I thought it wouldn't adhere due to standing water in the bowl, and possible condensation on the tank.

  • Bar17218364 Bar17218364 on Jan 13, 2017

    All the suggestions that I've read sound good, but, until you address the leaking problem (obvious from the displaced tiles around faucet for bathtub), it will not be a lasting fix. If you're keeping the tile floor, keep the tile accent on the walls also. If the background in your accent tile is white, then go with white. If it's cream, go with cream. I think the floor is too busy for such a small space. There are lots of easy and inexpensive fixes when it comes to flooring for bathrooms. Many can be installed directly over the existing floor and are water repellent. I would love to see the end product.





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    • Bar17218364 Bar17218364 on Jan 14, 2017

      The tiles at the faucet are damaged because the surface that they are adhered to has swollen due to water invading it (the leaking problem is behind the wall). You can salvage the tiles but the cement board behind those tiles needs to be replaced (that's what's causing the bulging). Hopefully, no mildew has developed because this is the perfect environment for that to occur. You would need to remove the tiles in that general area, locate the wall studs, cut that area out, and replace with new cement board. This also gives you access to the original problem, the leaky faucet. Remove and replace it, being sure it's done correctly. I know this is not a quick fix but if this particular problem isn't repaired, it will be like placing a band aid over an open wound. Excuse the dramatics. Clean up the original tiles and re-tile over new cement board.

  • Elaine Elaine on Jan 13, 2017

    You're absolutely right, B. Enne! Alexanian's has some great remnants all the time! I never shop anywhere else for flooring and other home items!

  • Teresa Teresa on Jan 13, 2017

    Paint the walls in a soft gray to add a color to the palette you have and change the look. Also you can brighten up the tub and tile with bartenders friend it works well on cleaning them up and making them sparkle. https://www.barkeepersfriend.com/where-to-buy/


  • Laura Yanni-Brown Laura Yanni-Brown on Jan 14, 2017

    I do swear by the bartenders friend! It's good stuff.

  • V Smith V Smith on Jan 14, 2017

    If you are going to paint the tile paint it white, that way it will still look like tile. If you use a color and paint over the grout it will always look like a cover-up.

  • Eroque022810 Eroque022810 on Jan 14, 2017

    I understand that you want to paint it all but you really need to gut that bathroom and start fresh because it is bathroom and unless you're moving and just trying to brighten thats one thing but otherwise if this will b home for years to come do it correct or you will end up spending more as you go little by little. Then you can get rid of tub and everything that is so out of style. I'm sorry but just my opinion because I don't want to spend more in the long run. And not sure if that paint will hold up in a humid room and from style of those tiles you need to make sure that the ceiling fan is clean in the to the outside. Good luck with your decision but remember do you want this or need to do it? Wait if you can.😕

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Jan 14, 2017

    Painting a toilet is a first for me. Better check with the professionals on that one. But, yes, you can paint tiles and tub. A light color can always be complemented with a pop of color with accessories. Best of luck.

  • Lindcurt Lindcurt on Jan 21, 2017

    It is the flooring and coordinating trim that is dating the bathroom. Get rid of it and install a more neutral color vinyl. It is too expensive to replace a bathtub even if it is and outdated color. Do look at shades of grey. Most cannot imagine it but grey with yellow is very classy. Go to a thrift store and buy a gray bed sheet, spread it out on the floor to get the picture. Paint or replace only the accent tile on the wall until you are ready to redo the shower completely. Spend your money on one thing that is a permanent fix. You will eventually have to do it anyway. This way the redo is done in stages.

  • Lindcurt Lindcurt on Jan 21, 2017

    My husband suggests duct tape to cover the accent tile in the shower. The good thing about advice is that you can take it or leave it.

  • Eroque022810 Eroque022810 on Jan 22, 2017

    Lindcurt, I may have sounded harsh before still what I believe but if you hate it,I would never paint tile that later needs to be scrubbed. If I were you I would paint in a color that opposite on color wheel. Is it the brown or the yellow that you hate most. Personally I would then just paint it in my favorite color and I would paint the vanity cabinet as well. I wouldn't paint it red but I would go for a blue of the ate they show around Greece. The tile have an old fashioned look so you can get away with that color and I would not havethe curtain their but a door. Place accessories and then save to gut it because that tile where the leak had been was not repaired properly. You may have mold back there. A bandaid will not cover that, it's too large of a wound. 😕

  • Rymea Rymea on Jan 22, 2017

    The bathtub is the problem. You could reglaze it white. Then you wouldn't have any of the yellow color left to try to coordinate with the new colors and you would be free to use any color scheme you like. There are youtube videos that show you how. It is a do it yourself process that they say can be done for less than $50 but it is a bit complicated and takes time.

    Then I think you could get by with just cleaning the wall tile, painting the upper walls, the floor, the accent tile and vanity. I think you could paint and then do a stencil on the accent tile border because it would look strange painted a solid color.

    Lastly, you DO need to deal with the water leak behind the tile at the faucets.



  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on Jan 25, 2017

    The tile look very nice. Definitely repair any water problems. Would get the tub reglazed to white. Toilets are generally inexpensive so I would replace if not white. I'd also address the mismatched tub fixtures. Would paint window frame a soft white and walls same as tile. Flooring makes the space look small and drab. Small space so should be able to get a deal. I'd go with hardwood stained med with 3 coats of poly to take room to a whole new level. The vertical lines give impression of more space, too. (Have done this in 3 baths - no problem.) Clear off the toilet top. I'd add a med dark rattan jar (stable with double-faced tape) with some med tall artificial greenery to soften lines, and a small stack of folded wash cloths. Would also get a rattan basket for the items beside toilet that are currently in a plastic tray. Towels - soft golds and browns but need an accent for a punch of colour - maybe brown with a black stripe. May have room above tile somewhere in the room to add a piece of art - maybe a savannah pic with lions or giraffes or such with a bit of black. All sorts of possibilities.

  • Reblcant Reblcant on Jan 25, 2017

    ld just paint the decorative tiles. Make a stripe could match whatever color on the wall. . I would definitely change the floor. It is really dated. And paint all sides of the vanity and mirror same color to match each other and new hardware on the vanity. . Reglazing a tub works. have all your porcelain match. If your porcelains are white, grays would look great on walls. Of course gutting a bathroom is expensive But if you can, that would be better.

  • Anne Johnson Anne Johnson on Jan 29, 2017

    I'm guessing you can't afford to gut it. I just finished painting my bathroom tiles with the Rustoleum Tile paint kit. It dries to a tile like surface. I think it would stand up to a regular cleaning.


    I'd keep the bath as is and find a printed shower curtain with the same color and a few more colors you can work with. Here's an example: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/laural-home-reg-morning-glory-shower-curtain-in-yellow/1046686220?Keyword=shower+curtain


    Then you can use one of the other colors in the shower curtain for a wall color. For the floors, Home Depot has a gray slate peel and stick at $1.09 per SF. Remember you'll need a good primer for the old linoleum other wise they won't stick properly. Search Goodwill or bargain decor stores for accessories. If it doesn't match, a can of Rustoleum will do the trick. Just a few ideas.




  • Claude Claude on Feb 02, 2017

    I would paint that tub white or the almond of the toilet. ( a friend used the rustoleum and it came out great). Then I would get a stair runner as wide as I could to run the length of the bathroom In a lighter color. Live w the painted items for a while...decide if you want to replace the floor next. If the tile is structurally sound work with it until you have the $ to replace it.

    If you prime and paint the sink cabinet, you will lighten up the space. Ditch the lace curtain for open shelving and basket organization.

    You can give the bathroom an updated look without breaking the bank. (You can test in an inconspicuous spot painting the border to see if it's what you want). Colors may be hard to match and make the change stand out instead of fading away. 😳Take before and after photos.

  • Claude Claude on Feb 02, 2017

    Another comment...can you repaint the walls and trim and make them more uniform? The two tone does not work because there are so many different shades between the trim and the box behind the toilet area and walls. It doesn't quite match the tub color ( which I believe you were trying to do) - Just do the tub first and then decide in a color..because you never know exactly how the shades will blend.

  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on Feb 23, 2017

    Have them in my main bathroom in current and previous home. Have to have the wood in the home for a few days before laying to acclimitize. There are 3 coats of heavy duty poly on them. Never had a problem. Look like the day they were laid. I just use a well-wrung out cloth and tepid water to clean. Easy breezy.

  • Phaedra Phaedra on Feb 26, 2017

    Call me crazy but I think the tile could work if you painted the walls a very light almost white version of the tile tan . You could paint the tiles and they might look fine . Or they might not. Sometimes it doesn't take. Or they might look "painted". And its a lot of work.


    IMO whats throwing everything off is the yellow. That yellow is fighting with everything. Don't get rid of that old cast iron tub. I would get it professionally reglazed in white. After you paint the walls and reglaze the tub you might find that the tile doesn't bother you as much. If it does you can deal with the tile then.


    And I agree you need to fix your water problem in the shower. Remove the tiles carefully so you can reuse them


    As an alternate suggestion you could remove just the wall tiles and fix and paint the walls. Save them to tile the shower walls clear to the ceiling.

  • Kayo Frazier Kayo Frazier on Mar 07, 2017

    I would refinish the tile & tub white. This color will give you the most color options for the rest of the bathroom. I would replace the flooring & toilet as well. Bet. the toilet & tub you can get a narrow 3 or 5 shelf bookshelf to place your toiletries, extra toilet paper and even extra towels. You could get decorative baskets to hide the smaller items. Hope this helps

  • Irene Irene on Mar 08, 2017

    You may find great replacements at Habitat for Humanity stores or other recycle outlets.

  • Debbie Debbie on Mar 08, 2017

    keep in mind the option to paint tiles with stencils for beautiful personalized results

  • Carole Poche Carole Poche on Mar 08, 2017

    I agree, everything needs to be white and bright, then you can add any pops of colour. Tub (fix leak first) and use tub paint (Home Depot) and get a new toilet. The re-store is great but so is Home Depot, 6 x 8 foot linoleum is about $40. but you may find a better deal at the Restore. Nice white cabinet over toilet and a curved/modern curtain rod really looks very nice as well. As for the tiles, I think removing a few layers and doing the tub to the ceiling is a great idea. You can use very few products to re-paint them that will work where it is moist and the tile refinishing kit is not cheap, might be easier to remove/replace some. Sand and rough them up first, clean extremely well, and use a tile kit or chuck the coloured ones and just grab some plain white new ones at Home Depot (they are cheaper with tiles than the Restore...and regrout all the tiles for a really fresh look. If you can get a nice set of taps (Amazon/Ebay are good) this would really be a finishing touch and solve the leaking too :-)

  • Carole Poche Carole Poche on Mar 08, 2017

    This bath tub and sink were pink and almond, the walls pink, brown and blue, with old 4" x 4" black and white genuine plastic tiles... old and yucky. I replaced the fixtures and tiled everything myself. In fact the walls were chip board in many places and I tiled everything in the shower to the ceiling, new lino on the floor, looked for clearance fixtures and picked up what I could at the restore. This photo still does not have the wide white baseboards put back on but it turned out really amazing and was much the same but perhaps older (ca. 1950) It is bright and clean. A "feel good" space now. Only the shower was relatively expensive :-)

    • Wendyrama Wendyrama on Mar 11, 2017

      Is that a Kohler Veer sink? Been contemplating getting it. Any issues ?

  • Carly Smith Carly Smith on Mar 09, 2017

    Walls: there is nothing really wrong with the white BUT the colored tile is actually dated....tape around the strip and get some oil paint, tape aroud the stripe and try to literally "stain" over the color. Depending on your theme you should pick a color that is neutral and easy on the eyes. Coastal is really easy to coordinate as a blue grey is calming...but also an off white might be nice. the walls that are not tiles should be painted a shade MUCH lighter than the new stripe color.


    Floors: go on pinterest and look at DIY painted floor ideas. I would clean it chalk paint it, and seal it very well. Floor should be dark color hue of stripe to hide dirt and give more depth..


    Storage: a few well placed shelves or slim pantry for interest and storage.

  • Carly Smith Carly Smith on Mar 09, 2017

    TUB: Forgot about the tub! you can put that faux brick for walls to the side of the tub for that WOW effect! Good luck in your endeavor!

  • Laura Yanni-Brown Laura Yanni-Brown on Mar 09, 2017

    Best idea yet! Thanks😊

  • Wendyrama Wendyrama on Mar 11, 2017

    I fear the painted tile. It's a lot of tile in a bath that has water issues. But that's me. I know what I am good at and what I'm not.


    I would lose the yellow walls, paint the vanity, and paint the window trim black. It anchors the room and gives the tile something to helo balance it. Pick up a dark high-arc faucet and add dark hardware to the vanity. I am seeing a classic exotic boho look .

  • Laura Yanni-Brown Laura Yanni-Brown on Mar 28, 2017

    OK everyone I"m not quite finished with the bathroom but I feel like it's close enough to to post pictures of it. Thank you for all the comments and suggestions. I'm sorry for not replying to all of the post,but we all know how busy life can be.

  • Rymea Rymea on Apr 11, 2017

    Thumbs up from me

  • Rosie Rosie on Jan 06, 2020

    Super light gray. Depends on how many walls or stuff. You need to keep cohesion within a room.

  • Laura Yanni-Brown Laura Yanni-Brown on May 09, 2020

    Well it's been quite a while since I asked what to do with my bathroom. Here is the final result. I put in a new sink that I found on the side of the road (don't judge me lol) and I had a new floor installed. What do you think?

  • I was going to suggest all white since it gives you the most freedom when it comes to decor. However, being a color lover myself, I adorethe grey you chose. It's perfect, warm and updated and it pairs well with the floor. I also love the sink. Nothing like a good upcycle to make a room more interesting and personalized! Well done!

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Mar 10, 2022

    I would go with the colour you have used on the walls, but leave some of the tiles White, because you have a white toilet!