Small Bathroom Paint Colors That Make Walls Recede
The best small bathroom paint colors are light, high-LRV shades that bounce light and make the walls feel farther away. This page shows four wall colors, from LRV 61 to 74, and two very dark colors for a single accent wall, trim or ceiling. Every shade was measured from a public-domain painting.
Quick answer
Use #DAE0E5 (LRV 74) or #E8DCC0 (LRV 72) on the walls, especially if the room has no window. Keep #443C31 and #4D2E25 for a vanity, trim, ceiling or one accent wall.
Every color on this page was measured from one of these public-domain paintings.
Wall colors
#DAE0E5LRV 74
Pale Mist Gray
The lightest wall color here at LRV 74, with no clear undertone, so it suits tile in white or gray and chrome fixtures. Measured from Mary Cassatt's "The Child's Bath" (1893, The Art Institute of Chicago).
At LRV 72 it reflects almost as much light as the pale gray, with a warm yellow undertone that softens a windowless room. Measured from Thomas Cole's "Distant View of Niagara Falls" (1830, The Art Institute of Chicago).
At LRV 62 it reads light but with more body, which makes it a good wall color for a bathroom with a window. It also works as a bold piece such as a stool or mirror frame. Measured from Jean Baptiste Camille Corot's "Interrupted Reading" (c. 1870, The Art Institute of Chicago).
At LRV 61 it is the most muted of the warm walls, with a yellow undertone that sits well with beige or warm gray floors. Measured from Giovanni Antonio Guardi's "Interior: A Sultana taking Coffee in the Harem" (1742-43, The Art Institute of Chicago).
At LRV 5 it is very dark with a warm yellow undertone. Use it on a vanity, door or trim, not on all four walls. Measured from Girolamo da Carpi's "Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin and Christ Child" (c. 1535, The Art Institute of Chicago).
At LRV 4 with a warm red-orange undertone, it suits a wood shelf, a stool or one accent wall behind the vanity. Measured from Walter Shirlaw's "Self-Portrait" (1878, The Art Institute of Chicago).
The same paint reads differently in cool north light, warm south sun and under evening lamps. Find the column closest to your room.
Color
Neutral daylight
North light
South light
Evening lamps
Pale Mist Gray
Soft Cream Yellow
Warm Sand Cream
Light Stone Beige
Try these colors in a room
Pick which color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and trim follow your choice.
The framed picture on the wall is The Child's Bath.
How do I choose between these small bathroom colors?
Start with the walls. The four light colors all have an LRV of 61 or higher, so they reflect light and make walls recede. The coolest is #DAE0E5 at LRV 74, with no clear undertone. The other three have a warm yellow undertone: #E8DCC0 at 72, #E3CAAE at 62 and #D7CBB8 at 61.
Pick by what is already in the room. White or gray tile, chrome fixtures and a gray countertop sit easily with #DAE0E5. Beige floors, brass fixtures or cream tile point toward the warm shades. If the bathroom has no window, choose the highest values, 74 or 72, for the most bounce.
Use the deep colors sparingly. #443C31 (LRV 5) and #4D2E25 (LRV 4) are for one accent wall, a vanity, trim or the ceiling. In a small room, one dark surface adds depth. Four dark walls close the room in.
What goes with these colors: trim, ceiling and floors?
Start with trim and ceiling. The simplest choice in a small bathroom is to paint both in the same shade as the walls, or in the lightest color you are using. That keeps the edges soft and the ceiling feels higher. For a little contrast, try #E8DCC0 (LRV 72) on trim against walls of #E3CAAE or #D7CBB8.
For a sharper look, use #443C31 on a vanity or door against #DAE0E5 walls. It has a warm yellow undertone, so it suits brass or bronze fixtures better than polished chrome.
Now floors and wood. #4D2E25 reads as a stained wood tone, so it works on a shelf, a stool or a door. Beige or warm gray tile floors suit the cream shades. White or gray tile suits #DAE0E5. Add towels in #E8DCC0 and one bold piece in #E3CAAE, such as a mirror frame or a bath mat.
How do these colors look in bathroom light?
LRV is a measured number, but the light in your bathroom changes how a color feels. A bathroom with no window depends on its bulbs, so lean on the highest values: #DAE0E5 at LRV 74 or #E8DCC0 at 72. They send the most light back into the room.
Bulb color matters. Warm bulbs push the yellow-undertone shades toward cream and gold. Cool bulbs make #DAE0E5 look cooler and crisper. Choose the bulbs first, then judge the paint under them.
Cooler daylight, for example from a north-facing window, makes #DAE0E5 look colder. If that feels too stark, move to #E8DCC0 or #E3CAAE for warmth.
The dark colors, #443C31 (LRV 5) and #4D2E25 (LRV 4), reflect very little light. Keep them to one surface, and place a light fixture or mirror close by so the room does not feel heavy.
How do I test small bathroom paint samples?
Paint a sample about two feet square on two different walls, or on a board you can carry around the room. Do not judge a color from a small chip. Leave the samples up for a full day.
Look at them in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening with the bathroom lights on. Hold them next to your tile, vanity, towels and fixtures, since those are what the wall color has to live with. If you plan a dark accent, sample it next to the light wall color to see the contrast.
The hex values on this page were measured from paintings, and the paint names are the closest matches found, not exact copies. Sample the paint itself before you buy a full can. Sample the finish you plan to use as well, because sheen changes how a color looks on the wall.
FAQ
What is the best color for a small bathroom?
A light color with a high LRV, such as #DAE0E5 (LRV 74) or #E8DCC0 (LRV 72), makes the walls recede and bounces light. Add a deep color only on a vanity, trim or one accent wall.
Can I paint a small bathroom a dark color?
Yes, on one surface. #443C31 (LRV 5) and #4D2E25 (LRV 4) work on an accent wall, vanity, trim or ceiling. Painting every wall that dark makes the room feel smaller, and it needs strong lighting.
Do small bathroom paint colors for 2021 or 2022 differ from these?
The numbers do not change by year. A color with LRV 74 reflects the same amount of light whenever you paint it. Choose by LRV, undertone and the light in your own bathroom.
Which color is best for a bathroom with no window?
Choose the highest LRV, #DAE0E5 at 74. The closest paints measured are Sherwin-Williams SW 6238 Icicle (very close), Behr MQ3-26 Mainsail (near-identical) and Farrow & Ball No. 235 Borrowed Light (very close).
What finish should I use on small bathroom walls?
Many painters choose satin or semi-gloss for bathroom walls and trim because they wipe clean more easily than flat paint. Check the can for the maker's guidance on damp rooms.
Save these colors
A card with every color on this page, its LRV and the paintings it comes from. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
Painting images: The Art Institute of Chicago, public domain (CC0).
Colors measured by Light & Pigment. Paint names belong to their brands and matches are approximate. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.
From The Child's Bath, Mary Cassatt
