Bathroom Color Options That Will Make Your Space Look Smaller Than It Is

A bathroom is one of the home's most important spaces. It's used often, so it needs to be very functional and, ideally, comfortable. This can be difficult in bathrooms that are small or don't leave much room for design fixes. If a full renovation to expand your bathroom isn't in the cards, using the right colors will automatically give the room a more spacious feeling. An unappealing or misguided color combo will suck up all the space, something you definitely should avoid in a small bathroom.

The key is selecting colors based on how much light your bathroom gets. Lighting will significantly impact the saturation of your bathroom colors and ultimately shift how large the room feels. As contractor and HGTV Canada star Mike Holmes wrote on his blog Make It Right, "When it comes to lighting small bathrooms, try to be creative by choosing light fixtures that maximize functionality and aesthetics." That said, there are a few color selections that you shouldn't use when trying to make your bathroom feel larger, like dark floor tiles with white walls and an overabundance of white and gray.

The color and type of tiles you select for your bathroom make all the difference when it comes to look and feel. According to the bath and kitchen showroom ROCCIA, light-colored tiles can make a room feel much larger and more spacious because of how they reflect light: "If you're looking to maximise the spatial feel of your room, steer clear from having dark floor tiles and light wall tiles (or visa versa) as this will chop up space and will make your bathroom feel considerably smaller." This Old House also notes that light colors will "make walls appear to recede."

Because of this, it helps to keep your bathroom's color palette consistent to ensure the entire space feels elongated. Plus, a stark contrast between black and white can be overwhelming in a bathroom. Too much color contrast can be jarring and may make a room feel more cramped, and an excess of dark or saturated color will give off the uncomfortable feeling of being enclosed. Continuous colors and patterns feel harmonious and spacious, which will help your bathroom exude a sense of calm. A great way to compromise on multiple tones is by selecting large-format tile panels that give off the look of natural stone. A white stone visual with dark veins is luxurious and allows the colors to complement — rather than overpower — one another.

There's no doubt that white is a go-to color for bathrooms, but make sure not to rely on this neutral too heavily. The "all white" bathroom trend is arguably no longer practical, as it's difficult to keep clean and can make the room appear sterile and cold. Many have tried to cushion the amount of white in their bathrooms by adding grey features, but relying exclusively on these neutrals is unfortunately a bit outdated. Steer clear of pairing too much white and grey in the bathroom, as they've been deemed past their prime for 2025.

Still, HGTV's Joanna Gaines utilizes these colors in her bathroom — she just uses a couple of smart twists. First, if you're going with grey, always opt for a light shade, as Gaines advised in a since-deleted YouTube video. Next (as recommended on "Fixer Upper"), try incorporating navy accents into your bathroom (via House Beautiful). Items like towels and soap dispensers are a great way to add a pop of color to the bathroom without going overboard. This Gaines-approved color scheme will make your bathroom feel timeless. And for those who are more open to experimenting with color, use the ceiling as a canvas. Painting the ceiling will draw eyes upward and make the bathroom appear taller. Just be sure to stick with a light color like beige or a subtle yellow.