The Best Dark & Moody Paint Colors for Small Bathrooms
Do you have a small bathroom that’s lacking in personality? Whether it’s bright, dark, or even windowless, dark, dramatic paint colors are the best way to give your little loo some love.
Many homeowners and renters are afraid to paint a small bathroom a dark color, worried it’ll look even smaller. And it could. But it could also look badass and beautiful, cloaked in a moody dark hue, a jewel-box tone, or a sexy shade of sultry goodness.
WHY SHOULD YOU PAINT YOUR SMALL BATHROOM A DARK PAINT COLOR?
Because it’s badass and could look more beautiful than you might think. Plus, regardless of whether you paint your walls white or black, a small bathroom is…small. While you can give the illusion of it being bigger with a lighter paint color, it is what it is...and it’s small.
Would you rather have a bright, small bathroom or a small bathroom with a BIG personality?
So, without further ado, let’s find the hue for you…
1. SHERWIN WILLIAMS HOMBURG GRAY SW 7622
Homburg Gray is a strong blend of gray, blue, and green. While some might see it as gray, it’s not. It’s more of a green-gray that can grab a green-blue hue.
Moody and dramatic (sounds like me for 1 week a month), Homburg Gray is gloooriously green-inspired without being obnoxious or too ‘organic’. It’s more of a sophisticated, subtle shade of dark green.
Homburg Gray has an LRV of 15, so it’s smack dab in the middle of the medium-dark range. It looks completely badass with the marble countertop and wood vanity cabinet.
BTW: 99.5% of the photos in my blog are of REAL HOMES from my Online Color Consulting clients, readers, and friends. While not always magazine-perfect, they’re packed with ideas and proven color choices to help you create a home you’ll love.
While I don’t have a review of Homburg Gray (yet), you can check out more moody hues here.
2. BENJAMIN MOORE STORMY SKY 1616
For the next color, we’re looking at my wee-beastie of a powder room, which is also windowless…
Given this room’s purpose, the wall color was quite inspiring.
Coming in hot with measurements of 31″w x 78″l, I knew our bathroom needed some personality – there was no way I was painting this glorified closet white. Instead, I chose Benjamin Moore Stormy Sky…
Stormy Sky is as gloriously gloomy and imposing as it sounds (a good thing). It’s a medium-dark charcoal gray with an LRV of 13.75 – she be dark, but not so dark that you lose her beautiful hues, so long as you have a bit of light.
Along with that gray base, it has a purple-blue hue that comes and goes, depending on your perception, lighting, and surrounding finishes. Given that our bathroom has no windows and only a wall sconce, it does pretty well…
Would I choose a dark gray hexagon tile, gray quartz countertop, and gray penny tile NOW? Helllllls no. I chose these 8 years ago, and that’s what I liked then. That said, I’m going to update the black mirror, lighting, faucet, and hardware. Instead, I’ll be shifting gears to chrome or polished nickel, as those finishes suit this cool gray palette.
The Best Dark Gray Paint Colors
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- Benjamin Moore Gray 2121-10 is awesome; I ALMOST chose it instead of Stormy Sky.
- Sherwin Williams Peppercorn is a popular, similar shade.
3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MAREA BAJA SW 9185
If your best small bathroom paint color wraps you in a jewel-box-inspired blue, you’ll love what I’ve got to show you.
Here’s your Peel & Stick paint sample of Marea Baja…
Marea Baja is a stunning, jewel-toned shade of blue. With a whisper of green flashing through, this rich paint color will wrap you up in its impressive personality without being so colorful as to be overwhelming (though that’s open to perception).
The Best Dark Teal Paint Colors
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- Benjamin Moore Slate Teal has a bit more color.
- Benjamin Hidden Sapphire is glooorious, and I almost chose it instead of Marea Baja as the top color.
4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS GAUNTLET GRAY SW 7019
Gauntlet Gray is a badarse and beautiful shade of dark, warm gray. Its LRV of 17 gives it a stormy vibe without losing its sultry, sexy vibe.
Before, this bathroom (below) was womp womp wommmmp. While the palette is good (beige with purple in the artwork), we need to flip things around a bit (Tim’s favorite Friday night line)…
After a few coats of paint (below), it has depth and personality thanks to Gauntlet Gray, which picks up a purple hue in this lighting, and beige-gold accents in the artwork…
Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray Paint Color Review
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
Here are some alternatives to help you find your perfect shade…
- Sherwin Williams Dovetail is a bit lighter while still having depth.
- Benjamin Moore Metropolis has a beautiful depth and warmth.
5. SHERWIN WILLIAMS ANONYMOUS SW 7046
Loo and behold, one of my favorite darker greige paint colors – Anonymous.
But first (or headfirst, you do you), check out this next powder room (in our last home)…
Before, this bathroom was booooring. Now, it’s the cutest little shart shack this side of the Atlantic thanks to an Anonymous donor. Just joking, I paid for this paint myself…
Sherwin Williams Anonymous & Porpoise Paint Color Review
Anonymous is an organic, darker shade of greige. It most often appears with a soft green undertone, as shown above.
Don’t forget: when choosing your bathroom paint color, consider how it flows with the room it’s attached to (most often a hallway).
Here’s how this palette came together…
Sherwin Williams Colonnade Gray and Benjamin Moore Gibraltar Cliffs (east-facing).
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze is amazeballs if you want a color with more meat on its bones.
- Check out these similar dark greige paint colors.
6. BENJAMIN MOORE RUBY DUSK 1267
If your best, moody small bathroom paint color leans toward oxblood, burgundy, or maroon, start your color search with Ruby Dusk.
Given its name, you might think it’s jewel-toned, but it’s not…
Here’s your Peel & Stick paint sample of Ruby Dusk…
However, its name says a lot, as while it has ruby undertones, its dusky, muted look grounds it, offering more of an oxblood, burgundy look vs. a more genuine red hue.
SIMILAR COLORS TO COMPARE
Sampling and comparing similar shades is a great way to find your best small bathroom paint color.
- Get more color and richness with Sherwin Williams Rookwood Red.
- For a considerably muted look, check out Benjamin Moore New London Burgundy
7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MOODY BLUE SW 6221
Sherwin Williams Moody Blue is a gorgeous green-blue and a great way to add a bit of personality to your potty without going overboard. Admittedly, it’s not terribly moody or dramatic, but wait until it hits its teenage years.
Remember, CONTRAST like white and teal makes a room look smaller. But hey, it’s a small bathroom, sooooo.
Moody Blue is a reasonably strong, but not overbearing, green-blue with some gray that calms it. It’s a bit beyond ‘organic’, but depending on your tastes, it could seem relaxing and stress-reducing.
The Best Blue-Green Blend Paint Colors
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
While Moody Blue might be the hue for you, comparing similar shades is one of the best ways to find your perfect one.
- Sherwin Williams Riverway is gorgeous, offering a bit more depth.
- Sea Star is a great alternative from Benjamin Moore.
Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Paint Color Consulting.
8. BENJAMIN MOORE CHEATING HEART 1617
There’s no doubt that Cheating Heart is one of the more flush-worthy dark paint colors – I might even double-flush this bad boy. In this next image, we’re looking at a small loo with a big ‘tude…
Cheating Heart is ridiculously gorgeous, I’m flush with love for it. While it’s certainly not for the faint of heart, if you want a dark, velvety, dramatic bathroom paint color, it’s amazeballs.
Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart Paint Color Review
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- For a lighter, slightly bluer hue, check out Sherwin Williams Cyberspace
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron is darker, closer to black, and wickedly pretty.
9. BENJAMIN MOORE GALAPAGOS TURQUOISE
For the perfect blend of green and blue, check out Galapagos Turquoise.
Here’s your Peel & Stick paint sample of Galapagos Turquoise…
This jewel-box-inspired paint color is gorgeous for a small powder room or bathroom. Again, the approach with a color like this is to have enough color to be rich and stunning, but not so much that it’s punchy or winking at the primary/secondary end of things.
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
Of course, what’s ‘too colorful’ or ‘too timid’ is open to perception. This is why comparing alternative colors is so important.
- Sherwin Williams Deep Sea Dive
- Benjamin Moore Dark Teal offers a bit more green
10. BENJAMIN MOORE TROUT GRAY 2124-20
If you’re fishing for the perfect bathroom paint color, Trout Gray could be quite the catch.
Trout Gray is a moderate charcoal gray with a purple-blue hue. While it has depth, it’s not an overly dark gray thanks to its LRV of 16.41, making it lighter than Stormy Sky (#2).
Benjamin Moore Trout Gray Paint Color Review
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
- Benjamin Moore Steel Wool is one of my favorites, offering a lighter but similar approach.
- Sherwin Williams Web Gray is an interesting, darker alternative to compare with Trout Gray.
11. SHERWIN WILLIAMS SECRET GARDEN SW 6181
If you’re looking for a lush shade of green, come into my secret garden (wink wink).
Secret Garden is a gorgeously green paint color. With an LRV of 8, this color ain’t messin’ around. However, it has enough color to show up at the party without being punchy.
While this next image doesn’t show an entire bathroom wrapped in this color, you get the idea…
SIMILAR COLORS TO SAMPLE & COMPARE
Oh, there are WAY to many wickedly gorgeous colors to list. Instead, check these blog posts…
A FEW MORE JEWEL-BOX INSPIRED SMALL BATHROOM PAINT COLORS
For you boujie babes, I’ve got a few more rich, striking shades to explore.
Just remember, most of these colors do their best work in moderate, low-light, or even windowless bathrooms. Bright bathrooms can look overbearing in many of these shades.
BENJAMIN MOORE AUTUMN PURPLE
It is what it says it is – dark purple. But it’s not as overwhelming as a clean, pure color would be; instead, Dark Purple has a wee touch of gray, calming it. Whether your small bathroom is windowless or just moody and low-light, this color gets ‘er done.
Here’s your Peel & Stick paint sample of Autumn Purple…
A BIT LESS COLOR: For a softer, but still stunning look, check out Benjamin Moore Dark Purple.
BENJAMIN MOORE DARK TEAL
It is what it is – dark teal. If you want a dark, striking shade of teal, Dark Teal covers all the bases, and then some…
Here’s your Peel & Stick paint sample of Dark Teal…
MORE MUTED: For a softer, but still stunning look, check out Benjamin Moore Newburg Green or Benjamin Moore Yorktowne Green.
BENJAMIN MOORE NEW LONDON BURGUNDY
While a color like New London Burgundy won’t give a jewel-box vibe in a bright bathroom, in a windowless one with low, muted interior lighting, it’ll do its best work.
DARKER & DEEPER: For a similar shade with more meat on its bones, check out Sherwin Williams Rookwood Dark Red. A color like this doesn’t need a ton of light, but it could be a bit dark for a low-light, moody space.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For any random queries, quandaries, or concerns…
WILL PAINTING A SMALL BATHROOM A DARK PAINT COLOR MAKE IT LOOK SMALLER?
It all comes down to perception. Generally speaking, dark colors are advancing, making a room look smaller, whereas light colors recede, making a room look bigger.
But there’s more at play here…
- How light or dark are your vanity, countertop, and flooring? High contrast can make a space look smaller. Low contrast can help a room look bigger. If you have a dark vanity and flooring and paint your walls a light color, your room could look smaller via the contrast.
- Are you color-drenching your space? If you have white trim, ceiling, and door, a dark paint color can make it look smaller and busier. If you paint your trim/ceiling/door the same color as your walls, it can make it look slightly larger by eliminating the high-contrast points.
WHAT ARE THE BEST PAINT COLORS FOR A SMALL BATHROOM WITH NO WINDOWS?
There’s no universal, fool-proof ‘best paint color, as it depends on the look you want.
- Do you find your small bathroom too dark? If you want a bright, light, airy look, a white or light paint color is best, along with good interior lighting.
- To embrace your small, windowless bathroom, you might choose to give it personality with a dark, moody paint color or a more colorful shade to cheer things up.
WHAT PAINT FINISH IS BEST FOR A SMALL, DARK BATHROOM?
It depends on the look you want.
DRAMATIC & MOODY: While my idea of the perfect finish and sheen for a dark, moody bathroom is a washable matte, some love the look of a reflective satin finish (no thanks, but you do you – I find it too abrasive-looking).
BRIGHT: If you want to make your small bathroom or powder room look brighter and bigger, a satin finish will reflect more light. Some might even do semi-gloss. Not me, but it’s not all about me – not all the time, anyway.
SUMMARY: PROS, CONS, & CONSIDERATIONS
When it comes to small bathrooms and powder rooms, whether they’re dark or bright, it comes down to the look you want.
- Dark, moody colors add personality to small bathrooms, but can make them look smaller
- Light, bright colors can make a small bathroom look bigger…to a point – they’re still small rooms.
- The best dark, moody bathroom colors include dark greige, dark green, moody oxbloods, blues, and grays.
- The best jewel-toned, jewel-box-inspired colors revolve around darker shades of turquoise, dark, saturated greens, purples, and blues.
READ MORE
The Best Dark Teal Paint Colors
The Best Dark Blue Paint Colors
The Best Light & Calming Paint Colors
Get the best paint color and home update advice with Kylie M’s Online Paint Color Consulting.
