I don't think it's frivilous at all, as that's often part of the function of a bathroom. I've always had neutral bathrooms though! so lighting and bulbs is what gets my attention.

I think they say that daylight is the most accurate and to apply makeup in the light you will be in.

How about a makeup mirror?

Another individual consideration might be your skin tone. I'm a Summer, so cool or rosey is what makes me look my best -- so cool surroundings in the bath would probably work in my case! But, then ya have to go out!

So, wearing a smile is what ultimately works best, I think. : D

I've heard that peach hues are supposedly the most flattering. I will say that a friend bought a house where the master bath had been painted turquoise by the PO. When my friend moved in the house, she said every time she looked in the mirror in her bathroom, she thought she looked sick! They repainted the bathroom a pale peach color and she looks much better now! Maybe you could paint a neutral and use some great blue towels or other accessories.

I look horrible in peach ... it would have to be a pinky-coral peach :)

Squirellhaven hit it right on the nose. You should look good in all your rooms.

I am olive and avoid certain taupes, tans, and many greens since they make my skin tones look blahh. For that reason, I painted our powder room RH Atmosphere Blue because of my skin color. The color is beautful and very neutral. I plan to use apple green for towels.

I do use green in my house but it has to be a shade that I look good in and would wear.

Here is a picture. The color looks a little dull in the picture. It's actually a gray blue.

a href="http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd239/jerseygirl_1/?action=view¤t=PowderRoom004.jpg"; target="_blank">

I'm thinking about any color could throw things off kilter to some degree. My skin/makeup (and I don't wear much, it bugs me) can look fine in my bath (gray based mid level purple). If I then leave and go to my sister's, who has a beige with a subtle pink undertone and regular bulbs, my skin looks ashen in her bath. Yellow based beiges can make skin look, well, yellow. ;)

I'd focus on lighting, as SQH mentions. I use either Full Spectrum bulbs or GE Reveal, not only in bathroom but throughout the house. It makes a huge difference (and I find it much cheerier). If you're skeptical grab a package of GE Reveal (I've found Target has them priced well) and give it a try with your current color and note the overall difference in the room. Full Spectrum are much more costly (about $7/bulb) but they have lasted several years for me in one fixture.

I've had this older photo kicking around, and have posted before, but will offer again in case you haven't seen it. These are family room walls, back when they were just a creamy, slightly off white. Taken with no flash in both cases, only light was from lamp.

Regular bulb:

Full spectrum bulb:

I dont find that this is a silly question at all. It is one that i have played with for a long time. I dont look good in blues, peach does seem to be more flattering however I did paint my bathroom atmosphere blue like Jersey girl. It has been my first "successful" blue paint, like she mentioned it is a sophisticated gray blue and it feels very clean for lack of a better word.

I looked in the mirror after the paint went up on the wall and it was not a pretty picture and I thought I made a horrible mistake.... changed the light fixture out to little halogen bulbs and full spectrum and it was gorgeous. I still dont look good in blue however the color on the walls as a back drop works just fine. I think lighting is everything FWIW.

I'm a summer too and I cringe when people state authoratively, like it's a rule carved in stone that bathrooms should be pink or peach. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people post that here over the years. Well those are absolutely the worst colors for me. I would choose a color that you love to wear - if you wear it and you look good in it chances are it's a winner.

You could try hanging sheets or towels or something of the color that you are thinking of painting behind you as you look in the mirror to test drive the color. Do you like what you see?

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We did the master bath in Devine Glass, a bluish-greenish-greyish (sounds like Sarah Plain and Tall would look good in it :)) tone and I couldn't be happier--combined with the gold/tans in the room it's just so flattering. That said, I would recommend trying it out first with a sample before you decide.

Orange and black are tough colors to wear, but other than that it's basically the tone of the color you need to watch for flattering shades.

Yellowed, warm hues are good for Spring and Falls.
Cooled, rosey, soft grayed/muted for Summers.
Winters are cool also but are able to handle the sharp, vibrant, striking colors and black.

So, if think you can't wear, say, blue -- try looking at the type of blue! I once thought I could not wear colors at all! but it was simply the type of color, which needs to be softened, blued, or rosey for this Summer (warm blues, warm reds or warm greens,eg, make me look bad).

In terms of color theory, blue is (allegedly) the most universally flattering background color. A deep, teal blue - not electric blue or powder blue or anything. Eggplant is supposed to be another, as is what I'm going to call "dusty salmon" but could also be coined a shade of salmon, terracotta, or rose.

These colors may look good on the largest number of people, but I don't think there's a one size fits all solution to color. Or personal preference. I have a very fair complexion, honey red hair, and hazel eyes. Ny husband loves me in a deep teal/jewel blue, but I think it looks ghastly.

I think it depends on the color of blue, how big the bathroom is, and the lighting in the room. My MBr is blue and I love it. I don't have problems with makeup.

{{gwi:1540445}}

I also agree about the lighting. We only use full spectrum or Reveal.

The PR I showed has halogen lighting. The fixture (even though it not shown) is from RH.

As usual, lots to learn from here. Thanks, you guys! The colors that look best on me are, alas, that deep eggplant purple (I think DH would gag or worse if I even brought up painting our bath that color) and a deep, rich teal. ...

Or maybe I'll just chicken out and do an off-white or cream. (but *which* cream, LOL?)