Help choosing paint color and shower curtain

13 years ago

Our bathroom has the original floor tile from 1945 and I need to decorate around it. (ie, we're not doing a major remodel, only paint and shower curtain). The tub is white with large white subway tiles and grey grout. I need help pulling it all together. Can you help me narrow down a paint color and pick a shower curtain?

The tile is actually a lighter yellow than it appears in the picture. I held a color chip up to the tile and BM Hawthorne Yellow is a pretty close match. The squares are black. Since yellow paint can be so tricky, I'm a little more inclined to a grey or a yellowish beige on the walls. If you have any particular colors in mind, please share!

I'm considering one of these shower curtains:

http://www.amazon.com/Park-B-Smith-Shower-Curtain/dp/B003YFHHC2/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=INFYNU8JAS4F1&colid=Y2UAGR273PV1

http://www.amazon.com/Xhilaration-Damask-Shower-Curtain-Black/dp/B003AS23QS/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2U1EI7CMX3UMC&colid=Y2UAGR273PV1

Do you think the pattern would overwhelm the room with its size? Is it too dark for such a small room? I might consider this one, too: http://www.amazon.com/InterDesign-Fabric-Shower-Curtain-Leaves/dp/B002H9X6QW/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I14ZHC720SFNN4&colid=Y2UAGR273PV1

In the past I've gravitated toward lots of color; now I'm finding myself moving toward more calm tones/patterns. Any and all suggestions are appreciated!

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Comments (17)

nanny2a
13 years ago
My personal preference would be for the second one, the damask. I don't feel that the print would overwhelm the room.
TxMarti
13 years ago
Do you have a light inside the shower area? If not, those dark curtains will make it really dark when you take a shower.
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les917
13 years ago
Honestly, I am not liking any of the choices you posted - I think the white is too stark and there is too much black.

Do you sew? Housefabrics.com has a few toiles that would be amazing in there.

Here is one example:

spring toile chamomile

Also remember that you aren't limited to shower curtains. You can use a pair of regular curtain panels, as long as they are washable fabric and you use a good separate vinyl liner. You can hang the panels from a regular rod and curtain rings and it works well. That opens up your choices for a curtain.
peace_rose
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh, that toile is beautiful! I do sew and that does open up some possibilities. And using regular curtains didn't occur to me either. Thanks for your honest feedback!
User
13 years ago
Les's fabric suggestion is a very pretty one. Another option would be something like this, the floral print which mimics the fabric you have above w/less black. I found it at Dillards also comes in red instead of green.
peace_rose
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh, that's pretty, too! Is the background creamy/ivory rather than white? I'm thinking of les's comment about the white being too stark.

How about a traditional black/ivory toile like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Victoria-Toile-Bathroom-Shower-Curtain/dp/B003QCJXGQ/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp_T2

Any thoughts about paint color?
User
13 years ago
I LOVE that fabric that Les posted. I think that would be beautiful. I also like the black toile you showed but I think the yellow would work better in that small bath? Although the black is ready-made and would save time and probably money too.

In either case, I would pick a fabric/ready made shower curtain first, and then pull a color from the fabric for the walls.
User
13 years ago
I'm not sure about the back ground but you can call Dillards to ask. I'm not sure about the toile in black and white because it can look busy in a small space. I used it on curtains in our bathroom. Here's how they looks. Also how about using silvery gray instead of a so much black? It might be softer in the space. The second picture is a sample I found a while back when I was looking for shower curtains.
AHomeWest
13 years ago
If it were my bathroom, I'd paint it a gray (with a just a hint of a purple or blue undertone) to complement the yellow, gray, and black. Could warm it up with taupe towls, etc. OR white accessories would be no fail, I think.

But then again, I don't have a very traditional style, either... :)
peace_rose
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you jillinnj. I forgot to mention that I'm 7 months pregnant and a year and a half into a whole house renovation. Very much into "as long as it looks better than before that's good enough for me" mode. :)
User
13 years ago
Oh, well, I totally understand that. In that case, I would definitely get a ready made and not take on project of making something now. You can always do that later and not waste much $$ if you stay in the same color family. I like the idea someone mentioned above of a toile in a softer gray than the black. Or maybe in the short term just a pretty, fresh new white one and paint the walls a soft gray like mentioned above.

Good luck with the bathroom and the baby!

Here is a link that might be useful: White shower curtain
work_in_progress_08
13 years ago
I think a nice grey paint would look great in your room. However, I do think it would work best to find a shower curtain first and then pull a color from that for your paint selection.
terezosa / terriks
13 years ago
Here are your three choices:
peace_rose
Original Author
13 years ago
All the input from y'all is really helpful. It's helped me broaden my view of what's possible. I think I found a Marigold Shower curtain at Cost Plus that I like: http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3902818&clickId=159164542&affiliateCustomId=1295061583ziea84cdhgj99n7md1esrp&affiliateId=3597

On a different note, does anyone know why I'm not getting emails sent to me? I always have before, and I'm sure I checked the box before I posted....
terezosa / terriks
13 years ago
Here's the Cost Plus shower curtain:

{{!gwi}}
peace_rose
Original Author
13 years ago
So I went to Cost Plus to get that shower curtain, and the quality was HORRIBLE! The cotton material was see-through and like gauze. Back to the drawing board... :)
Stacey Collins
13 years ago
Here's the bathroom I just did for my daughter. For the walls, she chose a gray with enough beige in it to work with the warm limestone-look floor. Something like this might work with your floor, and with the shower curtains you're considering (we are also planning to add natural-wood shelves above the toilet, which will be a yellow tone, like your floor):