Pink bathrooms always scream "princess" or "retro" to me. Does either style suit your friend? :) It's a difficult color to minimize, and really a "love it" or "hate it" thing... but you can try and make it seem intentional. Or go garish pink on the walls & hope it makes the fixtures read white. :) Honey wood isn't going to play nicely, but is it an option to paint it?

Some pink bathrooms:

{{!gwi}}

Not a real picture, but still... I like the use of the other colors to play with the pink fixtures.
Picture link

Paint the walls a color that has a pink undertone, whether it be some kind of beige or off white that has some pink in it. Paint the vanity, because the honey colored wood is probably intensifying the pink. This might be a good place to do something that does contrast a little. A pale green, or a dark brown both look nice with pink.

Here is a link that might be useful: Save the pink bathroom

Paint the vanity the same off-white as the floors, or at least not a bright white, unless she is doing other trim in the room that same color.

Do the walls in a rich grey - but NOT a blue undertone grey - either a brown undertone or perhaps a green. Something strong enough to balance the visual impact of all that pink.

Brushed nickel hardware and lighting. Paler pink and creamy white towels.

Or, if she wants fun, go 60's retro and combine the pink fixtures with orange and apple green!

Benjaminmoore. Davenport tan. It's a brown that is great with pink

The worst thing she can do is try to minimize it because that will show. She needs to play off the pink and make it part of the design. I could definitely live with pink bathroom sink, toilet, etc. I could not live with Maroon, which I once had to do. It was awful.

I have a pink-ish bathroom, more on the pink-to-salmon scale, with turquoise trim and whitewashed oak cabinet. Contrary to prior postings, I found that the off-white walls just accentuated it. The floors are pinkish-beige tile. I painted the walls a pale aqua; I am trying to move from Santa Fe to seashell. I just keep thingking that anything is better than avocado or harvest gold.

Someone on here did lots of black with the pink and it was wonderful . I would paint the vanity black and then go from there. All black accents...c

Here is a link that might be useful: pink and black bathrooms

Sounds like painting the walls and cabinet would help. I wouldn't bring anything else pink into the room.

My paternal grandparents had a pink and black guest bedroom bath. I never thought of it as princess like due to the rest of the room. (No poodles, etc).

DD1 had an apartment in Pacific Heights that was pink and green. Fit right in with her Shabby Chic furnishings:

I did a post last week on a pink and green bath. They used three chandeliers over tub and lots of fabric/window coverings.

Here is a link that might be useful: pink and green feminine bath

We used lots of grey and it really toned down the pink. We hung a white shower curtain, used a grey/white striped wallpaper and put in a grey/white tiled floor. We use grey towels.

I love all of the suggestions so far and since the Pantone color of 2011 is honeysuckle, you just know that there will be tons of towels and shower curtains featuring pink introduced in the next two years.

I've got a 1956 pink and aqua bathroom. I wish I could do dark brown accents, especially since there are a lot of accessories out now in aqua and brown, but my vanity counter is a charcoal gray formica with the little boomerang shapes in it. I painted the walls pale gray, but I'm not happy with it: les917 is right about avoiding a blue-undertoned gray. Gray is really hard to pick! I have pink and aqua towels and a shower curtain with aqua and lime green polka dots, fun and fresh, and I got similar polka dot decals for the walls. It looks better than it sounds! My vanity cabinet is white like the ones in the top set of pictures. Everything is in pretty good shape so we're just sticking with the retro vibe, since there always seems to be a better place to spend money.

I like pampalist's idea of a pinky beige for the walls. I saw a house painted all in a pinky beige and it was such a neutral it looked good with everything. It reminded me of kind of an adobe pink.

My niece and her DH have pink, and she does have a beige wall color with pink undertones and then shower curtains in towels with pink and brown stripes. Looks really good.

I agree, embrace the pink!

Here is a link that might be useful: Save the Pink Bathrooms

I once had a bathroom like that. I changed the toilet to white and put in a white pedestal sink. On the walls I did a large print wallpaper with green, brown, white and more pink. It all came out pretty nice.

EMBRACE IT! They are usually pretty well made and have good quality fixtures.

I see someone has already posted the link to Save The Pink Bathrooms. My work here is done.

I don't agree with using pink ANYTHING in a pink bathroom--compliment it instead of pinking it up even more, IMO. Unless you like the girly pink look. In that case, go for it.

Brown is the new black! The rooms aren't specifically bathrooms, but you'll see variations of the colors, most having neutral color walls. I *love* the combination!!! ;o)

Here is a link that might be useful: rooms..

I like green with pink, like Allison's photo above. If she can find a paper with pink, gray and green, that will be the starting point.
If you want a MCM look, then pink and aqua with chrome accents.

I had this same question this time last year, after moving into a 1960's ranch with a pink bathroom in wonderful shape, but very pink! No funds to renovate, so I experimented with paint colors, wallpaper samples, more paint colors, more wallpapers... and finally ended up with taupe walls and chocolate brown cabinets. Oh yes, contact paper played a role in my temporary redesign, too... I put pics up; hopefully you can see via the link below. Not sure I'm in love with all my decorating, but it's a start.

This site has been a great help for so many rooms in our house!

Here is a link that might be useful: My pink bathroom

michigandrea, that's a very stylish pink bathroom, nice job!

Keep the walls in pale true silver or simple fresh white.

Another vote to paint the vanity in high-gloss black -- add long modern silver handles to it or square silver knobs.

Add a simple white shower curtain on a silver rod. Add black, white and pink towels.

Add lots of clean lined stainless steel, nickel or silver accessories. One example -- add a large glass jar with a silver lid and fill it with plain white Ivory soaps.

Consider possibly adding an artwork like the one in the link given here ....

Here is a link that might be useful: art.com -- possible artwork

We had a good sized reprint of Audubon's flamingo and framed it in a large funky frame. A friend loved it so we gave it to her--it's in her pink bathroom now. Definitely not a frilly look--very classy, upscale. It defuses the rectangular tiles, adds movement and curves.

Great job, Michigandrea! Tell me, how did you do the new surface on the vanity? Is it new laminate? Did you paint the old? I've got a very similar setup and we've had contractors tell us they'd have a hard time getting the little short backsplash out without damaging the wall tiles. I'd love to replace the vanity top, possibly for one in quartz with a built-in sink, but we don't have any plans to tear out the oh-so-50's aqua tiles because they're in great shape.

Moonshadow, thanks! (As an aside I've loved your postings with rooms with different paint colors, done virtually!)

Lovesummer, thanks, too! That is contact paper on the vanity! I have a similar situation -- b/c tiles surround it, we couldn't remove the existing top. I was thinking laminate too but then had a vision of contact paper! The key was getting it in 26" width so I didn't have to seam it. Up close you can tell it's not real, but at first glance it looks great and it's held up well (though this is a guest bath so doesn't get constant use). But for less than $40, I went for it. Next I'd like to add a sink that sits on top to replace the dated silver ring sink.

I thought of painting... equest17's avocado bathroom was inspiration (see link below) but I lack the painting skills! I've been curious about the counter resurfacing products at the big box stores, too.

BTW I have an aqua bath, too... :) Fun, fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: Avocado bath counter

I saw a show where they covered up the pink wall tiles with white beadboard. It looked good. I know it's also possible to have tiles refinished like they do bathtubs.

"Next I'd like to add a sink that sits on top to replace the dated silver ring sink."

No no, leave the sink! (As long as it's in good shape, I mean.) Your bathroom is a period piece anyway with that tile, and the sink fits it perfectly. Actually I just showed your pink bathroom to my husband as an example of a great way of making the most of the pink. I really like it! My mom has a mint green bathroom and she has worked with the green (instead of against it) as well.

Well, thank you, michigandrea, for the nice compliment. :)

I would love a pink bathroom. I would decorate it with pink and brown paisley.

Yep, she needs to experiment with paints in there. I agree, that she should just embrace the pink, maybe go with a hot pink paint? It would really make her tile blend in. Or something different like a dark charcoal gray, and have dark gray towels, etc.

michigandrea, your bathroom looks great!

northcarolina, thanks - makes it less work if I do leave the sink!

beekeeperswife, thank you!

pinkpaisley, I contemplated this wallpaper for my pink bath. Loved it, but wasn't sure I wanted to go that direction, and then kind of ran out of energy thinking about the room!