Why do you want an off-white? Why don't you use a *color* on the top part of the wall (I think that's what you're asking about)? Something you love, picked out of a piece of artwork or towels or something in the bath?

I'm afraid picking something "close" will just make it look like you ran out of paint and did the rest from a different can.

Well, I love color - and I have it throughout my house. I toyed with the idea of a brilliant red, or a calming green. However, the space is so tight and has no natural light, that I'm afraid it will feel really dark.

Plus I want the attention to be on the crema marfil, not the walls.

Actually, for a while (and I still want to) I really thought of using wall paper. But, it isn't budget friendly enough for us right now.

So I'm trying to keep my Nav. White looking white (even though it is an off-white) and just find something really calming and more creamy on the top.

I agree that there needs to be enough of a contrast that it doesn't look like something is really wrong with my paint! LOL!

Thanks for your thoughts though. I appreciate the advice.

Is there a darker color (tan) you can pick out of the vanity top? What's the floor?

When I was looking for tile for the backsplash in my Navajo kitchen, and then decided countertops were too messed up for tiled backsplash, I started looking for the paint colors matching the tiles I loved. I still haven't faux-painted the backsplash, but the color cards I was looking at included Blond Wood , Squire Hill Buff(on the same card number 130)Fairway Oaks, Alpaca (card number 131),and Stone House (card number 135). One of these might pick up on your vanity top without looking like a "miss".

Thank you for these colors! I have a scary collection of way too many paint chips in a large tote because apparently I have color issues. So I bet I can find each one of these to look at today!

The floors are natural white oak. The tan in the crema marfil I could try to match, but it is at the fabricators. I think that would be a brilliant idea actually and would definitely make me more confidant about my color choice. I'm just trying get the bathroom painted before the counter goes in. Maybe impossible I realize....because I just might need the vanity top here to really coordinate. ugh.

Thanks again!

Maybe you can get a piece from the fabricator if he's cutting out for a sink? It might not be much ahead of installation, but if you can find a color all you need is a day to paint. Though you might have to repaint after they install (or at least touch up).

However, the space is so tight and has no natural light, that I'm afraid it will feel really dark.

Painting dark spaces in pale colors just makes the place look shadowy and the paint dirty ... you will always be turning on the light in there, so go ahead and use a rich, intense color that shows up well in artificial light.

Here is a link that might be useful: Why light colors don't work in dark rooms

lazygardens, I LOVE Maria's website and enjoy reading her posts. However, to me, this sounds like a recommendation to paint my windowless walk-in closet black, but I think we both know that isn't a good idea. I guess "black" isn't technically a color. I'm very curious: how do you best implement this advice?

Ok, this is confusing. Well what do I do if I'm not "feeling" a color in this room? For some reason I'm not into a 'red', 'green', or 'blue' bathroom for this room. Upstairs I have a blue bathroom, yellow bedroom, green bedroom, etc. I love color, just not feeling it for this space.

I suppose I could try to find the perfect deep brown. This would be tricky with my cabinetry, but I'm sure not impossible. I do have lots of light in terms of light fixtures, just not natural light.

The other thing to consider is that the bathroom really is small. 3' wide by 7.5" long. You walk in the toilet is to your left, sink to your right - both facing each other. So not a spacious, play with color or decorations type of space.

Does this impact the rule of dark colors in a dark space? What about small spaces?

A couple thoughts...

First, the fact that two colors in the Ben Moore Off White collection reside next to each other on the fandeck does not mean they have any relationship, real or implied. The same is true for the Historical Collection, Ready Mix, America's Colors, etc.

While it can be interesting to paint a small room a dark color, if you're not feeling it as you say, then you're just not feeling it. That's fine. It doesn't matter that I just painted my nearly-identical space a very dark blue or what Maria says or anything else. There are no rules!

I do think you are making a mistake trying to paint before the crema marfil arrives. Especially because you want it to be the focal point of the room. Just hang tight. Bathrooms, especially small ones, are a PITA to paint. Having the vanity in place won't make it that much more difficult than it already is. Just wait and do the marble the justice it deserves by picking a paint color based on what you see and feel when the top is installed.

A color like Stone House could be the perfect color, but you won't know til the marble is there, in your space, under your lighting, etc.

Kiko - The best windowless powder room I've seen in a while was painted deep glossy Chinese red, with matte black cabinetry and a Chinese flowered sink. Whilst sitting there, on the glossy black throne, I realized it matched absolutely no other room in the house - it was splendidly eccentric.

Walk-in closets usually have good lighting, and you need to show off the clothes, but I've seen them with dark wood paneling.

repaintingagain, I had a teeny tiny powder room that was about 5'x4', and that's with the toilet/vanity included~~there was barely enough room to turn around. I said 'what the hey' and painted it a deep red. I never had one comment about it being small, only how pretty or cool it was. I wanted an English cottage sort of look, so covered the walls literally from floor to ceiling with pictures, mirrors, plates, small shelves w/plants, candle sconce, and added a deep red velvet valance over the wall mounted mirror and a side panel pulled back with a tassel. When I decided to sell, the realtor said to leave it as is cause it made a statement~it sure did! The color I used was Balmoral Red by Ralph Lauren, but any deep red is sure to do the trick. ;o)

Amysrq - thanks for the help with how the paint chips work and the advice about waiting for the marble. I knew about some of the other collections not be coordinating, but I wasn't sure about the OC colors in BM. Just goes to show you how bad I am at coordinating creams.

patty cakes - your bathroom sounds so beautiful. I'm just terrible at accessorizing, so I'm sure I wouldn't be able to pull something off that nice. But when I'm in incredibly interesting spaces, I love them. I just can never seem to achieve it!

Well, I really wanted wall paper in my bathroom. I'm bad at accessorizing, and thought wall paper would help with my "statement." Now with all of these thoughts, besides just waiting for the marble to arrive....I have a new idea.

And please tell me if I'm crazy. I am thinking about stenciling a wall-paper look in the bathroom. I'm great at painting (really just finished my entire house ceiling, trims, doors and walls, minus this bathroom). But I've never stenciled and I'm guessing it uses a completely different skill.

Anyone have experience? And what do you think of this type of wallpaper stencil for a small bathroom? Too busy? would it distract from the marble?

Of course using a stencil would mean I would have to then pick the front and back color. oh dear.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wallpaper stencils

You really only have to pick 1 color - either the stencil or the background could be Navajo White!

Okay, that is what I was thinking, as I was staring into the space. I think if I did a wallpaper stencil, I would be very happy with a green or red for the design. I could bring in color, but it would feel more like an accent, I think.

I might shoot myself for deciding this though. I'm about to enter my second trimester. So at least I'll be feeling energetic again. But I have a feeling I will be stenciling my entire second trimester if I decide to do this!! And will have to find a low VOC stencil paint.