Paint recommendation for bathroom to complement tile

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Renovating newbie here so I ordered my shower tile online - and didn’t really see how they would jive in person until they were installed. whoops. Now I can see that the white subway tile is very white, while the marble-like quartz curb and porcelain floor is definitely off-white, and the contrast is quite stark in person.

at this point, I’m leaving as is but now I‘m trying to find the right paint color that will complement the tile and tie the room together. Originally I was going to go with SW Pure White but don‘t want to layer a third white in the mix so am thinking of a gray that will complement the floor/quartz instead. the bathroom gets some natural light through a full-lite door, but also has recessed lighting and vanity lights. Planning for a teak vanity

Photo attached of the tiles. sorry for the bad lighting!

Any recommendations for a good paint color for the walls - especially a light gray? thanks so much!

Featured Answer

K R

4 years ago

I think it looks nice too, I have very similar tile and I used Benjamin Moore gray owl.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

AJCN
4 years ago
I think it looks nice. I like the contrast between the white and the marble-look. Is it grouted yet? I can't tell from the photo.

For paint, it depends on what else is going on in the bathroom such as the vanity color and vanity countertop material, the metal color on hardware, natural light, and your lighting fixtures, etc. And if your lighting is not installed yet (with the lightbulbs you are going to use, such as LEDs), then you can't test paint samples.

Post a picture of the other finishes in the room. Then get your lighting installed so that you can test samples. It's impossible to judge the colors without your lighting in.
Related Discussions
what color paint would complement black an taupe tile in a bathroom?
Q
Comments (1)
so sort of beige or greige would do nicely.
...See More
Flooring to complement Sereno Bianco bathroom countertops?
Q
Comments (2)
Dahl Tile's RevoTile Marble Look RV50 Carrara White might work.
...See More
Updating paint color with early "Tuscan" bathroom tile
Q
Comments (10)
It’s definitely all in the eye of the beholder 😊 - everyone has different opinions. I don’t use any particular brand. I do like Cree a lot, and many people like Feit. They both tend to have a CRI (Color Rendering Index) of 90 or higher. CRI is a measure of how accurately the light will make the colors in your home appear. Whereas Kelvin is the color of the light emitted by the bulb. Ideally you want the Kelvin you prefer, with a CRI of 90 if you can find it, or 80 if you can’t. No lower than 80. Most brands will be 80. Not all manufacturers list their CRI in their specifications though. With regard to the kelvin of recessed lights - you can buy recessed bulbs now that have adjustable kelvin, so you can experiment with different levels and see what you like. The ones I’ve seen have an option of 3000, 4000, or 5000k.
...See More
Bathroom wall paint - BM white with Cloe tile
Q
Comments (18)
@Jenn Powers - looks great! what brand/color grout did you use? @Marina Galassi- what color/brand grout did you use? I almost had my bathroom painted before my tile was installed - im really glad that the painters had a scheduling change. Initially, I wasn’t using Cloe White in the tub surround - and the paint color I selected would not have looked nice! I am very confused about what paint color to select now.
...See More
Vee
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks! I’ll take a look at BM Gray Owl but love how your bathroom looks, K R!

and AJCN - hear your on the lighting and fixtures. The grout isn’t in yet on the photos - I chose platinum grout to pull through more gray into the white subway. It’s tough because they’re trying to get the bathroom painted before everything is in (including the vanity). But I’m using this teak vanity (and a similar mirror/light setup), so will need something that can complement warm wood colors. Appreciate the advice!
thinkdesignlive
4 years ago
There are a lot of different ways you could go with this paint color. What is outside this room (other paint/decor,etc?)
AJCN
4 years ago
My vanity is white, but I do have a stained clear alder linen cabinet, grey tile, charcoal shower floor, and I used SW Crushed Ice. It's in their whites collection. It's super light gray. I looked on HOUZZ and looks like most of the bathrooms with light stained wood vanities are using white paint, but that doesn't mean you have to. If you want a color you could do that too. What's your favorite color and what wall colors do you have in nearby rooms?
PRO
Kitchen Creative
4 years ago
white, gray and teak wood are a timeless classic - definitely go with a grey - I like Benjamin Moore historical colours best. Don't be afraid to go with a darker tone for contrast and drama as long as there is lots of good clean lighting. White trim. Take your tile samples to the paint store and use their colour correct lighting to select paint swatches then take them home. You can also order a "sample" can of paint - then paint a patch about 12 x 18" on each wall to see how the light reacts to the colour. Maybe try 2 or 3 tones. You'll know which one to go with for sure!
Vee
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for the help here! Right now, was planning on SW Repose Gray for the master bedroom, but open to updating. There will be a walk through closet that leads to the bathroom so I'm fine if the closet & bathroom are a different paint color. The tile for the rest of the bathroom floor will be this Happy Floors Kursaal slate-looking tile, and the teak vanity will be right outside of the walk-in shower.

I'm likely leaning towards light gray or blue for the bathroom - potentially continuing SW Repose Gray, BM Gray Owl (recommended above), BM Solitude, BM Mineral Ice. Alternatively, I could embrace the bright white and going with SW HIgh Reflective White... but I just feel like throwing another shade white in the mix could be tough to navigate. Appreciate folks helping me think through this...
Vee
Original Author
4 years ago
Kitchens by Lynn - Great idea to paint match against the tile! and appreciate the confirmation that going with gray is the right move. Now to see which gray ends up being the right match!