subject: Colors For The Bathroom - A Few Ideas [print this page] As modern-day citizens of the 21st century, we lead hectic, busy lives and have increasingly less opportunities for rest and relaxation. This is why our bathrooms - places traditionally associated with cleanliness and not much except that - have slowly turned into a symbol of intimacy and escape at the end of each stressful day.
Rule number one: if you have a small bathroom, it would be best to avoid using dark shades such as dark blue, magenta or deep purples. Cool shades absorb natural light and make any room look cold, depressing and burrow-like. In terms of bathroom paints, simple combinations are often the most successful - for example, light beige with lavender and moss green accents will make you feel like you have just stepped in the middle of a forest meadow.
Let's start with two "don'ts", and then move on to the do's. Don't go for oil-based paints in the bathroom, despite the fact that they are traditionally the most enduring - and bathrooms are, after all, places where humidity is ever-present and normal wear and tear is a lot faster and more pronounced than in the rest of the house.
Go for low-odor or odorless paints that are low in VOCs and dry fast, allowing you to avoid any unpleasant paint stinks. Also, if you have a small bathroom, avoid dark colors: they will absorb natural light, make the room feel smaller and give it a distinctively cold, forlorn air.
A big "do" in the bathroom: color schemes based on sunshine yellow or light blue combined with classic white or light beige. Yellow is generally associated with hope, sunshine and joy - a perfect mixture. Soft yellow paint also reflects natural light, bathing you in a warm glow in the mornings and ensuring a healthy dose of refreshing optimism in the evenings.
Light blue is also a good choice. It will put you in mind of the ocean and help you relax. Aquamarines or light turquoises are a very good option as well - the latter in particular signals sophistication and is recommended for the ladies, as it has a distinctive feminine touch.
Use washable, durable paints in your bathrooms: there will be plenty of humidity and a lot of wear and tear to deal with. Also, employ a low-odor or odorless paint variety that dries rapidly, to avoid lingering, unpleasant paint stinks.
