Trending Bathroom Colors for 2016

The Kitchen Master

At the beginning of 2016, designers and style setters predicted a widening of the range of popular colors in home decor, particularly for bathrooms, which have been bastions of white and pale spa-style color schemes for several seasons. If you’ve been looking at design photos online or shopping for bath accessories, you no doubt have picked up on the growing trend toward bold and lively.

And it’s a welcome look, isn’t it?

If a bathroom remodel or a new bath addition is in your future, now is the time to embrace the bold colors that you may have shied away from in the past. On the other hand, if you’re comfortable with a serene and subdued shell, you can add color through new towels, rugs, curtains and accessories, while embracing a neutral shell.

Embrace the Colors of Nature

Because style gurus suggest that “green” will be with us for a long time to come, the best bathrooms feature environmentally conscious materials and rely on natural influences for inspiration. But that doesn’t mean you have to stay with neutrals in terms of color. There are a lot of tones in nature that you can draw from for inspiration.

If subtle and soothing speak your language, incorporate the muted tones of seaglass, the lavender of French fields and the golden and pale green tones of grasses blowing in the breeze. Or take your cue from flowers of all kinds: The soft, dewy peach, pink and cream of roses, or the pinks, purples and creams of showy hydrangeas, for example. Even newly-popular grey runs the gamut from soft and comforting to storm-sky dramatic.

If your mood calls for bold, lean toward bright turquoise or a happy South of the Border spectrum of purple, orange, magenta, yellow and orange. Cover the walls, or simply add accents and vibrant artwork.

Approach a Remodel with Flair

For a family bath, especially one to be used by children, think about incorporating a chevron design in bright colors into a basic white tile tub surround, or add a border of primary color in a shower. You can even express your individuality and make bath time fun for the younger set with bright enamel-finish faucets and showerheads.

Add towels in matching or contrasting colors and bath time will never again be a battle in your household.

There are some pointers to keep in mind, however, before you go crazy with color.

• Paint is easier to change than fixtures or flooring.
• If you’re the least bit hesitant, start by painting one wall; you can always return to paint another, or the entire room.