White Bathroom - Forever Young

A white bathroom never goes out of style!

White is considered to be a classic color and is symbolic of cleanliness, purity, peace and calm.

White works well in any space - especially in bathrooms. Coupled with texture and accents, a white colored bathroom is not only visually pleasing, but also offers an enhanced sense of space.

Whether you prefer a white-on-white bathroom, or highlighted with colors against a white bath background, there are many ways by which you can create not only a decadent atmosphere, but also keep it comfortable.

White's The New Black

White is a preferred color for bathrooms across the world. There are many reasons why white accents or pure white bathrooms are so popular. The primary reason is that white represents cleanliness and hygiene. It also denotes purity of the soul.

Furthermore, white color blends well with a wide range of colors and if used cleverly, it creates a refreshingly warm and charming space that makes the time spent on your daily routine a pleasurable experience.

Simply painting the bathroom walls in white won't be enough. To truly create magic with white, use different textures throughout the room and heighten its visual appeal.

If you ask any designer worth his/her salt, they'll tell you that not all whites are the same, especially when it comes to the bathroom.

The spectrum of white color starts with pure white, also known as 'stark white', at one end and makes its way through a wide range of white hues - titanium white, cream, smoky white, satin white, antique white ...and more.

Undoubtedly, the differences between the various hues of white may be difficult to recognize by an inexperienced eye, but if you do a side-by-side comparison, you will quickly notice even the slightest color variation.

Much like most colors, the base is either blue or yellow; which means that you'll either end up choosing a warm white hue (yellow base) or a cool white hue (blue base). And this is key for a successful combination for various whites.

Design Note: If you buy white fixtures (bath tub, toilet, basin, bidet) from different suppliers or manufacturers, make sure that the whites match. Even ceramics from the same manufacturer may have differences in color from one batch to the next.

Coloring Your White Bathroom

There are many ways of using white color in the bath. Some of the best ways are - white bathroom vanity

Pure White: This is one of the most popular bathroom decorating styles since the start of the 20th century.

Even today, homeowners are attracted to the power of an 'all white' bathroom as it represents spotlessness and clarity.

A white on white just looks so clean that it psychologically convinces everyone who uses that bathroom that they are clean and healthy.

Design Tip: If you are opting for a pure white bathroom scheme, we suggest you use a wide palette of hues of white rather than just a single one. Also, if you stay in the same white color family, you can mix different whites without being afraid of messing the result.

For example: you can use a brilliant white bathroom vanity, marble floors with blue/grey veining and glass tiles that have bluish tones.

Accents and white

The idea of using white as an accent in the color scheme of your bathroom has a unique appeal. Conversely, you can also use (almost any) color as accent in a white bathroom. Using pastel shades is an excellent way to "up" the elegant quotient of your pure bathroom.

Colors like pale blue, blue-green, blue-purple etc. work well as they are soothing colors that match well with white. And then of course there is the classic combination of a Black and White Bathroom.

Softer accents like a white area rug, a shower curtain, or white fluffy towels all add to the 'white' appeal in a non-white bathroom.

However, if you have a white bathroom, you can use colored glass tiles that come in many different colors ranging from milky hues to delicious ambers and soothing blue-greens. Sizes available include squares from ¾" to full size plates to make a glass wall.

You can also use warm colors like yellow or yellow-greens. Remember to use a white color with a yellow base, as opposed to blue base. A blue-white may look grey and dreary in your warmly colored bathroom. And shades of whites with yellow base will look dirty in a a bathroom with blue based shades.

Texture in White Bathrooms

The fail-safe way to decorate a completely white bathroom is to apply different textures.

A bathroom has many smooth surfaces, so when textured materials are used in an all-white space, they actually appear as an additional "color" to the eye - adding dimension and visual interest.

For example: to further add depth to a glossy white bathroom vanity, use matt finished stone or stones tiles for the countertop of the sink. This will highlight the area as well as make it a strong focal point in a white bathroom.

Design Tip: Neutral colors combined with organic materials are one of the best ways to give the impression of added depth and solid character to conventional white bathroom accessories.

It's also easy to simply paint a bamboo mat or organic materials white if you want the natural texture, but prefer it all in white.

Important Things to Remember:

If you want a white bathroom, start by choosing a shade of white that you really like.
Look for colors in blue or yellow base that will match that white and work well as accents.
Subtle use of colors in form of soft or hard surfaces is the best ways to accent the bath.
Keeping all surfaces such as walls, floors, fixtures as white and splashing colors with area rugs, curtains, towels, paintings, and furniture not just creates interesting moods, but also gives you the freedom and flexibility to change the accents whenever you feel like it.
Lastly, don't forget to add your personal style signature to the bathroom. From decorative glass panels to family pictures to plants (orchids!), to sculptures - you can use anything that you like to make your white bathroom your very own sanctuary!

To Top of this White Bathroom Page

Return to Bathroom Designs Home Page