Your Ideal Blue Bathroom
With life running at a crazy, hectic pace, a bathroom can often be the place of retreat within our homes. Blue tones bring to mind some of the most calming elements of nature such as the crashing blue waves of the sea or the bright blue sky dotted with white cotton clouds. Even looking beyond nature, blue evokes a sense of cleanliness and order. So it’s no wonder that blue is the perfect choice when creating a bathroom with a calming vibe.
The spectrum of blues that you can pick from is wide, making it one of the classic colors in design. Blue is timeless—like the little black dress of interior design. While styles may change, using the color blue in design is not going anywhere. Even with the ebb and flow of shade preferences, it’s a design element you’ll want to keep around, unlike other trends that come and go.
I picked this blue to compliment a recent bathroom remodel I did for a client. I carried the same hue of blue throughout the bathroom, using “ “ by Benjamin Moore on the walls and integrating it into the Ming Green Marble mosaic that exhibits the same tone. I balanced this out with sand tones, using Limestone tiles on the floor and shower walls.
The lighting brings this color scheme to life. The new window, installed as part of the remodel, has opened up the space and allows natural light to flood the space. However, to give the clients the best possible solution, we created a balance of ambient, accent, and task lighting by installing a combination of a crystal chandelier, wall sconces, and recess lighting.
A rich cherry wood for the cabinetry in this bathroom pulled everything together, giving the room a relaxed, comfortable vibe thanks to the combination of cool and warm tones of the blues and browns.
Choose the Right Blue for your Bathroom
There are so many different shades of blue; it can be difficult to decide which one is perfect for your specific project. While baby blue can be a great shade, we don’t necessarily want to be surrounded by it. If lighter shades are your speed, I recommend picking a shade with hints of gray or green. On the other hand, if you want to go with a darker shade of blue, be mindful that dark colors visually make a space appear smaller. However, this can easily be overcome with the right lighting. If you want to use darker blues, one option is to use them as an accent color. Using small pops of dark blue paired with whites and grays results in a cool, contemporary look. If you were hoping for a warmer, cozier feel, then pair your dark blue with warm colors in the sandy beige and tan family.
Avoid Selecting Major Features in Blue – Buy your major features in neutral colors, such as beige, white, and cream. Major features include your sink, shower, toilet, and tub. These are typically the most expensive items in your bathroom. Buying them in neutral colors will allow you to update the theme of your bathroom without dropping a pretty penny.
Make sure to select the right wall colors – If you are going to go with a darker blue make sure to incorporate white. White can be used in tiling and wall features. A perfect way to achieve this is by creating a wainscot wall with either white tiles or wood panels. This look also goes with lighter shades of blue, giving your bathroom a timeless look.
Use Darker Accent Pieces – Torn between keeping your all-white bathroom and blue? You can have both by incorporating blue with accent pieces such as your bathmat and towels. Other items that make great accent pieces in the bathroom include blue baskets, jars, linens, wall décor, and shower curtains. The idea is to add touches or pops of dark, so your senses don’t get overwhelmed.
Apply bright lighting.I have said this many times before lighting is key in any space of your home especially the bathroom. Good lighting can make any space look big and open, but in bathrooms it is essential! If you want your makeup to be on point and your shave to be crisp, you need the best lighting possible in your bathroom. This means having rich lighting scheme. You should have multiple light sources all at different places in the bathroom. For instance, using an edge-lighted mirror in combination with sconces and overhead lighting (especially in a grid formation) will avoid any shadowing. This will also help your space feel both open and bright.
So what’s my favorite shade of blue to use in the bathroom? There are so many choices it’s hard to choose! On the lighter end of the spectrum, my favorite shade of blue is an icy light grayish tone and on the darker, bolder end of the spectrum I favor Navy. But with all the options there are many beautiful blues in between to choose from.
Here are some of my favorite blues from Benjamin Moore
Blue Could Mean Green!
According to Zillow, homes with blue rooms saw a substantial increase in their value. What was the most important blue room? The bathroom! Homes with a blue bathroom saw increased values of “$5,400 more than expected to the sale price.” That’s a lot of green for a little bit of blue.
With so many different shades of blue out there, which one gives you the most bang for your buck? Light blue bathrooms are preferred but any blue will do the trick based on Zillow’s report.
So if you weren’t sold on a blue bathroom, give it some consideration. Just think about how relaxed you will feel as you unwind from a long day surrounded by the calming wall of your new blue bathroom.