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A perennial favourite, blue is synonymous with water so it’s a natural choice to use in the bathroom. With so many different shades to choose from, there’s a blue bathroom idea to suit all tastes. Whether it’s a dark cocooning feel, or something light and ethereal, there are lots of ways you can embrace a blue bathroom colour scheme, either using it as a whole room colour or as an accent.
Blue Bathroom Ideas
Finding the right blue really depends on personal choice and how the room is used. Is the bathroom your sanctuary at the end of the day? Somewhere for you to relax where a rich, deep colour would be welcoming? Or does it have to be functional for the whole family – somewhere practical that can take the rigours of the daily family routine?
Blue is a colour that people see differently, one person’s blue is another’s green and vice versa, and it depends on which colour is blended with it, whether it’s lilac for a warm tone, or black for a deep midnight shade, and each shade creates a different mood, so decide on the ambience you want to create then pick a shade that speaks to you and you won’t tire of.
If you have a large room, a stand-alone bath could take centre stage and could be painted blue as a focal point, or in a small shower room, lighter shades might be better, although dark blues do work well in small spaces. Need some help? Then we’ve got 10 great ideas for inspiration
1. Surround yourself in colour
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
Voluptuous, mystical and alluring, deep, royal blue is a fantastic way to create a timeless feel in your bathroom and in a large room like this with good natural light, the way the light plays in the room at different times of the day creates different shades and tones offering an ever-moving palette.
‘Blue is the richest of colours and historically the most expensive to produce’ says Ruth Mottershead of luxury paint brand, Little Greene. ‘it’s a myth that blue is cold or masculine, it can bring a hypnotic allure and luxurious finish to a bathroom and is a colour so intrinsically linked to nature that it’s appeal is timeless.’
Team with a marble bath and basin for a classic but contemporary look and use brass fittings and a brass wash stand with integral towel rail to warm up the scheme and add a touch of luxury.
2. Zone your space
Image credit: Wallandfloors.co.uk
If you have a room like this where the bath is behind a wall and partly obscured, create a focal point of colour with a subtle blend of ocean blue tiles with a deep rich glaze. The natural variations in colour and the rippled effect are reminiscent of the sea, offering a calming feel whilst laying in the bath.
Other materials and textures complement it, such as the herringbone wood-effect tiles on the facing wall, which offer subtle texture, and the classic floor tiles in grey and white which add lightness and prevent the room from feeling too dark.
Buy now: Vernice Abyssal blue tiles, £36.95 m2, Walls and Floors
3. Welcome blue with wallpaper
Image credit: Woodchip & Magnolia
People worry about bathroom wallpaper ideas because of peeling, but if there is plenty of ventilation and the room is quite large, there is no reason it can’t be used, just keep it away from the wet areas, such as the shower and make sure there is a barrier behind the sink as there is here.
Wallpaper will add instant colour and pattern, and it’s the perfect contrast to the classic white Metro tiles and black and white tiled floor, adding a touch of indulgence and changing the look of the room entirely. A bold, overall design in a green-tinged blue works well and brings nature in too.
Buy now: Mirk wallpaper in Mallard, £85 a roll, Woodchip & Magnolia
4. Introduce a window treatment
Image credit: California Shutters; Blue and white shutters, POA
In a white coastal-style bathroom ring the changes and introduce deep marine blue with custom-made shutters. The shutter frames make an impact at the window and add depth, and means other blue elements can be added too – such as a rug and deep blue, soft towels. You could add more colour by painting the floor blue too.
5. Opt for a coloured vanity unit
Image credit: Future PLC
Introduce blue with wall panelling up to dado height, and paint a vanity unit the same colour, then add a blue and white patterned floor for contrast. A pink painted bath adds a soft touch and bring the outside in with a palm and a jungle print blind.
6. Make the floor the focus in blue
Image credit: Future PLC
Install a new floor to really add zing to a plain bathroom. Geometrics are here to stay and this aqua blue, ochre, pink and white geometric design really stands out, and gives the room an almost Greek feel.
A slender metal unit to hold the washbasin doesn’t take up too much room and because you can see through it, doesn’t block the light. Painting the bath and wall mirror to match enhances the colour scheme. Plain white tiles keep it from looking too ‘busy’.
7. Create a blended scheme
Image credit: Polly Eltes
An easy way to add blue to a bathroom is simply by painting the walls. But rather than painting the whole wall, why not just paint the bottom half up to dado height and finish with a shelf for extra storage.
This smoky blue shade – Stone Blue from Farrow & Ball is similar – adds depth and teams perfectly with the old wood. A unique shelf has been made across the corner to hold toiletries
8. Paint the bath blue
To ring the changes in an existing bathroom, why not paint the bath in your favourite shade of blue. It’s an inexpensive hack and means you could use the colour as a base to add new accessories without breaking the bank.
9. Create a focal point
Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes
For a clever visual trick, paint the bathroom walls blue and add a large mirror above the basins. The blue walls and glass pendant lights will be reflected in the mirror to make the room look bigger than it really is, creating a wonderful optical illusion. Natural wood is a good contrast to blue, so create a shelf to sit the basins on, with another underneath for storage.
10. Use contrasting tiles
Image credit: Tile Giant
Make a feature of a recessed basin area by using contrasting tiles. Crackle-finish teal Metro tiles are bookended on either side with Moroccan-style designs in a random pattern and a variety of blues for a fresh feel. Grout the Metro tiles in white to really make them stand out, and choose a bevelled edge rather than a flat edge for added interest.
What colours go with blue tiles in a bathroom?
‘Bathrooms are becoming somewhere where people are less afraid to make a unique statement, somewhere that feels personal and tailored to their own tastes and requirements.’ Says Amanda Telford, Marketing Manager of CTD Tiles. ‘With an increased focus on the ‘improve don’t move’ effort, it’s safe to say that it’s an exciting time to be look at bathroom design and trends.’
‘Blue tiles are also having their moment again and work beautifully as a focal point splash back in smaller bathing spaces. Being a flexible and diverse hue, it works beautifully with all different colourways and particularly well with whites, greys and greens, for a fresh and earthy appearance.’
What colours go with a blue bathroom?
‘We all love blue bathrooms – they just work. Bringing in other colours to the scheme can introduce a surprising pop of brightness or even soften the look’ explains Patrick O’Donnell, Farrow & Ball brand ambassador. ’A cooler blue such as Parma Gray can be enlivened with a dollop of red, for example, on a vanity unit in Incarnadine Modern Eggshell – a quick and joyful addition.’
‘Warmer blues with a dose of green, such as Oval Room Blue, will benefit from a more nuanced white on the ceiling such as School House White or the cleaner James White. Dark and dramatic blues like Inchyra Blue will play beautifully with a bright contrast like Arsenic – a perfect introduction to the underside of a bath or tongue & groove panelling.’
‘Soft aqua tinged blues such as Pale Powder will work a treat with stronger tonal colours on all your woodwork, including the window frames.’
