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Property/DIY

making a really dark bathroom even darker..

36 replies

namechangingagainagain · 24/02/2017 18:02

i think i may have sent a bit too much time on pinterest...

Our bathroom is smallish (2.5x3m square) with a lowish ceiling and north facing with a tiny window. We moved into our house 10 years ago and this is the last room for me to do. It currently is cream with a fetching grey coloured suite.

Would I be completely crazy to paint it really dark ( either black or navy)with a white suite. I am hopefully adding a picture but there are a few like this on pinterest. I'm going for womb like and a nice cozy place to soak in the tub rather than the adams family. For context we have a second bath/showerroom for the children so this would be for grown ups only.
I'm pretty sure DH will veto but wondered what you thought

making a really dark bathroom even darker..
OP posts:
carabos · 24/02/2017 18:05

Go for it. What's the worst that can happen? You hate it and decide to repaint it white.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 24/02/2017 18:07

I can't think of anything worse. It would be so dismal during the day.
I had my quite large bedroom black when I was a teenager and even with bright lights and big windows it still looked depressing.

OneWithTheForce · 24/02/2017 18:11

I would love to do my bathroom navy but it's a rented house (all magnolia!)

ChishandFips33 · 24/02/2017 19:19

We have a bathroom similar sized to yours, North facing and tiny, low level window so we pretty much always need a light on!

It was white when we moved in but felt and looked stark and cold...and still needed a light on!

When we revamped I wanted a dark and cosy feel to it and given we always needed a light on anyway I couldn't see any negatives

Anyway...we have dark grey shower walking and dark grey ceiling above the shower leading to the door - a natural wooden beam separates this from the main ceiling

Dark grey walls waist height and above, dark grey bath panel, walnut flooring and dark grey sink unit

Above is a neutral calico purely because our walls/ceilings (sloped) don't have a straight join so anything on the wall needs to go up over the ceiling

I love it - it feels much cosier and welcoming so I say go for it! It's only paint!

ChishandFips33 · 24/02/2017 19:20

Dark grey walls waist height and below not above!

namechangingagainagain · 24/02/2017 21:31

Mixed reactions ......interesting!

Although dh unconvinced about the black he did like some of the pins with very dark blue :)

So I'm off to but some paint testers tomorrow. Im thing maybe stiffkey blue f and b but the little greene pint people do a nice navy too.Very exciting. I will post pictures when (if ) we finish

OP posts:
KatrinaSunRay · 24/02/2017 21:37

Friends recently painted their downstairs cloakroom charcoal, no natural light; it looks superb.

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 24/02/2017 22:00

I love it. In fact I think I'm off for a look at Pinterest as well. I think there are some rooms in the house you can do things like that with. In a bedroom or living room it might be a bit depressing but it's different in a bathroom.

JoJoSM2 · 25/02/2017 00:12

I was thinking about the same today ;) Although I do think that actual black would look awful - it's need to be slightly navy or green or something.

Qwebec · 25/02/2017 00:50

Dark bathrooms can be stunning. I saw two and they blew my mind away.

Qwebec · 25/02/2017 00:53

forgot to add both were tiled in dark brown

sallylondon · 25/02/2017 07:34

I suspect it won't be something that you can know if you will like it or not til it's done. But as pp says, you can always paint over it (it may take about 17 coats to do so Grin). I have read that with a dark room lacking in natural light, it will still look dingy if you paint it neutral as there's no light to bounce off your pale walls - and that sometimes it's better to embrace the darkness. Only thing I wonder is if it might create an odd, unreal light if you ever put makeup on in there?

PolterGoose · 25/02/2017 07:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

beargrass · 25/02/2017 07:51

Hmmm, I do quite like it! Possibly suits an older house better, one with character. Alternatively, you could paint the ceiling a dark colour? I've seen this done in a bathroom before. Looked really good

Chipsandonionrings · 25/02/2017 07:58

I think you can't fight the darkness so embrace it with something dramatic. I think it sounds great.

Our family room is always very dark with limited light and we painted one wall a deep deep teal. The used some bright furniture and did a white framed picture wall and it looks stunning. When it was magnolia it still looked dark now it looks intentionally so- the other walls are bright white for contrast.

I think a bathroom where you don't spend all your time is the place to throw caution to the wind! We are going for a Victorian themed library/ gentleman's club theme in our downstairs 1970s disaster of a loo.

savagehk · 25/02/2017 07:59

In a rental flat we had a bathroom that was painted dark brown, but with two large mirrors (one full length above bath, one opposite above the sink). The suite was white and the floor very light and it looked very good. There was also a white door and another internal white door (hot water cupboard). So it can work, but i think you might need a bit more lightening up with mirrors or bits of light colour.

GrubbyWindows · 25/02/2017 07:59

Oooh do it! I'm a firm believer that dark, north facing rooms can't take white, its gloomy. So either dark colours or proper brights.
If I were you I'd paint it really dark before changing the suite- it might work great with the grey you have, and at least it would be proof of concept while it's still a "bad" room.
You will need 3-4 coats though. About two coats in it will look as if you have done enough but it's just a shit colour. Carry on and it will look great.

Silverdream · 25/02/2017 08:02

Go for it. It's only paint. It looks gorgeous.

Cosmicglitterpug · 25/02/2017 08:04

I want to do this with our tiny, windowless downstairs cloakroom. I think it looks amazing.

BlisseyMon · 25/02/2017 08:04

How is the lighting?

londonfeather · 25/02/2017 08:07

Dark can really work.
Take a look at Abigail Ahern's blog - she has loads of posts about going dark and how to make it work. She also has lots of lovely dark paint colours and great dark inspirational posts.

Good luck!

Toska · 25/02/2017 08:08

I think it looks amazing. I'm currently trying to convince DH to let me paint our bathroom near black too!

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ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 25/02/2017 08:14

We had a tiny windowless bathroom in our last house. Tiled it with very dark (almost black) grey slate tiles and painted the walls with f&b downpipe. Bamboo flooring and white ceiling. Only thing I regret is doing it a few months before we sold, so the other fuckers got to enjoy it!
If I did it again and was going to be living with it long term I'd make more effort with fancy mirrors and pictures etc, but it was still lovely as it was.

Bluntness100 · 25/02/2017 08:14

I painted the loo downstairs a sort of mid/ dark grey and it looks lovely, no windows in there. However fhe upstairs bathroom I painted a darker blue and I thenrepainted it a pale biscuit, for the reason that it was very dark and depressing and actually quite difficult to get ready in, I tend to do my makeup in there. It just wasn't practical really.

smilingsarahb · 25/02/2017 08:23

My brother in law likes dark luxury bathrooms. They end up very spa like. You need good lighting over a mirror for men shaving, eyebrow plucking etc but they feel very relaxed. He has done a large charcoal natural stone (with a hint of deep brown) and painted the walls a really dark red. Then the mirror was large with a brown and charcoal mosaic. Suite was white. It sounds horrible...It felt really boutique hotel. He also done a smaller slate tile and has black and grey walls but they are a textured wallpaper (stupid expensive but only needed one role) he has soft lighting in that one, and ledges for candkes. He always puts a nice bit of art up too.

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