Our main bath needs to be totally gutted, but we may be moving or adding an addition in about 2 years. Meanwhile, I just can't stand the bathroom anymore, so we are going to repaint it, put in a new vanity and mirror and tile the floor. The wall tiles in there are spackled cream (cream with white). We will not be replacing these as they cover the whole tub/shower and the bottom half of the rest of the walls. Too much work considering the chances that the bath will just be torn apart in a few years when we do a build.
I would like suggestions for what color to paint the remaining portions of the walls. Also, suggestions for tile color for the floor. I'm thinking I'd like slate floors, but I'm not sure about how well that would go with the cream tile. Maybe do blue walls then? or a green tint or something? I really just can't see this bathroom. Our other bathroom was easy. I just saw immediately what to do. I know what I'd do with this bathroom if I was gutting it, but I can't replace all these silly cream tiles. And I HATE them!
I currently have a white shower curtain in there with gray scale flowers on it. Whatever vanity we get will most likely be dark wood, with a dark granite top. We also want an open bottom. Hubby and I are modern in our approach to decor. Most of our rooms are shades of white, with the occasional bright room (basement bathroom is bright sun yellow with a sand texture).
Look at the Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware catalogs for ideas. The bathrooms they show are modern and always have great paint colors. Both stores sell their paint and if you didn't want to buy it from them you could take a chip to Loews for a color match.
Try a taupe color. Taupe is a versatile, neutral color, but it's not a boring as typical beige. It's a cross between brown, cream, and grey. My bath colors are cream, brown, white, and grey. My ceramic tiles are cream color with grey marbling. My walls are a medium shade taupe. It's beautiful. I get lots of compliments. Get a couple of swatches and tape them on your walls, that way you can tell if it's the color for you.
Cream goes with anything except white/beige/etc.
For a light/airy/classic feel go with a cool pastel (Tiffany blue, lavender, light grey, bottle glass green)
For an earthy/solid feel go deep (slate green, dark grey, grey blue, cocos browb, dark red, plum)
For a vibrant feel go 'pop!' (Peacock, red red, chocolate brown, wallpaper in gold &/or silver)
For a rustic or desert feel go warm (mustard or mauve)
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Flooring depends on paint, or vice versa
Tiny tile is classic (think 1900-1940) and goes with anything EXCEPT earthy (but does go with red)
Black and white tile ditto (but I wouldn't pair with red)
Slate is earthy, and pairs with airy or earthy (there's a metallic blue slate that goes GORGEOUSLY with cool pastel/earthy/or vibrant colors. Peacock blue & Tiffany blue, especially.) I'd go with small and large tiles in pattern.
River rock is texturally interesting, but hard on bare feet.
Wood pairs with anything, but match tones carefully. Teak or bamboo is best for bathrooms.
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Strong 2nd for looking at bathrooms in pottery barn, restoration hardware, bathroom edition of This Old House, etc. several paint companies let you take picks of a room, upload, and try out different paint colors.
My first thought was a nice rich chocolate brown? It will go with the cream and all the other wood and floor ideas you have mentioned....plus you can literally use every/any color you wish as an accent color.
All of us who love design (& are working with a moderate budget) know that the coolest way to go is to get a strong base/foundation color pallet that allows you to switch up the 'accent' color, whenever you wish, and you are set! Swapping out accent colors and pieces is the easiest way to transform and reinvent a space.
You're focusing on a lot of earth elements -- slate, granite, wood -- I would stick to earth tone colors. We have those elements in our kitchen with light tan walls and cream ceiling.
I'm in the same boat. We moved into a house and it has fruit wallpaper on the bathroom walls. The sink is like that bowling ball material that is swirled with yellow and brown. It is so early eighties. I haven't done anything with it because the budget is tight and really it needs gutted. I'm excited to see what other's suggest and I wish I had some ideas for you. I would take your cream tile any day!!!! I'm just ignoring this bathroom for now.
I like bright colors in the bathroom: orange, bright green, reds...something that creates a contrast with the kinda boring cream.
Most large home improvement stores sell paint samples for a few dollars... I would go and grab some and just paint them on the walls and see if you like it!
Good luck!
We painted a bathroom once in copper penny or terra cotta pot and it was my favorite bathroom ever. There was a grey ceramic tile on the floor and the colors blended beautifully. The effect was rich and warm, just lovely. I feel it would blend well with your existing cream tiles as well.
slate would rock against the cream tile. Bridge the gap between the two colors by using more earth tones in your decor. Use bronze hardware & accents. & use a variety of grays/browns/greens in your toweling. A few pieces of artwork framed in wood to match the vanity.....& try a soft cafe au' lait color on the walls. A soft grey would also work.
Try to avoid the cooler blues/greens on the walls. Go earthy instead. :)
I am pretty out there with decorating but I am feeling like you need to go with the flow instead of against it. Paint your walls the same base color as the tile. Then either hand paint big graphic white flowers that are in the shower curtain or choose those wall vinyl stickers in a bold graphic.
Good luck!
