Bathrooms might not be the place where we entertain guests or sit down to watch a movie, but nevertheless, we do spend a considerable amount of time there! It’s worth having a pleasant, fresh coat of paint on your bathroom walls. So, what’s the best paint for bathrooms?
Choose a Moisture Resistant Bathroom Paint
If your bathroom contains a tub or shower, the walls are bound to get wet! Whether it is from splashing children or the steamy air after a hot shower, your drywall will be assaulted by H2O. In order to prevent mildew, mold, or drywall damage, it is important to have a paint with good water resistance, and preferably with mildew resistance as well.
It used to be that satin finishes and semi-gloss paints were generally the best paint sheens to choose for water resistance. Thanks to advancement in modern formulas, many matte finishes (and even flat finish paints) offer moisture resistance and durability as well.
Some interior paints are also formulated with a mildew-resistant additive that can help keep your walls healthy. We recommend researching your product choices carefully, or asking your painting contractor what they recommend.
Washable Bathroom Paints
Because the bathroom is such a high-use area, especially if you have kids, it is important to have washable walls. As we mentioned above, as long as you use a high-quality paint you can really choose any paint sheen you’d like. You aren’t locked into satin, semi-gloss, or gloss finishes any more. Moisture-resistant and durable, your paint finish can easily withstand a moderate washing with a soft sponge.
Pro Tip:
We heartily recommend having proper ventilation in your bathroom, even if you have the best, most moisture and mildew-resistant paint on the market. Excess moisture can cause a whole host of issues, including mildew growth. This reaches far beyond the type of paint or paint finish you choose, and is more of a long-term consideration.
Choosing a Bathroom Paint Color
Since the interior of a bathroom is not visible from other rooms of the house, it is a bit of a world unto itself. This means you have more freedom to choose a unique color without the risk of throwing off the feel of the home. You can play it safe and go with clean white, or with a neutral like tan, beige, or gray.
Feel like a rich wall color? Try going bold with darker colors like deep blues, browns, vibrant greens, or even glossy black! These choices tend to be best for bathrooms with plenty of natural light, just so that the space doesn’t feel smaller. Artificial light can help too, but not in the same way.
The best way to get inspiration for your bathroom colors is to browse photos online. Look for bathrooms that have a similar style as yours, in terms of the size of the room, lighting, style of the fixtures, and look at what colors are used in those bathrooms.
Choosing a Local House Painter
We have been painting fine homes since 1930 , putting quality into every brush stroke!
