The Timeless Appeal of Grey Bathroom Ideas
The modern trend towards statement décor is reflected in grey bathroom ideas. The colour is impacting yet neutral enough to add a customised and timeless look to your bathroom.
Increasingly we think of bathrooms as home Spas, where we can take a break from the stress of daily life. The finishes and fittings can add a Zen quality. That’s where grey bathroom ideas come into play, the sheer versatility and impact of the colour are unique. While colourful accessories and decorative elements can animate the bathroom, grey floor and wall treatments add a sophisticated designer chic. This article explores the potential of grey to transform your bathroom. We include simple, no-nonsense advice on how to get the best from grey bathroom ideas for your home.
Why Grey Bathroom Décor Works
Grey is a calming colour choice for bathrooms, it tends to appeal to a wide range of tastes. However, the grey bathroom is anything but anodyne or boring. Don’t be fooled into thinking that grey is a passing trend either. Grey is forever, it will always evoke a classical aesthetic in bathrooms. Additionally, it is a Goldilocks colour choice, not as clinical as white yet neutral. Not as strident as black, yet sophisticated. So, no matter the style, from traditional to cutting-edge modern, industrial to minimalist, there’s a grey tone to suit.
Grey Tile Options for Bathroom Walls and Floors
Tiles are the optimum choice for finishing bathroom walls and floors, tiles guarantee protection from the damp. And, of course, grey bathroom tiles are stylish and help create an ambience that is relaxed and soothing to the eye.
The natural world is saturated with different shades of grey, so it makes sense to feature organic materials as part of a stylish grey décor. Similarly, grey bathroom accessories in a range of materials complement the neutral grey décor. Nevertheless, we recommend starting with the choice of floor tiles and then layering the wall finishes and accessories.
- Wall & Floor Tiles: Marble, or marble effect tiles come in an attractive range of grey tones. The typical veining pattern creates visual interest, the look is rich and sumptuous. Similarly concrete and stone are naturally grey and bring an authentic organic feel to bathroom floors and walls. Grey bathroom floor tiles also have the practical advantage of being easier to keep clean and maintain.
- Colour contrasts: The beauty of grey tiles for bathrooms lies in the rich colour variations; from light pastel shades to darker, almost black charcoal and anthracite tones. Grey can be cool or warm depending on the treatment. Nevertheless, by combining sympathetic shades, in a layered palette you can add dimension to the bathroom.
- Texture: The subtlety of texture plays out particularly well with grey tiles. That includes the pattern’s texture and a more three-dimensional texture, in light surface relief. The various shades of grey play with our perceptions of light and shade. This is particularly evident with decorative mosaics.
Fiori di Bosco Nature 120×270 cm
Matching Grey with Other Colours and Materials
Grey wall tiles come alive when combined and contrasted with other colours and materials in the bathroom. The clean neutral aspect of grey lends itself to decorative embellishment but can equally work in a minimalist approach. Some pairings are well-established and exploit the properties of grey to great effect. Grey bathroom ideas nowadays include high-end paint finishes, and wallpaper textures as well as assorted accessories.
- White and grey: This classic combo is ideally suited to highlighting white sanitary ware in bathrooms against a grey backdrop. Grey and white bathroom designs suit contemporary fittings with sensual silhouettes that resemble sculptural elements. The choice of grey will depend on the natural light available.
- Metallic accents: The reflective sparkle of chrome or silver or the flat light absorption of matt add dimension to grey. Taps, toilet roll holders, shower stems, shelving brackets, etc., make a striking visual impact.
- Cool vs. warm grey: Combine a half-tiled wall with paint or wallpaper. Choose between a cool or warm grey colour shade. Blue, purple, and green undertones produce cooler greys, while yellow, brown, and red make for warmer tones.
- Timber with grey: As an organic material timber flooring and timber effect flooring look at home against grey. Most timbers if left out in the sun without treatment take on a silver-grey colour, the shade has an intrinsic quality.
- Black and grey: Essentially grey is a lighter version of black so the two always look good together. By layering black and grey finishes and shades you can add dimension to a bathroom, creating more visual interest. The pairing is guaranteed to add an elegant and stylish quality.
Grey Vanity and Fixtures for Cohesive Design
In more recent decades, bathroom interiors have become more daring. Nevertheless, major bathroom fittings and sanitary ware elements need to be dependable. For these reasons, grey toilets, freestanding bathtubs and sinks are gaining popularity. The colour has a timeless quality that endures through the years, put simply, it will never look dated or old-fashioned. Grey bathroom cabinets and vanity units are also trending right now. Just like other expressions of grey these articles of furniture look sophisticated and have a gravitas that contributes to the beauty of a bathroom design.
Lighting Tips for Illuminating the Grey Bathroom
As a neutral colour grey doesn’t jump out at you. It’s more of a subtle presence, there in the background, reassuring. It follows that to really get the most out of grey the lighting, both natural and artificial, is crucial. Any available natural light should be captured, choose your base grey according to the orientation of the space. For example, you’ll need to warm up a north-facing bathroom. Artificial lighting is an important addition to dark grey bathroom ideas that help avoid a flat-deadening ambience. Grey, specifically, lends itself to more experimental artificial lighting schemes. Include several light sources within the bathroom, this helps to bring the space alive at night. Choose a warm light for the bathroom mirror which helps with colour rendering. Add secondary lighting separate from a central light fitting to provide multiple light levels at different times of the day.
Accessories and Décor Ideas for a Grey Bathroom
The Spa vibe can be reinforced with bathroom accessories, soft furnishings and decorative elements. Grey bathroom decorative ideas include storage elements, towels, potted plants and artwork displayed on walls. By keeping to a neutral block colour for towels, for example, the minimal grey bathroom looks coordinated and stylish. A vibrant colour, on the other hand, shows off the grey background through contrast. Similarly, all manner of potted plants enliven the bathroom and look fresh and lush against grey.
Spiga Coral Acero 45×120 cm
Add Grey to your Bathroom
Our advice is to give grey a chance in your bathroom décor. We have proved how versatile and warm it can be. There is also an innate elegance to grey that is unique within the spectrum. But see for yourself at your nearest Porcelanosa showroom, make an appointment or drop us a line with any queries you have regarding this rich and sensuous colour.
