I used to believe that gray bathrooms were inherently elegant and relaxing. Gray subway tiles paired with gray vanity and gray stone floors = instant spa-fest, right? Wrong.
As it turns out, I was creating what my sister likes to call “dental office chic.” It was NOT the vibe I was going for. It really clicked with me when I remodeled my guest bathroom three years ago. I went monochromatic with crisp whites and Charcoal towels.
When my friend Sarah first saw it, she asked me if I was okay. “It’s so cold in here!” she said, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. She was right.
My bathroom looked and felt more like a morgue than a cozy home.
This bathroom was the perfect learning experience for me. I learned what NOT to do when decorating with gray. And spoiler alert: Gray does photograph well, so that bathroom Instagram had insane amounts of engagement.
Haha! But that doesn’t mean I want to LIVE with that style. I’ll tell you what *does* make a bathroom look and feel gorgeous: all of the stuff I added to brighten it up when I redid it a year later.
Gray is cool. Literally. So when decorating with gray, you have to add elements that will warm up the space.
You can do this with wood tones, colorful textiles, or clever lighting. Adding wood tones is a great way to bring warmth to your gray bathroom. I love real wood accents (please, let’s show some love to the gorgeous natural wood look these days.
None of that plastic laminate that tries to pass as wood…we all see right through it!). In my bathroom, I installed some floating walnut shelves above the toilet. They were about £180 for both shelves and wooden brackets, but it really changed the feel of the room.
The walnut has such warm honey tones that immediately make the gray walls feel inviting. Vanities are another easy way to add wood to your bathroom. If you’re lucky enough to not already have a gray vanity like I did in that sad, sad guest bathroom of yore, you can simply purchase one with a wood countertop.
If you already have a gray vanity, you can easily replace the cabinet doors with wood ones. I went to a salvage yard and found some gorgeous reclaimed teak cabinet doors to replace the boring gray doors on my vanity. It cost me about £120 to redo my cabinet doors, but it really warmed up that cold, gray base cabinet.
But my friends, before we go any further, please know that not all wood tones pair well with gray. Cherry is too muddy. Pine is too cheap.
That orangey maple that was so popular in the ’90s is just downright nasty. Stick with walnut, teak, and white oak for beautiful wood that will complement your gray walls. I know you’re scared of this section.
Don’t be! Everyone thinks you have to pick ONE metal finish and use it throughout your entire room. Psh.
I mix metals all the time, and it works just fine if done thoughtfully. I have brushed brass faucets (they add warmth! ), black cabinet hardware to match the window frames, and chrome towel bars (because I already had them and ain’t nobody got time or money for that). When you work with multiple metals in a small room, follow one rule: pick one to be the star and use the others as accents.
For me, brass is the star. It’s used on the faucet, mirror frame, and light fixture. Then the other metals show up in small doses.
Bam! Perfect metallic formula every time. Another important note about lighting.
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Do NOT use overly cool LED bulbs in your gray bathroom. They will create an unwelcoming and clinical feel. Believe me, I learned this lesson twice before figuring out that gray + warm light = magic.
Make sure your main overhead light is a warm-toned bulb. Look for about 2700K to 3000K on the package. I hung a brass pendant light above my clawfoot tub that I got on sale at West Elm (they’re typically £89) and it instantly warmed up that corner of the room.
The brass light reflects off of the gray walls and creates this gorgeous moody ambiance. But don’t stop there! You’ve got to layer your lighting.
I added some LED strip lights underneath my floating shelves that shine up towards the ceiling. The lights themselves were only about £35 and took me maybe an hour to install. I attached them to the wall with some double-sided mounting tape I got from Amazon.
Bonus: the lights are on dimmers, so I can crank up the energizing morning light or tone down the lights for some relaxing evening bathing. Don’t forget about candles. I know…every interior designer in the world says it.
And they’re not wrong. But throwing a few pillar candles on your floating shelves really does create a warm and inviting space. Okay, let’s chat towels and shower curtains. tbh, this is where you can play around and experiment a little before you commit to anything large.
I went through about SIX different towel colors before deciding on cream and camel. Cream towels help brighten the space, while camel compliments the warm wood tones we’ve already introduced. John Lewis had a great deal on a full set that ended up being about £60.
They’re super durable and getting prettier with every wash. And the shower curtain or glass doors are another great way to add some color and pattern to your bathroom. I replaced my builder-basic clear glass shower doors with frosted glass with bronze detailing along the frame.
It helps warm up the space and adds interest to an otherwise boring shower. Pro tip: frosted glass hides water spots way better than clear glass. Check.
For my window covering, I shied away from stark white or additional gray. Instead, I opted for natural linen curtains in a warm cream color. It helps soften the hard lines of the window and adds texture to an otherwise smooth space.
Oh, and how the linen filters light is AHMAZING. It casts the loveliest soft shadow across the gray walls. Quick pro tip: plants.
Ever. I have a snake plant on my window sill and a trailing pothos on one of my floating shelves. Not only do they bring some much-needed green to all of that gray, but they’re also really hard to kill in crazy bathroom humidity.
My snake plant was only £15 and has been thriving for two years.
One thing I constantly notice when I’m out helping friends decorate their bathrooms is when they choose cool-toned grays. Gray should have warm undertones if you’re trying to keep your bathroom cozy.
Call them greiges instead of grays. I realized this when I lived with cool-toned gray walls for six months before deciding to repaint. Gray.
Lastly, your floor. Gray tile floors can be beautiful, but if you go that route, you have to incorporate wood or other natural textures elsewhere. I have white oak plank tile flooring throughout my entire bathroom.
It’s actually porcelain tile that just looks like wood grain. It warms up the entire space and helps ground everything. If you’re stuck with gray floors, opt for natural fiber rugs.
Jute or bamboo rugs are both beautiful and help warm up cold floors.
