Small Spaces: Dark vs. Light

Common thought is that a small space should be painted a light color so as to make it feel bigger. Is this fact or fiction? Well, it depends on the circumstance. As designers, we love a bold and dramatic space, even in a bathroom. As a matter of fact, we often think "especially in a bathroom!" because it's not a space one spends a huge amount of time in, we can afford to go bold.

Of course, dark can be dramatic and sexy.

Masculine and the perfect background for displaying art. (via Remodeling Consultants of Chicago)

Sparkly.

Or even as just a balance to a big bright window.

On the other end of the spectrum, light bathrooms have their own unique qualities:

Light, bright and modern cottage. via Style at Home.

Clean, bright and beachy.

Modern rustic. Via Better Homes and Gardens.

 

Light can be soothing and traditional. (design by Patricia Fisher, featured in Traditional Home)

(All above pic pinned to my Pinterest bathrooms board. I could not find original sources for several, but if they are yours or you know whose they are, please let me know and I'll attribute!)

So, when I first saw the photo online of the bathroom in the new house I am renting, I was kind of interested in the dark paint in the bathroom. Hey, for a rental, it showed some flair. I thought the color a little too cobalt blue for my taste, however.

When I first saw it in person, I found that the color was really more of a peacock blue, which I prefer over cobalt. (I'm a green person, not a blue person.) I initially decided to keep the color - it was bold and very different for me, which  I thought would be fun. Plus, bathrooms are a PIA to paint. However, it also made the space feel very small and when I came back to sign the lease and take a better look around, I realized the walls were in rough condition with lots of streaks.

So, decision made, I decided to paint it. Pink (Ben Moore Pink Hibiscus).

And it makes it feel so. much. bigger. A friend who came with me the first time I looked at it has since said he thought the bathroom was teeny tiny, but realized it's not so bad. I think it's that the lower corners aren't cloaked in shadow anymore. My color palette throughout is pink, beige and green, with touches of black, so this fits in well. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the window yet - maybe a grass shade hung above for texture. There aren't privacy issues (unless someone wants to get a ladder) and the window lets in lots of light, which is nice. Or, I'll just take of the existing hardware and be done with it.  If I owned I'd definitely replace the light fixture for something more upscale - and maybe I still will at some point. I was going to have my painter relocate the toilet roll holder, but there's not really a better spot. The shower is on the other side of the toilet and there is no available wall space there. Still to come - window treatment (possibly) and a shower curtain. Maybe some more art.

So, do you have a preference? Dark or light bathrooms?