A gray bathroom is a popular solution. This color scheme is suitable for decorating rooms of any size. The smoky shade has its own characteristics and differences. It is important to take them into account when organizing a bath room in a house or apartment.
Bathroom design with gray long tiles Source yellowhome.ru
Brickwork using hog tiles in a bathroom with a window Source nashaotdelka.ru
Wallpaper with photo printing in a gray bathroom Source design-homes.ru
Gray tones in a loft style bathroom Source design-homes.ru
Palette
Many people are afraid of gray, thinking that it is boring, cold, aloof.
In fact, gray is multifaceted, has many shades, and it is easy to create an interesting and balanced design project with it. The richest of the palette are graphite, anthracite and wet asphalt. They are suitable for placing accents. For example, make the floor or one wall dark. This technique will help to properly distribute shadow and light in the room, making it cozy and organic.
Dark shades are more often used in large rooms, since they will make a small area visually even smaller.
A light palette is suitable for any area - steel, dusty gray, silver, mouse, lead. Designers advise paying attention to dove-gray, gray-green, blue-gray, purple-gray.
But even with such versatility, gray requires thoughtfulness and care. This is primarily due to the perception of gray color, which is influenced by the level of illumination (artificial or natural light). The second important point is the choice of furniture and accessories for a certain tone. Therefore, when choosing a color, you need to consider several options for different combinations, play with combinations, and do not be afraid to use more than two shades in the interior.
Combination with other colors
Neutral gray goes well with almost the entire color wheel. However, there are limitations imposed by the balance of warm and cold.
Gray-beige bathroom
One of the most controversial combinations, requiring a very competent approach. At the same time, the inclusion of beige very well neutralizes the cold visual atmosphere, undesirable for this room. You can balance shades of different “temperatures” by using their same saturation. Ideally, in a black and white photograph, the warm and cool colors will look the same. Wood works great as a balancing element. The use of wooden structures or elements imitating wood will make such an interior complete and harmonious.
Another easy-on-the-eye combination is asphalt-colored tiles as a backdrop for light sand furniture and trim.
A gray-beige interior requires careful attention to white. Plumbing fixtures, tiles, windows, doors and other white elements suggest exclusively warm shades of white.
With blue and blue
If possible, it is better to avoid such a neighborhood. What is good for a bedroom on a hot summer day is practically unacceptable and inappropriate for rooms intended for bathing procedures.
With brown
In this case, the same rules and approaches apply as for the beige version. If you avoid the possible dissonance of warm and cold, then this combination can gracefully fit into the Scandinavian style. It is worth paying attention to terracotta and chocolate when choosing towels and other textiles.
With white
When decorating a bathroom in gray and white tones, it is recommended to opt for a warm, light gradation of both shades in order to avoid the impression of detachment, coldness and inhospitability. Using pearl shades will fill the shower with a feeling of cleanliness, light and airiness. Bright softening details are acceptable.
With pink
An almost win-win option, in which two cool shades perfectly complement and warm each other. However, the romanticism of this design limits its use in men's showers and apartments.
With green
The brightness of greenery on a neutral base background is the perfect combination, allowing you to experiment with almost the entire palette of both colors.
With yellow
Another successful combination, which, however, requires careful selection of tonal saturation. Perfectly fulfills the task of filling the bathroom with sunlight and a feeling of warmth.
With red
Stylish, sophisticated and demanding. It sets a high bar for design, does not forgive mistakes, but with a successful solution it looks very impressive and elegant, like a monochrome black and white photograph with one highlighted color. It should be borne in mind that red spots on a neutral background will look noticeably brighter and more active than they actually are. Typically, shades of the burgundy part of the spectrum look more advantageous.
Styles
Gray color is universal and fits many style trends.
Minimalism is the best option for arranging a small bathroom. It is ideal in conditions of limited space, when you need to fit everything you need into a small area without losing functionality.
Gray color fully corresponds to the philosophy of minimalism. It is better to choose large tiles and grout the joints to match the tiles.
The loft embodies bohemianism and modern art, it is laconic and creative. In this style, designers advise using tiles that imitate brick, concrete, stone, and metal. Minimum of chic, maximum of texture and style richness.
Art Deco is a collective movement, a synthesis of modern classics, futurism and modernism. Respectability of the interior is achieved through noble textures - natural stone or glossy metal, as well as a smoky color palette.
The spirit of the village, its charm and originality will be emphasized by country or Provence. Gray tiles with imitation wood or plaster will look good in the bathroom.
The meaning of tile shapes, textures and sizes
Along with color, other characteristics of finishing materials and decorative elements carry design and decorative load:
- the size of ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware, borders and other decorative elements;
- shape of tiled elements;
- the surface texture that the tile finishing material has.
Gray granite-like tiles on the bathroom wall
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the geometric dimensions of the tiles when arranging the surfaces of walls and floors.
A tiled floor, laid with tiles measuring 10x10 cm, creates a completely different spatial and visual perception than the same covering, in the arrangement of which porcelain stoneware with a square side of 300 mm is used.
Mosaic flooring, accordingly, looks completely different from a covering that imitates a wooden floor.
Gray tiles in the bathroom of a country house Gray glossy tiles in a retro style in the bathroom
Approximately the same situation arises if you combine wall tiles that imitate natural brick with elements that, with their pattern, emphasize the gloss of polished metal. The widespread artistic mosaic, which is made using ceramic tile elements, became available for use with the advent of technology for the production of small-shaped tiles.
Hexagonal gray tiles on the bathroom floor Gray floor tiles in the high-tech kitchen
Gray floor tiles can have a wide variety of surface textures. Traditional speckled porcelain tiles are almost completely replaced by tiles that imitate a variety of natural materials, creating artistic panels in the style of graffiti. Ceramic floor tiles imitating sand-lime brick have gained popularity among fans of the loft style.
Gray mosaic in the bathroom Gray tiles in the bathroom of a country house in a minimalist style
Creative individuals design both the entire kitchen and the elements zoning its space to look like brick. Tiles imitating granite, marble, and other natural rocks, the size of a brick, are used in the design of kitchen screens, arches, transitions and local areas with imitation of fallen plaster. No matter what textured pattern the tiles are decorated with, decorating surfaces with gray brick-like tiles has its admirers. Beige or other contrasting grout will only emphasize the industrial style.
Gray tiles in a loft style bedroom
Current combinations
Gray color is neutral, which is why designers like it so much. Taking it as a basis, you can create various combinations.
The most popular combination is with white. To make the bathroom shine, just some accent white splashes are enough - a panel on the wall, a mosaic on the floor, white sanitary ware or furniture. Beige, peach, light green and lavender colors look good with gray monochrome. They will add tenderness or bring a touch of coolness.
If desired, gray tiles are combined with tiles in bright colors such as yellow, pink, blue, green. These colors are cheerful and rich. But black and brown will add rigor and conservatism to the interior.
Gray tiles
The bathroom is tiled with tiles or mosaics. If any shades of gray are chosen for this, then the question will be about texture.
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Here it is worth considering the style in which you want to decorate the bathroom.
If this is a minimalist style, then you should limit yourself to black, white and gray colors.
If these are classic interiors, then it would be appropriate to add brownish tones, pink shades and silver and gold.
Gray bathroom tiles with an imitation of natural stone, or rather marble, look very impressive. It is she who creates a naturalistic interior.
Features of gray tone
Despite the versatility of the shades of the gray palette, there are features that generalize them.
- The interior takes on the characteristics of haze, airiness and lightness. The room seems cool, stylish and not provocative.
- For cladding in this palette, metal parts are used: chrome fittings, nickel-plated open shelves and heated towel rails.
- For finishing, the ideal solution is to use pearl or glossy gray tiles.
- Zoning the bathroom is done in several shades of the proposed palette. Spotlights will also help to delimit zones.
- For flooring, it is better to use small square tiles. Ideally, it will imitate the features of wood or marble.
- To prevent the room from seeming pale, a tandem with red, violet, light green, and purple is welcome.
The choice of interior details should be made based on the free area of the room, as well as the intended direction in the design.
Finishes and materials
For walls, the most common cladding is ceramic tiles. Gray tiles imitating stone, marble or metal create a natural monolithic surface due to a single-color grout. Plaster with matte, glossy, silky or velvety textures has unlimited potential.
You can dilute the gray interior with mosaics or patchwork tiles. To prevent the room from looking too crowded, it is better to use fragmented wall decoration behind the washbasin or near the bathroom. For fashionable and trendy design, modern panels with a 3D effect are used.
The photo shows gray decorative plaster on the walls in the bathroom interior.
The ceiling in the bathroom requires a practical and moisture-resistant finish. For example, an excellent option would be a beautiful and durable tension fabric or slats, characterized by simple installation and a presentable appearance.
It would be appropriate to lay the floor in the room with imitation wood tiles, caramo granite, or use natural cork.
Advantages and disadvantages of gray in the bathroom
Experts say that the gray shade is characterized by peace and tranquility. It is often used for the interiors of those rooms where you need to relax. Before you start designing, you need to study the advantages and disadvantages. Let's consider the advantages:
- the shade is practical and not easily soiled;
- suitable for any interior style;
- goes well with all bright colors;
- does not cause negative emotions;
- when combined with others it creates a unique design.
There are several disadvantages:
- bathroom design in gray tones can turn out monotonous;
- using dark gray will greatly narrow the space.
Consider the pros and cons of gray and its shades. Each of the tones can be used as decor, set the basis, or design functional areas.
Psychology: how gray color affects the psyche
The calming effect of a pleasant atmosphere, as well as elegance, will be achieved by choosing the right shades of gray. As already mentioned, many people associate shades of gray with sadness and fatigue, and therefore it is not recommended to choose a gray bathroom design with more than 20 percent gray in the room.
It is also important to arrange accessories and furniture correctly, thanks to which a bathroom in gray tones will appear as a particularly cozy and warm place, relaxing after a busy day, while allowing you to relax your eyes, which significantly lifts your mood, creates a positive emotional mood and does not irritate you in any way.
How to choose the right shade
There are many shades of gray. But for each interior you can choose your own suitable tone. Let's consider which option is better to choose depending on the type of space and its location in the house.
- Light shades of gray: smoky, light gray, silver. These tones are suitable for rooms with no access to natural light. Also in bathrooms where there are no windows, it is recommended to combine gray with white, cream, and beige.
- Mouse and graphite tones look great in combination with patterned tiles or patchwork. These tones are suitable for organizing an ethnic interior design.
- Slate or lead are more suitable for modern interior solutions. Therefore, the following details can be organized in these colors: faucets, shower heads, bathroom furniture fittings.
- Dark gray shades are more suitable for rooms with excess free space. They add depth and elegance to the room and are successfully combined with other tones. Attention is focused on the walls with the help of prominent tile seams.
- Warm gray colors are best used for cramped rooms with an area of less than seven square meters. They can be used not only in facing materials: tiles, paint, glass and ceramics, but also in the facade of the set.
A good option is to correctly combine several shades of gray. Remember that even a cramped room with high ceilings requires a moderate amount of gray. Solid gray color without accents or noticeable details depresses the mood and puts pressure on the psyche.
Why choose gray for the bathroom?
— Gray color is timeless and elegant - thanks to it the bathroom will acquire extraordinary charm
– Ideal for modern, minimalist and industrial interiors.
— It can be freely combined, depending on what effect you want to achieve.
— Gray is suitable for monochrome interiors, because the palette of its shades varies from ash, blue, delicate colors to rich graphite.
— Light shades of gray - similar to white - optically increase the space.
— Gray is a neutral, universal and safe color. Basic knowledge in the field of interior design is enough to create an extraordinary interior.
— Gray color can be combined with almost any other color, design and pattern.
— Gray color is original, and due to its neutrality it leaves endless design possibilities in the bathroom interior.
- Gray is calming. When used in combination with harmonious pastel colors, you will get a delicate bathroom interior that is ideal for relaxation.
Advantages and disadvantages
An interior in gray tones, like any other, has its advantages and disadvantages. There will probably be more positive aspects.
So, gray color:
- allows you to achieve nobility in the interior - the color is strict and balancing;
- suitable for various styles - from hi-tech to classic, from Scandinavian to loft;
- will not be an irritant - this color does not get boring quickly;
- perfectly “allows” other shades into its possession.
A disadvantage can be called a certain depressive mood of the color, but it applies to those people who are in a depressed state at the moment in their lives. You should not do renovations in gray colors if there is a person in the house who has suffered the loss of a loved one, recovering from a serious illness, or after a divorce.
Gray is not necessarily a depressing color; many people like it and even invigorate it, putting their thoughts in order. But if you are not sure of this action, it is better not to contact the gray one.
Finally, if you choose a gray that is close to black, it can visually narrow the room and make it feel more cramped.
What colors does it go with?
Gray in bathroom interiors is most often combined with the following colors:
Black. This combination, considered classic French chic, since it is in France that it is most often used in interior design, does not look boring or uninteresting. Black successfully sets off gray tones and gives them a touch of exquisite luxury and perfection.
White. A win-win classic combination that brings calm, serenity and lightness to the interior. But with this option for decorating a bathroom, it is very important to maintain white balance: its excess will visually turn the bathroom into a semblance of a hospital room.
Red. Placed indoors in the form of small bright accents, red will dilute the monotony of grayish shades and add liveliness and originality to the interior.
Blue and light blue. Despite the fact that these colors go well with gray, this combination is considered only conditionally suitable for decorating bathrooms. Blue and blue tones will further emphasize the psychological coldness of gray and make the room poor in terms of emotionality and not conducive to calm relaxation.
As a last resort, a combination of very light, pearl-gray tones with rich azure is allowed. It is also possible to use light blue with dark gray, but as small accents, for example, as a pattern on tiles.
Yellow. A grayish-yellow bathroom can look a bit dirty if variations of the two original colors that are similar in lightness are used. However, a combination of pearl or graphite with rich canary can be advantageous due to the fact that gray shades slightly restrain the brightness of yellow, without completely drowning it out, and at the same time visually acquire a refined and noble depth of tone.
Orange. Bright and rich shades of orange or carrot can be an unexpectedly successful complement to gray when decorating bathrooms. In combination with it, they not only do not lose their fiery brightness, but, as it were, begin to glow from within. Orange tones combine perfectly with any grayish shades, giving the interior liveliness and sunny warmth.
Green. Not all green tones in combination with gray look good. They pair best with pearl or other pale shades of the base color. However, for example, a combination of graphite with the color of green apple or lime may turn out to be successful.
Brown. Brown tones of natural wood are especially good in combination with grayish stone or marble. They will bring a touch of refined simplicity to the room and will be the perfect complement to the design of minimalist bathrooms.
Introducing fresh notes
If gray seems quite dull, then in order to refresh the room, it is enough to make panels depicting flowers on one or two walls.
It is advisable that they be in pink, lilac and lavender colors with brown and green motifs.
It is important to take into account that the colors are slightly muted, otherwise the whole room will become quite flashy. And this has nothing to do with style and elegance.
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It is necessary to understand that gray color is a limitless field for imagination. You can implement any ideas on it. The main thing is that the final decision should be consistent and in a restrained direction.
Also, for those who think that gray will tire you quickly enough, it’s worth objecting.
Psychologists consider it, on the contrary, to be quite neutral and capable of gently influencing a person without causing irritation.
In order to make sure that a gray bathroom is a stylish solution, you need to consider the collected photos that are easy to find on the Internet.
Spectacular combinations
If you use cream or beige shades as a complement to the main background, you will get a cozy interior.
Snow-white plumbing fixtures, mirrors and glass elements will bring radiance into the space. To get rid of monochrome, designers choose tiles of different shades, textures, and sizes.
With white
Photos from a catalog of gray bathrooms can be an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
You can create a special interior by complementing the main tone with white. This will fill the space with positive energy and beauty. White color on a gray background looks stronger and more energetic.
With green
Gray and green tones look natural in the interior. Such a union resembles the first shoots appearing from the ground in spring. To refresh the interior, choose a light green color. It will bring energy and good mood to the room.
Gray-pink bathroom interior
In a dark gray bathroom, a delicate pastel pink color scheme will look especially beneficial. No less harmonious is the combination of an ashy shade with a powdery or fuchsia color, in any proportions. The gray-pink duet simultaneously imbues the design with calmness, unusualness and brings bright touches to the room.
The photo shows a modern bathroom design with pink furniture facades.
Combination of blue and gray colors
Smoky tones with blue or turquoise colors create a fairly cool, but seasoned and elegant combination. Midnight blue and sapphire shades add a certain solemnity to the interior, while pale cornflower blue, sky or blue colors promote relaxation and tranquility. Due to the slight contrast, light blue forms a very pleasant and harmonious duet with gray.
The photo shows a bathroom with gray tiles combined with blue painted surfaces.
Bathroom in gray tones with bright accents
With the help of rich colored accent pieces, you can not only highlight the noble gray design, but also completely change the visual perception of the bathroom.
A nondescript and ordinary monochromatic interior takes on a truly stylish and colorful appearance due to red shades.
The photo shows an orange bathtub in the design of a light gray bathroom.
For a more sophisticated design, you can choose golden inclusions. Against an ashy background, gold looks very expensive and elegant.
The combination of cold gray and green is current and natural; a gray-coral combination will bring special freshness to the room; orange or yellow colors will fill the bathroom with cheerfulness and positivity.
Gray in furniture
The modern market is filled with a colossal amount of various appliances, equipment and furniture, including gray colors. At the same time, the market also offers the consumer a wide variety of designs. As a rule, bathrooms have inexpensive plastic furniture or chipboard furniture.
The expensive and chic modern look of such furniture is given by specialized paint, which provides the furniture with protection from moisture. As a rule, a shelf or a cabinet with mirrors on the doors is installed as furniture in the bathroom.
Design ideas
The design of a gray bathroom is not necessarily a strict environment with an abundance of sharp corners and straight lines. This color has many different shades. Therefore, it can be used to create interiors not only in modern styles, but also in such styles as Provence and classic.
A gray bathroom in the Provence style is characterized by: light colors, floral patterns on the tiles, snow-white plumbing, and rounded shapes.
A classic-style bathroom allows the use of up to three shades of gray simultaneously. Characteristic features of the classics are stucco, patina, carvings, natural finishing materials, wooden furniture, a feeling of luxury and wealth without pomp.
A gray bathroom will be appreciated by all fans of high-tech. Furnishings in this style should consist of the latest models of plumbing fixtures and furniture.
The gray palette is one of the main ones for such a style as minimalism. In this case, you need to abandon the abundance of accessories and give preference to strict forms.
Even Baroque allows the use of gray shades. True, it requires a fairly large bathroom area, since it is simply not intended for small spaces.
An interior in the Baroque style welcomes the use of expensive finishing materials, massive furniture made of natural wood with carved legs, columns, decorative arches, stucco molding, gilding, mirrors in heavy bronze frames, and crystal chandeliers.
Gray bathroom design: accessories and textiles
You can use fresh flowers to decorate the room. They always make you feel comfortable.
Fittings for a gray finish can be taken with gold, bronze or copper plating. This helps create a chic interior.
It is very important to combine the textiles used with the overall interior of the room. When choosing common items (rug, curtains), you must try not to stray from the general concept.
There are 2 main options for this:
- Selection of all textiles in accordance with the style of the room.
- Selection of things with emphasis on them.
But in the second case, it is important not to overdo it, so as not to make several color accents at once. Because of this, the entire interior will seem tasteless.
The best option is a combination of common items: bathrobes, towels and slippers.
A thoughtful combination of gray tones with shades of other colors allows you to create a stylish and sophisticated design for a gray bathroom.
Even if you change the decorative elements, peace and comfort will remain.
Lighting organization
Light plays an important role in any interior. For a bathroom decorated in gray, it is preferable to use spotlights.
You also need to take a closer look at sconces and LED strips. It is also appropriate to use lighting for plumbing fixtures.
Plumbing and accessories
Chrome-plated sanitary ware with an unusual design looks great next to gray walls and linen. The sink for the room can be anything. The same applies to the mixer and shower. Today you can find many interesting options for colored plumbing fixtures on sale.
It is even possible to purchase golden-colored parts for a gray bathroom. For example, a faucet, lamp or mirror with this shade.
When decorating a room, it is important to pay special attention to accessories. This is not at all necessary for a gray bathroom. Thanks to bright, interesting details, it will not turn out boring, dull, or cold.
A simple option is to purchase accessories for the room in your favorite bright, rich shade. For example, yellow, purple, blue. These could be towels, rugs, shower curtains, soap dishes, containers for cosmetics.
You should not combine accessories of more than 2 bright colors in one room. Otherwise, the details will turn out to be too colorful and will spoil the impression of the room’s design.
If you want to add decorations in natural shades to your room, wicker baskets, stone figurines, candles, and dried flowers in glass vases are perfect for this. You can also complement the furniture with wooden or clay inserts.
How to grow the style for a bathroom in a gray finish
The gray shade suits most interior solutions. In most cases, it is used in only a few types of design. Modern
Popular design option. Suitable for bathrooms of different sizes. Goes well with a gray tint in facing materials. For a modern design style, the use of light gray facing materials with the presence of white and shades similar in color is encouraged: ash, charcoal, metal.
In bathrooms with a modern design solution, the walls and floors can be finished with tiles in pastel colors: beige, cream, moon, ivory. In such cases, the facade of the bath set is chosen in gray shades.
Loft
A characteristic feature of the loft style is the presence of a brick wall or its imitation. This effect is created in the work area: near the sink or bathroom. It is customary to cover the wall near functional objects: toilet, bathing tank, sink with boar tiles. It is mounted horizontally, imitating brickwork.
It is appropriate to complement such a bathroom with metal parts: nickel-plated shelves, beautiful fittings. It is encouraged to finish one of the walls with plaster without finishing it.
Classical
An interior that looks good in rooms with a large and medium area. Elegance of forms, unusual decorations, accessories are characteristic features of a classic interior. For the walls, tiles are used that imitate natural wood in gray tones. The cabinets are made several tones lighter. They should not blend into the overall decor of the bathroom.
The toilet, bidet, and bathtub are accents in the room; they are made in white. The presence of decoration around these objects is welcome: elegant cases for toilet paper, shaped stands for toothbrushes, holders for sponges and washcloths.
Gray bathroom tiles are the latest trend?!
Over the past few seasons, gray bathroom tiles have become a major interior trend. At first glance, a simple and unpretentious palette opens up the widest possibilities for design. Depending on the shape, texture and general design, such a finish can act as either a calm background or a bright accent.
The most current collections are presented as:
- concrete-look porcelain tiles;
- dusty wood;
- monochrome elements with pronounced relief;
- imitation stone (marble, onyx, travertine, etc.);
- patchwork patchwork technique;
- brickwork (hog);
- unusual formats (hexagon, chevron, octagon, etc.).
The gray scale is not limited by strict style boundaries, and therefore can equally well complement any of the existing interiors, including:
- loft;
- modern;
- classics;
- Scandinavian;
- high tech;
- eco-style;
- minimalism.
A muted neutral palette works great in tight spaces. The best choice for small rooms would be gray-blue bathroom tiles, ash and pearl shades. Contrast with darker surfaces will add depth to the interior, and light fragments will make it more airy.
Choosing furniture for a gray bathroom
Mirror and glass matte surfaces will look especially good in this bathroom interior.
The color of the furniture can be any of the shades that combine well with gray, but it should be noted that furniture made from natural materials is more suitable for classic interiors than, for example, plastic or assembled from metal structures.
Cabinets, shelves and other furnishings should be consistent in style with the overall design. Dark wood cabinets on curved legs with carvings and inlays are suitable for rooms in classical styles. For modern trends, the best choice would be simple-shaped plastic pieces of furniture and plumbing fixtures.
It should also be taken into account that the furniture should look contrasting against the background of the surrounding walls. If the bathroom is decorated in a light grayish color scheme, then it is better to give preference to dark cabinets or shelves. And for dark gray walls, the ideal complement would be furniture in light or bright and contrasting rich shades. Fittings and metal parts of plumbing fixtures are preferably silver or chrome plated. Golden and bronze tones are also acceptable when decorating such bathrooms, but only with certain color combinations in the interior: with gray of a different shade, with black, with orange and with brown tones. In all other cases, gilded decor on furniture in such bathrooms is best avoided.
IMPORTANT! Plumbing fixtures of a lighter shade look most appropriate in bathrooms decorated in grayish tones.
And if light gray or pearl shades are used as the main color in the interior, then dazzling white plumbing fixtures would be a good choice.
Shades of gray
Gray color, having a strong reflective ability, when used correctly in interior design, can visually change the space: expand or, conversely, visually narrow it.
Depending on the depth of tone, it has different effects on the psyche and nervous system of people and this must be taken into account when developing the design of a gray bathroom.
- Silver gray. This beautiful tone, associated with calm and comfort, visually expands the boundaries of the room. It will be especially good when decorating small bathrooms.
- Classic gray and mouse shades. They require a contrasting environment, without which they can look boring and monotonous. In combination with other colors they transform and look noble and truly stylish.
- Light gray and pearl. These shades in the bathroom interior create a light and even cheerful impression. Due to their proximity to white, they have the ability to visually expand the space, which makes them indispensable when decorating small bathrooms. When combined with darker shades of gray, these tones become especially expressive and even visually glow from within.
- Dark grey. The color of stability and self-confidence, it is ideal for people who set high goals and strive for them. This shade does not look very good as a main color for a bathroom, as it may have a depressing effect on some people. However, dark gray color can be used when decorating a bathroom interior, but only in the form of accents, for example, allocating space above the sink or near the bathtub.
- Gray-blue. The color of the pigeon's wing, as it is also called, will give the bathroom a sophisticated and noble look. This coolish tone is ideal for decorating a room in a classic style, although it will also look good in modern interiors. However, you need to take into account that it, like other darkish shades, visually narrows the space, and therefore is not very suitable as the main wall tone for small bathrooms.
Stylish options and solutions
The light gray color, provided that it is not darker than steel gray, is versatile. Such colors visually expand the space and therefore can be used even in a modest bathroom. Such combinations are especially good in Scandinavian and classic French interiors. Dark gray tiles are valued, of course, not for their ability to narrow space, but for creating a “chamber”, home environment. This result is achieved with moderate use of dark gray blocks.
Experienced designers often resort to using bold primary colors on an accent wall. Other surfaces are decorated in white or pastel colors. This composition perfectly meets the requirements of the modernist style. Light gray and white are very close friends. But to avoid excessive boredom, psychologists and designers suggest taking a closer look at other combinations - with sea, sand, and lavender colors.
When determining the role of gray tiles in bathroom design, one cannot ignore such an aspect as the difference between matte and glossy varieties. Matte material is preferably placed on the floor, since its roughness will make the room safer. Even when moistened, matte tiles will not slip.
Important: just in case, it’s worth laying out the lower part of the walls from the same material.
Glossy blocks have the following features:
- immediately make the room brighter;
- invariably look brighter and more saturated;
- easier to wash and clean;
- may have a greater variety of tones and patterns.
Wall tiles in the interior of a small bathroom should be selected even more carefully than usual. After all, the slightest mistake leads to a visual narrowing of space and dramatically spoils the sensations. But you need to remember that large format tiles in the bathroom are quite acceptable. Professional designers know that prejudice against such blocks is based only on meaningless stereotypes.
But in order for large gray tiles to look attractive, they should be used rationally.
Full cladding of the entire wall is not recommended. It would be more correct to create a vertical stripe by running it down the center of the wall. But large ceramic tiles are contraindicated on the floor, since they will have to be cut there. In a rectangular bathroom it is recommended to use tiles of 0.2x0.3 m, in a square one - 0.2x0.2 m. To make gray tiles more interesting, you can diversify them using the following solutions:
- tiles with pronounced relief;
- contrast mosaic;
- elements with a pattern (separately from each other or as part of large decorative stripes);
- curbs.
Design experts note that the main part of the room should be covered with light gray tiles. Dark gray tones are used for floors or at the bottom of walls. As a last resort, narrow darker stripes are allowed in the middle. To simplify the choice, you should give preference to ready-made collections, which are already initially composed of coordinated elements. Experts also suggest focusing on combining such types of tiles as:
- small mosaic;
- medium rectangular;
- large ones in the shape of a square.
If you need to choose the most saturated shades of gray, then preferences should fall, first of all, on such colors as:
- anthracite;
- graphite;
- wet asphalt.
How to create a bathroom interior, as well as what to combine gray tiles with, watch the video.
Design Features
Main distinctive characteristics:
- Thanks to their excellent reflectivity, light gray and silver tones visually expand the space and give it additional radiance.
- This interior is calm and stable. A balanced gray background goes well with rich accents.
- This palette is perfect for the bathroom because of its practicality.
Examples in various styles
Ash tones fit perfectly into many modern stylistic solutions. For example, a light gray finish in combination with crisp white sanitary ware will be a worthy design for a minimalist interior.
Iron-gray and graphite colors will add expressiveness to a bathroom in the urban loft direction. Nickel-plated and chrome-plated surfaces against the background of concrete walls will look very original.
The photo shows gray concrete wall decoration in a minimalist style bathroom.
Expensive marble cladding in gray shades in combination with beautiful half-columns and a large bathtub on gilded legs will perfectly complement the luxurious Baroque style.
For classic and neoclassical designs, white-aluminum, agate or pebble colors are suitable, which will highlight the elegant environment.
Photo of a small bathroom
By using a lighter palette, glossy, mirror surfaces and a minimal amount of volumetric decor, it is possible to achieve no less spectacular interior masterpieces.
The photo shows the design of a small bathroom in gray-pearl tones.
For a small bathroom, it is better to choose compact furniture and replace floor cabinets with hanging shelves that preserve usable space. You can enlarge and lighten the space with glass partitions for the bathroom or shower.
In the living room
In the living room, you can decorate the fireplace with gray ceramic tiles, thanks to this decor your evenings will become even more pleasant. Just imagine how pleasant it is to spend your evenings in a chair in front of a fireplace that radiates tranquility, all thanks to the right design.
Combine tiles with wood, and any room will become cozy and comfortable. Choose any wood shades; none of them will spoil the overall picture.