Bathroom Colour
You could be forgiven for thinking that there are no choices of colour available for bathrooms as it seems to be that you can have any colour you want - as long as it's white!
This certainly seems to apply to bathroom suites. When you buy a bathroom suite there will be little or no choice of colour as customers have moved away from coloured suites and taps and opted for white suites with chrome taps. There are some bathrooms available in soft cream and some in pergamon (a colour somewhere between the two) but these are getting fewer and farther between, especially if you are looking for a modern styled suite. (these colours seem to be the preserve of the traditional style bathroom suite only).
The rise of the acrylic bath meant manufacturers could offer much more variety in the way of bath shapes and colours so for a long while white bathroom suites were a less popular choice. Initial colours that were popular included turquoise, pampas, champagne, ivory, sun king. Colours then started to get stronger with options such avocado and burgundy but these colours, although popular, highlighted a problem with these darker hues namely they were much more difficult to keep looking clean. Soap and toothpaste residue would be instantly visible meaning the bath and basin would need to be cleaned after each use if it was to remain looking clean. Gradually the coloured suites fell out of favour. First the darker colours were dropped by manufacturers and followed by the rest of the range leaving us with the current situation where white is king.
There are some bathroom manufacturers that make products in colours other than white - there are a few high-end manufacturers producing black components which look stunning but are slightly impractical in day to day use. Certain components such as basins are available in alternative materials to the china. These include glass, stone, cast resin, stone, copper and even wood. Glass basins are very popular and can provide a degree of visual contrast from the standard white basin. They are also available in coloured glass which is ideal for providing a splash of colour in a light or white bathroom design.
Taps and shower fittings tend to have a chrome finish as standard with fewer products available in alternative finishes. Antique gold effect taps and wastes have fallen from favour partly due to design themes and also these type of taps were subject to discolouration and damage if strong cleaning agents were used on them (especially those containing bleach). More robust versions of the gold effect plating did start to make an apearance but the whole look became less and less popular to the point that many manufacturers offer very limited choice in gold effect - if at all.
Of course it is very easy to add colour via bathroom decoration rather that through the components themselves. Ceramic tiles are available in a huge range of colours and styles with something to suit most tastes. Tiles need to be fitted to flat walls so sometimes preparation work is needed to ensure the walls are flat enough to tile on.
Small bathrooms need to be decorated in light colours to make the room feel as light and airy as possible but choosing a white bathroom suite with white or light tiles can make the overall bathroom design look a little bland and cold. Many designs utilise the white/light tiles option on 3 of the walls but keep one wall plain which can then be painted in a colour of choice. The rest of the room, being light and reflective, will pick up this colour and make the room feel a little less plain. Another option is to decorate most of the bathroom in a white or light colour and then pick a stronger colour or more distinctive finish in one or more areas. A typical example of this would be the use of mosaic tiles in a shower cubicle but plainer ceramic tiles around the rest of the room. One more alternative is the use of a coloured or contrasting border tile around the room. Again, a small amount of colour coupled with a white/plain room is usually enough to give the design a little lift.
Other products can be used for bathroom walls apart from ceramic tiles. Many people have problems keeping grout clean so various types of wall panelling have grown in popularity that do not utilise grout in the installation process. These can be used in much the same way as ceramic tiles but require little or no preparation. Being waterproof, they can be used inside shower cubicles and around baths. There are plenty of light colours available but there are also some bolder colours and also mosaic effect panels.
Flooring can also be used to add interest and colour if the rest of the room is being kept light. Tiles, vinyl, carpet and even some laminate flooring can be used for bathroom flooring and again there is a huge choice which means feature or contrast colours can be used if required.