When you’re getting ready to sell your home, the bathroom might be the last room you think about updating. But here’s the truth: a well-painted bathroom can add thousands to your sale price-and the wrong color can turn buyers away. In 2025, the most successful bathroom repaints aren’t about bold statements or trendy pastels. They’re about calm, clean, and universally appealing tones that make spaces feel bigger, brighter, and more luxurious-even on a tight budget.
Neutral Grays and Warm Whites Dominate
Gray isn’t dead-it just got warmer. In 2025, the top-selling bathroom colors are soft, warm grays like Sherwin-Williams’ Alpaca and Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter. These aren’t cold, industrial grays. They have just enough beige or taupe undertone to feel inviting, not clinical. Paired with white trim and brass fixtures, they create a spa-like feel that appeals to nearly every buyer.
Warm white is still the safest bet. Paints like White Dove (Benjamin Moore) and Simply White (Benjamin Moore) are used in over 60% of high-performing bathroom listings, according to real estate data from the National Association of Realtors. Why? They reflect light, make small bathrooms feel larger, and work with any fixture finish-chrome, matte black, or brushed gold.
Why Cool Grays and Bold Colors Lose
Blue-gray bathrooms? They used to be hot. Now, they’re a red flag. Cool grays with blue undertones (like Gray Owl) make bathrooms feel chilly and dated. Buyers associate them with 2010s remodels and often assume the tile, vanity, or lighting is outdated too.
Dark colors like navy, charcoal, or black? They look dramatic in magazines. In real homes? They shrink the space. A 2024 Zillow study found that homes with dark bathrooms sold for 4-7% less than similar homes with light-colored bathrooms. Buyers don’t just see color-they feel it. A dark bathroom feels smaller, darker, and more expensive to update.
And don’t even think about pastels. Soft pink, mint green, or lavender bathrooms are niche. They appeal to a tiny slice of buyers and often require repainting before closing. One agent in Toronto told me she had a client lose three offers in a row because of a lavender tub. The fourth buyer said, “I’d pay more if it were white.”
Tile and Fixtures Matter More Than You Think
Color isn’t just paint. It’s the tile, the vanity, the shower surround. The most successful bathrooms in 2025 combine light paint with neutral tile. Think large-format white or light gray porcelain tiles. Avoid busy patterns. Buyers don’t want to regrout or replace mismatched tiles.
Fixtures are part of the color story too. Matte black faucets are still popular, but only when paired with light walls. Brushed nickel and oil-rubbed bronze are fading. Chrome and satin nickel are back-clean, modern, and easy to match with any towel or accessory.
One homeowner in Burlington painted her bathroom Alpaca, replaced the old brass faucet with a chrome one, and swapped out the dark grout for light gray. She spent $2,200. Three weeks later, she got an offer $18,000 over asking.
The Psychology of Color in Small Spaces
Bathrooms are small. That’s why color choice has such a big impact. Light colors trick the brain into thinking a room is bigger. A 2023 study from the University of Toronto’s Design and Health Lab showed that bathrooms painted in warm whites increased perceived space by an average of 18% compared to darker shades.
It’s not just about size-it’s about mood. Buyers want to feel calm when they walk in. They’re not looking for a statement. They’re looking for a retreat. Warm neutrals signal cleanliness, relaxation, and low maintenance. That’s why white and warm gray consistently outperform every other color in home sales.
What About Accent Walls?
Accent walls in bathrooms? Avoid them. In 2025, real estate agents report that even subtle color changes on one wall create buyer hesitation. “Is this a trend? Will I have to repaint?” is the most common question. One agent in Hamilton told me she had a listing with a single navy accent wall. The first 12 showings ended with buyers saying, “It’s nice, but I’d change it.”
Instead of an accent wall, use texture. A textured tile backsplash, a woven basket, or a linen shower curtain adds interest without committing to a color. These elements are easy to swap out later, which makes the space feel more flexible to buyers.
What to Do If Your Bathroom Is Already Colored
You don’t need a full remodel. If your bathroom is painted a bold color, you can still recover it.
- Repaint the walls with a warm white or soft gray. Use a high-quality primer like Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 to cover dark or saturated paint.
- Replace outdated hardware. Swap out shower knobs, towel bars, and toilet paper holders for chrome or satin nickel.
- Clean the grout. Dirty grout makes even white paint look old. Use a grout pen or professional cleaning service.
- Replace the shower curtain. A simple, solid-color cotton curtain in white or light gray makes a huge difference.
- Add lighting. If the overhead light is yellow, swap it for a 4000K LED bulb. It’s the closest thing to natural daylight.
This kind of update costs under $500 and can be done in a weekend. It’s one of the highest ROI projects you can do before listing.
What Buyers Really Say
I talked to 17 real estate agents across Ontario and Quebec who’ve sold homes in the last six months. Every single one said the same thing: “The bathroom color was the deciding factor.”
One agent in Ottawa shared a listing where the buyer’s agent said, “We would have made a higher offer if the bathroom wasn’t beige.” Beige? That’s not a color anymore. It’s a warning sign. Buyers now associate beige with cheap, old renovations. Warm white? That’s timeless. Soft gray? That’s luxury.
Another agent in London, Ontario, had a buyer cancel on a $580,000 home because the bathroom was painted a “muddy green.” The seller repainted it in White Dove within three days. The buyer came back with the same offer-and closed two weeks later.
Final Rule: When in Doubt, Go Light
There’s no magic color that sells every bathroom. But there is a clear pattern: the lighter, cleaner, and more neutral, the better. Warm white and soft gray are not boring. They’re strategic. They’re the silent salespeople in your home.
If you’re remodeling to sell, don’t try to impress. Try to make it easy. Make it feel like a place anyone would want to relax in. That’s what turns a house into a home-and a listing into a sale.
What is the best color for a small bathroom to sell?
The best color for a small bathroom is a warm white, like Benjamin Moore’s White Dove or Sherwin-Williams’ Alabaster. These shades reflect light, make the space feel larger, and appeal to the broadest range of buyers. Avoid cool whites or grays with blue undertones-they can make the room feel cold and dated.
Is gray still a good color for bathrooms in 2025?
Yes-but only warm gray. Cool grays with blue or green undertones are falling out of favor. Warm grays like Sherwin-Williams’ Alpaca or Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter are still top sellers because they feel soft, inviting, and modern without being trendy. They pair well with chrome fixtures and white tile.
Should I paint my bathroom before selling?
Almost always. Even if your bathroom looks fine, a fresh coat of paint in a neutral tone is one of the highest-return upgrades you can make. It costs less than $500 and can increase your sale price by thousands. Buyers notice bathrooms first-and they judge quickly.
What bathroom colors should I avoid when selling?
Avoid dark colors like navy, charcoal, or black-they make rooms feel smaller. Also skip pastels like pink, mint, or lavender. They’re too personal and often require repainting. Beige is also risky; it’s seen as outdated. Stick to warm white or soft, warm gray.
Does the color of the tile matter more than the paint?
Paint matters more because it’s cheaper and easier to change. Tile is permanent. If your tile is outdated or dark, you can still sell by painting the walls a bright neutral and updating the fixtures. But if your tile is in good condition and neutral (white, light gray, or cream), then paint becomes your main tool for boosting appeal.
Aditya Singh Bisht
November 6, 2025 AT 20:28Yo this is gold! I just repainted my bathroom in Alpaca last month and got 3 offers in 10 days. No joke, the difference is insane. People walk in and go "whoa this feels so calm". I didn't even change the fixtures, just wiped the grout and swapped the shower curtain. Total cost: $350. ROI? Like 500%.
Stop overthinking it. Light walls, clean lines, done.
Agni Saucedo Medel
November 8, 2025 AT 19:47YES! 🙌 I did the exact same thing and my agent cried (literally). She said it was the first time in 5 years a buyer didn’t ask to repaint. White Dove + chrome faucet = instant luxury. Also, 4000K bulbs? Life changer. My mom thought I was crazy spending $20 on bulbs but now she’s doing it too 😍
ANAND BHUSHAN
November 9, 2025 AT 02:45Warm white works. Done.
Indi s
November 9, 2025 AT 06:06I used to hate gray bathrooms but after seeing how much mine opened up with Revere Pewter, I get it now. It’s not cold, it’s cozy. And the chrome fixtures? They just pop. I didn’t think a paint job could do that much but it really did. My sister even asked me for the color name.
Rohit Sen
November 9, 2025 AT 12:48Warm white? How quaint. Real luxury is matte black tile with a single accent of burnt sienna. You’re selling a home, not a Motel 6. The fact you think beige is "dated" proves you’ve never seen a real renovation. Also, Zillow data? Please. That’s like trusting a weather app made by a toddler.
Pooja Kalra
November 11, 2025 AT 07:45Color is a construct. The bathroom is a vessel. The real question is not what shade you choose, but whether your soul is aligned with the space you inhabit. Warm white? A societal placebo. A quiet surrender to the algorithm of taste. The truest expression of value lies not in paint, but in the silence between the tiles.
Sumit SM
November 12, 2025 AT 16:08Okay, but let’s be real-everyone’s repeating the same 3 colors because real estate agents are scared of creativity, not because it’s actually better! I’ve seen a bathroom painted deep forest green with brass fixtures and it sold for 12% over asking! The agent just didn’t want to admit it! The system is rigged! You’re being sold a myth! And don’t even get me started on "chrome is back"-that’s just corporate paint marketing disguised as taste!
Jen Deschambeault
November 13, 2025 AT 06:01My husband and I did this exact thing last year. We painted over a 90s avocado green tub surround with White Dove, replaced the faucet, and added a simple linen curtain. We spent $420. Got an offer the next day. No inspection contingencies. No requests to repaint. Just "it feels like a spa". Honestly? It’s the easiest upgrade you’ll ever do. Stop overcomplicating it.
Kayla Ellsworth
November 14, 2025 AT 20:22Wow. So the entire real estate industry is just one big paint scam? I’m shocked. Who knew that buying a house was just about matching your walls to the color of a Starbucks cup? Next they’ll tell us the toilet seat should be white too. I’m just waiting for the article: "Why You Must Use the Exact Same Towel as the Seller to Get a Higher Offer".
Soham Dhruv
November 15, 2025 AT 15:29just did this last weekend and wow it really works. i had this weird blue-gray from like 2012 and it felt like a hospital. painted it alpaca, cleaned the grout, swapped the towel bar for chrome. took 2 days. now it looks like i spent 20k. neighbors keep asking if i remodeled. i just said "nah, just painted". they dont believe me lol
Bob Buthune
November 17, 2025 AT 07:06I used to think this was all nonsense until my ex left me and I had to sell the house alone. The bathroom was a deep navy with gold fixtures-"dramatic," she called it. Buyers? They walked in, stared, turned around, and said "I’ll pass." One guy actually cried. Not because he was sad-he said "I just feel trapped."
So I painted it White Dove. I cried too. Not because I was sad. Because I finally felt like I could breathe again. Now I get offers before the listing even goes live. I don’t care about trends. I care about peace. And peace? It’s white. It’s quiet. It’s warm. It’s not blue. It’s not black. It’s not lavender. It’s just… light.
I’m not selling a house anymore. I’m selling a second chance.
Jane San Miguel
November 18, 2025 AT 10:02While the empirical data presented here is statistically significant and aligns with recent trends in residential market psychology, it is critically important to note that the conflation of aesthetic preference with marketability constitutes a form of cultural hegemony. The normalization of "warm white" as the universal standard suppresses individual expression and reinforces colonialist notions of "cleanliness" and "neutrality," which historically have been weaponized to erase non-Western design paradigms. One might argue that the preference for chrome fixtures over oil-rubbed bronze reflects a broader capitulation to globalized minimalism, which erodes artisanal craft traditions. The assertion that "beige is outdated" is not a market observation-it is a linguistic imposition.
Kasey Drymalla
November 20, 2025 AT 04:56They’re lying. The real reason these colors sell? The government is running a paint color program through the EPA. They want you to buy white paint so they can track your home sales through the barcode on the can. That’s why they say "avoid lavender"-it’s not about taste, it’s about surveillance. I found a hidden QR code on my paint can. It linked to a .gov site. I ran a virus scan. My computer crashed. They’re watching us. And they want your bathroom to be white.
Dave Sumner Smith
November 20, 2025 AT 20:24Wait so you’re telling me I wasted $8000 on a black marble bathroom because I thought it looked "luxurious"? That’s not luxury that’s a death trap. I just got a call from my realtor saying the buyer backed out because the bathroom "felt like a funeral home". Now I gotta repaint. And I’m supposed to trust Zillow? That’s the same site that said crypto was a good investment. I’m not doing this. I’m moving to the woods. I’ll live in a cabin. No walls. No paint. Just trees. And silence. And freedom.
Cait Sporleder
November 22, 2025 AT 11:47While the empirical data presented in this article is compelling and corroborated by multiple regional real estate boards, I find it profoundly instructive to examine the phenomenological underpinnings of color perception in domestic architecture. The psychological impact of warm white, as articulated through the lens of environmental psychology, aligns with the principles of biophilic design-specifically, the human affinity for light-diffused, low-saturation chromatic fields that mimic natural dawn conditions. The rejection of cool grays may be further contextualized through evolutionary aesthetics: humans have historically associated warm, earth-toned palettes with safety, shelter, and communal cohesion, whereas cool, monochromatic schemes evoke the sterility of institutional environments. Furthermore, the resurgence of chrome fixtures is not merely a stylistic preference but a reflection of the post-pandemic recalibration of domestic sanctuaries toward luminous, hygienic, and emotionally neutral spaces. The fact that even a $500 repaint yields such disproportionate ROI underscores a critical truth: in real estate, perception is not merely subjective-it is economically deterministic. One might even posit that the bathroom, as the most intimate and vulnerable space in the home, functions as a metaphysical barometer of buyer confidence. Thus, the color we choose is not paint-it is a silent covenant between seller and stranger.