What's the New Color for Bathrooms in 2025?

For years, white bathrooms ruled the scene. Crisp, clean, timeless-but let’s be honest, they started feeling more like a hospital waiting room than a place to unwind. By 2025, homeowners are done with sterile. They want warmth. Depth. A space that feels like a quiet retreat, not a checklist item. The new color for bathrooms isn’t one shade. It’s a mood. And that mood is deep earth tones-rich, grounded, and surprisingly calming.

Why Earth Tones Took Over

After years of cool grays and icy whites, people are craving connection. Not just to nature, but to something real. A study by the American Society of Interior Designers in early 2025 found that 68% of homeowners choosing bathroom renovations prioritized emotional comfort over visual trends. They didn’t want a Pinterest-perfect look-they wanted to feel relaxed the second they stepped in.

That’s where deep earth tones come in. Think warm moss greens, charcoal browns, and muted terracottas. These aren’t loud colors. They’re quiet. They absorb light instead of reflecting it, which makes the space feel cozier, even in small bathrooms. In Burlington, where winters are long and gray, these tones feel like a hug. They don’t scream for attention. They hold space.

The Top 3 Colors Dominating 2025 Bathrooms

Not all earth tones are created equal. Here are the three shades that are showing up everywhere-from new builds to $500 DIY makeovers:

• Forest Moss (Benjamin Moore 2141-30): This isn’t your grandma’s green. It’s a deep, slightly blue-based moss that looks like sunlight filtering through pine trees. It pairs perfectly with brushed brass fixtures and natural stone. In a small bathroom, it makes the walls feel like they’re wrapping around you.
• Charcoal Clay (Sherwin-Williams 7024): A brown-black that’s neither too dark nor too gray. It’s the color of river rocks after rain. It works with both modern and rustic styles. When paired with white towels and a matte black faucet, it looks expensive without trying.
• Warm Terracotta (Farrow & Ball 241): This is the color of sun-baked clay. It’s not orange. It’s not red. It’s the earth after a summer storm. It adds warmth without overwhelming, especially when used on one accent wall. It’s the go-to for bathrooms with windows facing south.

How to Use These Colors Without Feeling Like You’re in a Cave

Dark colors get a bad rap for making spaces feel smaller. But in bathrooms, that’s not always true-especially when you know how to balance them.

Here’s what works:

1. Pair with light fixtures: Use LED strip lighting under vanities or behind mirrors. Soft, indirect light makes dark walls feel inviting, not oppressive.
2. Go for natural materials: Stone, wood, and linen soften the look. A walnut vanity or a rattan basket adds texture that keeps the space from feeling heavy.
3. Keep the ceiling white: A bright ceiling lifts the room visually. It’s the secret trick professionals use.
4. Limit patterns: One bold wall is enough. Let the color do the talking. Avoid busy tiles or wallpaper unless you’re going for a full spa vibe.

One client in Burlington painted her 5x7 bathroom Forest Moss. She kept the tub white, added a single wooden shelf, and hung a large mirror with a thin brass frame. She said, “It’s the first room in the house where I actually slow down.” That’s the goal.

What Colors Are Out?

Not every trend fades gracefully. Here’s what’s officially retired from bathrooms in 2025:

• White-on-white: Too sterile. Too predictable. It’s still fine for medical spaces, but not for homes.
• Neon accents: Neon green towels? Bright pink shower curtains? Those were a 2010s experiment. They’re gone.
• Too many metallics: Gold, chrome, rose gold all in one room? Overkill. Pick one metal and stick with it.
• Light gray: It’s still okay, but only if it’s paired with something warmer. Cold gray feels lonely now.

Why This Trend Is Lasting

This isn’t just a fad. It’s a shift in how we think about bathrooms. We’re no longer treating them as functional afterthoughts. They’re personal sanctuaries. The colors we choose reflect that.

Deep earth tones work because they’re timeless. They don’t depend on lighting, filters, or Instagram trends. They look good in morning light, candlelight, and even the harsh glow of a 2 a.m. bathroom run. They age gracefully. A moss green wall from 2025 will still feel calming in 2035.

And unlike paint colors that need to be refreshed every few years, these tones blend with evolving styles. Add a new vanity? Swap out the towels? The color stays. It’s the foundation, not the decoration.

Real People, Real Bathrooms

One woman in Oakville painted her bathroom Charcoal Clay after her divorce. She didn’t want a fresh start. She wanted a quiet one. “I didn’t want to feel like I was trying to impress anyone,” she told me. “I just wanted to feel safe.”

A couple in Hamilton chose Warm Terracotta for their master bath because their dog always slept on the tile floor. “It matches his fur,” they said. It’s not about design theory. It’s about life.

These aren’t trends. They’re personal choices. And that’s why they’re sticking.

What If You’re Not Ready for Dark?

You don’t have to go all-in. Start small. Paint the inside of a medicine cabinet. Try a dark-colored shower curtain. Swap your towel set for a deep green or terracotta one. See how it feels.

Or, if you’re renting or unsure, use removable wallpaper. Brands like Tempaper and Graham & Brown now make peel-and-stick options in these exact tones. They’re easy to remove, and they look real.

You don’t need to repaint the whole room to feel the shift. Sometimes, just changing one element is enough to change how the space makes you feel.

Final Thought: Color Is a Feeling

The new color for bathrooms isn’t about being trendy. It’s about being human. It’s about choosing something that helps you breathe, not something that looks good in a magazine.

2025 isn’t about perfection. It’s about peace.