For design enthusiasts like me, the turn of the new year means it’s time to take stock of the trends that are about to blow up in 2025 — and the trends that are on their way out. This not only keeps your home looking fresh and new, but, for folks who are looking to sell, it can also make your home more appealing to prospective buyers.
Bathroom paint colors can be particularly polarizing. Because bathrooms are smaller, less committal spaces where you can really play with color, they often serve as a chance to take a risk with an on-trend hue. So I asked four design pros about their predictions for bathroom paint colors that buyers will find newly dated in 2025, and they all agree: Neutral bathrooms have had their day in the sun, and it’s time to explore new colors that create a different vibe.
Neutral Colors Are Out for 2025
While some trends can turn from year to year, some reign supreme for an entire decade. There are some bathroom paint color trends that have dominated the last 10 years, and buyers will be starting to move away from them in 2025.
Dawn Bane, interior designer at Spectrum Design Group, says that some trendy bathroom colors that will make their way out in 2025 include shades of white and cool gray tones, which have permeated bathrooms for many years. It’s a sentiment that Briana Gershenzon, partner and chief of design at Renovation Sells, agrees with, saying that bright whites and cool grays will feel “overly stark and impersonal.”
Diana Melichar, president of Melichar Architects, also thinks that white bathrooms are about to look dated, particularly when they’re combined with black elements.
“Mixing black and white has been a favorite of developers and designers, as these choices are easy to select and can provide versatility between different styles, such as ‘Farmhouse’ and ‘Urban Loft’ looks,” she says. “However, this color pairing can provide harsh, sharp contrasts, and clients are now leaning toward softer, curated looks.”
Color Is In — With a Catch
Realtor Ashley DeHart says that she has observed buyers trending toward muted, calmer colors for bathrooms, adding that specifically neutral earth tones help to create a nature-inspired calming retreat — something that’s more appealing to today’s buyer.
These colors lie in the wake of the bright and light neutral bathrooms (and spaces in general) that have prevailed over the last 10 years, and Bane believes that warmer tones have started making their way into homes because they offer a sense of warmth and coziness that many people have desired since the pandemic.
She says, “Paint color trends lean more toward warm shades, such as taupes, browns, and rose tones.”
Another way to put it is that buyers, and really the majority of people, are searching more and more for spaces that give them respite from the chaos of the world, where they can power down and enjoy a sense of peace. As Gershenzon says, in 2025 homeowners will be looking to create a spa-like, organic atmosphere in their bathrooms by using inviting neutrals and softer colors.
On the flip side, Gershenzon also believes that in 2025 more homeowners will have outright fun with their bathroom designs, which serves as another type of escape
“They will be experimenting with color-blocking with matching tiles, trim, and paint,” she says, creating a vibrant monochromatic look.
Although these calming muted hues and warm cozy shades will rise to the top among bathroom paint colors in 2025, at the end of the day it’s really about what you like, whether you’re trying to sell your home or not. After all, you have to feel good in your spaces, and that includes your bathroom.
“Regardless of trends, your guiding star should be your own tastes,” DeHart says. “Investing in timeless designs and eco-friendly solutions are sure to stand the test of time, and investments.”
