What Color to Paint a Black and White Tile Bathroom

If you're one of many homeowners whose bathroom features black and white tile flooring, you may be wondering exactly what paint color to use on the walls in this space. Fortunately, black and white tile is classic and looks wonderful with a wide range of hues, ranging from light and subdued to bright and bold. There are truly so many options to choose from. To help you get started, we asked interior designers to chime in with their favorite paint picks for black and white tile bathrooms and are sharing their range of insights below. Now get going and grab that paintbrush!

White

There's nothing wrong with opting for something simple in your bathroom. White is a classic paint color that will most definitely look right at home in a bathroom with black and white tile. "One color you can never go wrong with is Sherwin Williams Pure White," Grey Joyner, of Grey Joyner Interiors, says. "It will make the black tile act as the dramatic accent."

A Bright Hue

Alternatively, why not think outside the box a bit and introduce a bright color to your black-and-white tiled bathroom? Many designers appreciate the power of vibrant tones in such spaces; after all, why shouldn't a bathroom be playful and fun? "We love the crisp, freshness of a bright granny smith apple green paired with the classic black and white tile motif," Jason Bell, of Blackberry Farm Design, says. "The contrast in tone and color is visually stimulating and surprising."

Reds—or shades featuring red tones—are another designer favorite. "If it's a boy's bathroom, I would go for a rust color to add a bit of fun," Joyner says. "My go-to rust color is Benjamin Moore Terra Cotta Tile, as it gives a rustic yet sophisticated feel." For a girl's bathroom, Benjamin Moore Raspberry Glaze is one of Joyner's top picks. "It's such a beautiful rich fuchsia," she says.

Nadia Watts of Nadia Watts Interior Design picked a bright red for the bathroom pictured below. "Whether I have selected a black and white pattern for a client's bathroom or it already exists and I want to add a burst of color to the space, I often turn to Benjamin Moore Chili Pepper," she says. "In this secondary bathroom, I selected a classic pattern for the black and white tile floors and then Benjamin Moore Chili Pepper for the walls. The high contrast between black and white, and the bold color of red creates a dramatic scheme."

A Moody, Dark Color

You can still have fun with color without going quite so bright if you prefer more of a moody look. "I love black and white with rich darker blue colors so I would suggest Farrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue," designer Sarah Bartholomew, who operates an eponymous firm, says.

Jewel Tones

And there is yet another route you may wish to go if you crave a bit of color, and that is embracing jewel tones. “For us, the beauty of black and white bathrooms is the color contrast, so to keep the charm factor high, we go to paint colors that have equally strong contrast values for both the black and white tiles," Jean Liu, of Jean Liu Design, says. "Consider jewel-toned hues like an indigo, burgundy, or emerald green to pack a punch.” 

A Light Blue

As much as some designers appreciate using bold or moody hues in the bathrooms, others are partial to lighter colors, especially light blue. "Light blue is a soothing color, so adding it to a black and white backdrop brings lightness to the space," Kristin Marino, of KozyKasa Design, says. "Calming colors like light blue are great for smaller bathrooms because they are not too vibrant and will not overwhelm you." By no means do you have to stick with painting just the walls, either. "Consider painting the ceiling—or the fifth wall like we like to call it—a soft blue," Joyner suggests. She is partial to Benjamin Moore's Morning Sky Blue in particular. "It creates a sky effect to the bathroom," the designer comments.