Ready to update your bathroom? One great way to do it is to update your vanity. Whether refinishing the existing vanity or replacing it with a new one, vanity paint colors will be one of the big choices you’ll need to make. What’s the right shade for you? While we can’t answer that question, we have created this guide to help you make the choice.
Colors: Timeless vs Fading Fads
This is one of the first things to think about. If you don’t mind updating the vanity with a new finish every few years, then there’s no need to worry about shades that might go out of style quickly.
But if you’re hoping for no-fuss look that you can leave alone until the next time the vanity needs to be replaced (or a look that has little chance of scaring off potential homebuyers), then you’ll need to choose a timeless color. These include natural wood shades spanning from light to dark and neutral shades, such as black, white, gray and beige.
Shades and Sun Damage
If your bathroom has natural sunlight, that light will eventually cause colors to fade over time and that means you’ll need to do another update sooner rather than later. Which colors are the worst offenders? Those that absorb the most sunlight, including reds, yellows, dark blues and greens.
Consider the Tuxedo Look
This style is a classic — with good reason, too, since it creates a sharp, contrasting look. When people think of the tuxedo look, they usually think the kitchen, but it’s a style that is just as easily recreated in the bathroom. The traditional tuxedo look features black base cabinets and white uppers — or in the case of bathrooms, a black vanity with white up above, either white walls or a white medicine cabinet.
There are also some modern twists on this look that use medium to dark gray instead of black or navy blue paired with gold cabinet hardware.
Monochrome or Color Pairings?
You’ll need to think about the rest of the bathroom when choosing bathroom vanity paint colors and, in so doing, create a color palette. For this, unless you’re going with a monochrome look, your best bet will be to find a color wheel and create pairings or groups using a conventional color scheme.
Some color schemes include:
- Complementary colors are opposites on the color wheel.
- The square or rectangle color scheme relies on four colors in two complementary squares. If you connect each color on a color wheel with lines, you’ll get a square or rectangular shape, hence the name.
- Analogous color schemes feature two, three or more colors that are next to each other on the wheel.
- Triad schemes pull in three colors that are evenly spaced apart on the wheel.
Apart from black, neutral and monochrome color schemes, analogous palettes tend to be the most popular choice.
What Is Easiest to Clean?
Where cleaning is concerned, both colors and finishes will play into your decision. Among colors, typically those at the extreme light or dark end of the spectrum are hardest to keep clean. Water spots and bits of toothpaste will stand out on black vanities, for example, while grime will show up first on white vanities.
When it comes to wiping the grime away, gloss finishes are far easier to clean though you may find yourself buffing streaks out of a truly glossy finish. Matte finishes have more texture to them, so they tend to hang on to grime, making it harder for you to scrub them clean. Satin finishes are a good middle ground — smooth enough to clean easily but not shiny so that you’ll always be battling splotches and fingerprints.
Quick Tips for DIY Paint Jobs
If you’ve never refinished a vanity before, your best bet is to find a guide to walk you through the process. Even so, here are a few quick tips to help you get the best results:
- Sand your vanity first to roughen up the surface and remove loose paint so that the fresh paint adheres well.
- Create a smooth base by priming before you start painting.
- A little goes a long way when painting. Don’t hesitate to do multiple coats to get full coverage rather than applying one thick coat. Thicker coats are more likely to show drips, brush strokes and other flaws.
Ready to upgrade your bathroom with something new and stylish? Sometimes a new vanity is just what your bathroom needs. You’ll find the perfect vanity color for your palette at Modern Bathroom.