Have you ever found a paint color you love, painted an entire wall, and then realized it doesn’t look the same as you envisioned? While this can happen in any space, it’s especially common in bathrooms, where natural light is limited and color has a major impact. Choosing the right color for your bathroom painting project is about more than choosing a color you like; it’s also about understanding how lighting will transform the shade throughout the day.
Let’s explore how the lighting in your bathroom may impact the way a shade of paint looks.
- Natural Light: If your bathroom has windows or a skylight, the amount and direction of sunlight will heavily impact your paint color. North-facing windows tend to bring brighter, cool-toned light that can make gray or white shades sharper. South-facing windows add warmth and can soften bold hues like blues and greens. Morning light will make things look softer and warmer, while afternoon light is brighter and cooler.
- Artificial Lighting: Since many bathrooms don’t have much natural light, artificial lighting will play a starring role. Warm-toned bulbs can make crisp whites look creamier, adding coziness to neutral shades. Cool-toned lighting, on the other hand, brings out cool undertones in your paint and can make grays and blues more vibrant. Balanced daylight bulbs are the best choice if you want your paint color to stay true.
- Finish Matters, Too: Glossy finishes are popular for bathroom painting, but they reflect more light, which can make imperfections more noticeable. Matte or eggshell finishes absorb light, softening the overall look, but this makes bolder colors more muted.
Our best advice for bathroom painting? Test before you commit. The best way to avoid surprises is to test swatches directly on the walls. View them in natural and artificial light throughout the day so you can clearly see how the lighting changes the color.