Red bathroom ideas – 10 ways to create a bold statement in your bathroom

Contemplating red bathroom ideas? While the color might sound like a dramatic choice, it’s actually a hue that’s easy to live with, and definitely worth your consideration.

So if you’re considering a red bathroom or simply looking for inspirational bathroom ideas to kickstart your bathroom remodel, thinking outside of the box can really pay off.

Red bathroom ideas

If you're considering bathroom color ideas, red is a versatile shade. Red bathroom decor might be used as an atmospheric backdrop, as a cocooning accent, or you might pick a sophisticated tint to play with the attributes of the color. Use these red bathroom ideas as your starting point.

1. Team a patterned floor with red painted shiplap

'More often than not, our bathrooms are neutral spaces with neutral fixtures and tiling, so introducing red shades here is ideal for adding that wow-factor,' says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director, Kelling Designs. 'A beautiful color that's full of energy, it can liven up even the dullest of spaces, and although it's often seen as a tricky color to use, the bathroom offers the perfect opportunity to introduce this bold shade.'

'If you are brave enough, opt for a patterned tile with red accents on the floor and then use a complementary red paint on your walls or panelling. Painting the panelling allows the walls to stay neutral, giving that all important balance whilst creating a beautiful and cohesive scheme. If, however, you don't feel comfortable going all out, adding pops of red with accessories such as your towels will help to introduce the color in a more subdued way, bringing life into your bathroom with ease.'

2. 

There are endless bathroom tile ideas to choose from – in every color, shape and size imaginable. 

Here, a colorful tiled accent wall at the end of a small bathroom will draw the eye through, ensuring every inch gets noticed. Patterned tiles are a really effective way to introduce color, which can then be picked up on accessories, towels and even sanitaryware.

‘Color is being embraced in small bathrooms in a big way right now,’ says designer, Katie Agombar from West One Bathrooms.

3. Introduce red through wallpaper 

Bathroom wallpaper ideas are a brilliant way to introduce red color, pattern and personality into your home. Being one of the smaller rooms in the home and serving a practical purpose, bathrooms are the perfect place to experiment with bold colors, especially through wallpaper. 

Decorating with pattern can be daunting, but pattern can work in any room no matter the size, it’s often just about getting the scale right that’s key. If you have a large room consider a statement landscape mural or a large-scale design where the prints can shine. 

Finally, mirror the color with your chosen accessories for a truly tailored look.

4. Match your red vanity to a bold chinoiserie wallpaper 

Chinoiserie is a brilliant way to bring exoticism, opulence and timeless charm to a luxury bathroom.

The Chinoiserie trend has witnessed a surge in popularity in recent years, with today's wallpapers offering a wealth of ornate decorative designs to add a statement to your bathroom.

'I really love this Schumacher chinoiserie wallpaper we used in this bathroom, I paired it with a custom-made red lacquer double vanity unit to really brighten the room,' says Henriette von Stockhausen, creative director at VSP Interiors.

5. Invest in a stunning slab of red textured granite

'We have noticed a trend towards more terrazzo looking surfaces in the bathroom, or what we call in the stone world ‘brecciate stones’, which is a bit more of a retro look, a move away from the plain to something a bit busier in structure and brighter in color,' says Oliver Webb, director at Cullifords.

'Yes, white marble bathroom ideas are still the most popular choice, but we are seeing more and more designers and clients experimenting with color and pattern. When it comes to bathrooms, we are noticing a strong tendency to statement ‘wow factor’ pieces, as people want something distinctive and one-off.'

6. Create a scarlet red tiled shower wall

'Often we love our existing bathroom scheme's but want to give it a little refresh – tiling a shower wall using red patterned tiles will give it just that and add a bold statement to the space at the same time,' says Lucy Searle, global editor in chief, Homes & Gardens. 

Aside from the practicality of shower tile ideas, the availability of tiling in a wide array of shower-fit materials, from porcelain and glass, to ceramic and stone, as well as colors, shapes, sizes and finishes, means that the design possibilities are endless.

Bathroom tiles are both waterproof and washable, making them perfect for the walls of walk-in showers, showers with trays, and for the floors of wet rooms, too. 

7. Go for an all encompassing look 

Bathroom color ideas might not be the first element you think of when planning a new scheme, but it should certainly not be an afterthought. 

'Embracing strong color, when designed as part of the flow of the rest of a home, can produce joyful results, as shown in this dark bathroom scheme,' says Jennifer Ebert, digital editor, Homes & Gardens. 'Alternatively, color-blocking is a great technique for anyone keen to test strong paint colors without over-committing.'

8. Paint your tub red to enhance its impact

'Painting a freestanding bath in a strong, dominant color is the perfect way to make a statement in your bathroom and there are few colors stronger than red,' says James Lentaigne, creative director at Drummonds. 'Red is a vibrant, stimulating and exciting color that works surprising well with a whole host of other colors including green, white, tawny-orange, grey, blue and black. 

The benefit of painting your bath in a rich color such as red is that it is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to change the color when you tire of it or want a different feel.'

9. Experiment with color in a small powder room

If you've got your eye on an all-too-pricey wallpaper consider using it in a powder room instead of a larger space. This stylized design with its red background will be fabulous addition and is easy to match accessories to.

Restricting the rest of the paintwork to muted tones makes the statement color feels more impactful. Best of all, small injections of saturated color are easy to update.

10. Tone it down with pink 

Pink room ideas really do work well in small doses. This controversial hue can actually form a reliable background color, as long as you find the right tone for the space and the light.

'With red and pink being such a naturally bold shade, it can be beneficial to introduce it in smaller ways – patterned encaustic tiles behind the basin and a pretty floral blind, for example,' says Andrea Childs, editor, Country Homes & Interiors. 'If you like it, you can add more and progress to red painted walls and cabinetry.'

What color goes with red in a bathroom?

Pairing colors in shower rooms, powder rooms and bathrooms can be tricky because space is often limited and so color clashes are highlighted. Take advantage of the color wheel to make things easier. The wheel lets you see at a glance how colors relate to each other visually and is used by interior designs all over the world.

Opposite colors – say red and green – are complementary, whilst picking colors from the same palette, such as pink and red, will blend beautifully in the bathroom. Play around till you find your perfect color combination.