3 Paint Colors That Instantly Date Your Bathroom

Buying and selling a home can often mean that you have to account for, and potentially update, every room in the house, including that intimate space where you conduct some of your most sacred rituals: the bathroom. Besides the overall infrastructure and appliances of the bathroom, bathroom design is super important to potential homebuyers. 

According to interior designer Courtney Cole, having a bathroom with an updated style — and paint job — can go a long way. “Buyers usually look for modern and clean spaces,” Cole explains. “Having an updated bathroom suggests that the home has been well-maintained, making it more attractive to potential buyers.”

A big part of that equation is paint color. The general guideline is to avoid colors that were popular even a decade ago, because the more modern you get, the more value your home could have. And remember — if you object to some of these colors being called dated, that’s totally fair. After all, what you want in a space is what you want in a space. But experts on the market may disagree — and when you’re playing the selling game, you may want to know what they think.

Although peach is a popular color for accent walls and bedrooms — and a popular color among vintage bathroom enthusiasts — peach can be a delicate balance in terms of bathroom color. Shades of peach can make a bathroom appear tired (literally and figuratively), which means it can subconsciously exhaust houseguests. Cole suggests that you avoid using peach to color the walls of your bathroom, and instead pivot to something lighter or more neutral than the pinkish hue.

Cole deems mauve an outdated color, and warns that when it comes to your bathroom decor, you should be extra careful if you’re using it. 

“This color was really popular in the ’80s and ’90s,” explains Cole, emphasizing that even if the purple is your style, it’s best to save it for your personal aesthetic like a bathroom or a private office, rather than a shared space like a bathroom. (But remember — your home, your rules!)

Last but not least, Cole says light green can err on the side of dated. It’s still a trendy color overall, but could read as an outdated shade for the bathroom for buyers. 

“The color was really popular in the 1970s and can remind people of that period,” Cole says. If that’s the case for the homebuyers you’re selling to, it’s best to stray away from light green. On the other hand — and this is true with every color on the list — colors go in and out of style faster than you might think. Case in point? 

“With sage green becoming more popular in home design, this one might make an elegant comeback,” Cole says.

With an established set of outdated bathroom paint colors, you might be wondering what paint colors make a bathroom appear more modern. Cole recommends going for bright or neutral colors that aren’t too gaudy. “A soft gray is a versatile and neutral choice to add a modern look to your bathroom,” she explains. “It also has the added upside of making the room look larger and cleaner, which is always a positive.”

For those who want nothing to do with gray, white and blue are worthy alternatives. Pretty much any shade of white consistently offers a clean and fresh look, regardless of how old the house you’re selling may be. It also offers a bright backdrop against vintage tiles, if that’s your style. 

Similarly, blue of any shade is a great option for hoping to design a colorful bathroom, if you want to give your home a jolt of personality. 

“In a light or darker tone, blue will make the bathroom feel sophisticated and fresh, which will be elevated if you choose to go with a trim and matching white features,” Cole says.