For a chic bathroom that won't date, a black and white colour palette is just the thing. A wonderful pairing for creating calm, minimalist spaces, a black and white interior is also helpful as a canvas for brighter colours to shine from. Whether you want to complement your monochrome bathroom with a pop of pink or a dash of gold, black and white provides a fail-safe foundation for you to experiment with your decor.
With the increasing popularity of classic-style bathrooms, black and white as a bathroom colour palette is proving to be a go-to choice for a lot of renovators. White is a practical colour for a bathroom as it creates the sense of more space, which is handy seeing as bathrooms are usually some of the smallest rooms in a house. White also reflects sunlight and helps to show up dirt, making your cleaning sessions a lot easier!
Black fixtures, meanwhile, such as Crittall-style shower screens, matt-black taps and black tile grouting evoke a cool, contemporary vibe. Black and white bathroom tiles, particularly Victorian and Edwardian designs, also work a treat in bathrooms as they add depth and character to a space. Read on for our monochrome bathroom ideas and if you love dark decor, be sure to check out our guide to black home decor and black and white kitchen ideas too.
After more colour inspiration? Check out our guides below...
- Blue bedroom ideas: decor ideas for a soothing sleep
- Green kitchen ideas: inspirational colour schemes
- How to use grey in your living room decor
- Burgundy red home decor ideas: enhance the rich shades of plum, damson and crimson
- Pink bathroom ideas and accessories to get you inspired
- Black home decor ideas for a timeless interior
Black and white bathroom ideas
Period black and white bathroom
For a truly classy bathroom, a black and white colour palette makes a great starting point. Painting wood panelling, doors and cabinets in this colour will add depth and warmth to the space, while white ceilings and floors keep things light and spacious. If you fancy a little colour, you can also add pops of rich shades like red, gold and cream.
The Turkish rug in the example above is a great way to quickly add charm and interest to a black and white bathroom scheme, and it ties in with the period features of the house, too. Gold doorknobs and statement lighting also help to achieve a characterful aesthetic.
Black and white wallpaper
Bathroom wallpaper is an ingenious way to tap into the monochrome bathroom look. You can get creative with patterns, from period-style to modern geometric styles and statement palm leaf designs like the example above.
If you're worried about how your wallpaper will stand up to humidity, luxury wallpaper designer Elizabeth Ockford has this advice: 'If you’re concerned, apply a coat of matt water-based varnish over all the wallpaper once its hung and dry. Make sure to "seal" all the edges and joins, and this will make your wallpaper more waterproof than traditional vinyl papers.'
Modern black and white bathroom
Renovating a new build bathroom? Give your room instant character with monochrome decor and fixtures. This contemporary bathroom utilises black tiles, a black and white Berber rug and matte-black plumbing to create a welcoming and refreshing space.
If you're worried about your modern bathroom looking too cold with just a black and white aesthetic, add warmth and interest through soft textures, like a rug, and plants in woven baskets.
Black and white tiles
There is no end to our love for statement tiles, from floors to walls, bathroom tiling can take your room from drab to fab. Practical and pretty, they're a great way to inject some fun and personality into your monochrome decor scheme. Here's just a handful of our favourite black and white tiles right now...
Monochrome is far from dull. By contrasting tile styles and adding a contrasting colour like Judith has above, you can create a room packed with pattern and texture.
Try tiling part of your walls and the sides of your bath as well as your floors. It will create more of an impact in your room and means you can leave the top of your walls neutral; let the tiles do the talking!
If you have a small bathroom, statement tiles can create the illusion of space and make the room feel more inviting. If you're feeling really bold, you could even paint the walls black too and go for a total blackout! You'd be surprised how much dark decor can in fact make a room feel bigger.
Black and white fixtures
Crittal-style showers are one of the most popular shower styles at the moment, and we can see why. Both contemporary and classic, the bold black design can work in a range of interior styles, including industrial, Scandi, Mid-Century Modern and even lavish period homes.
For something uber-minimalist, keep colourful accents at bay and stick strictly to black and white shades. Sometimes less is more, so keeping patterns and colours muted could be a great way to make an impact in your bathroom makeover.
How to clean black taps
'If you've splashed out on a smart design, you’ll want to keep it looking like new for as long as possible,' says Paul Bailey, Product Management Leader at GROHE UK.
'Many of today's on-trend graphite and metallic finishes are manufactured using the latest physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology. This creates a durable finish designed to stand up to the wear and tear of everyday life, but it needs to be cleaned with care.
'In most cases, regular cleaning with a little soap, warm water and a microfibre cloth is all that’s required. Steer clear of harsh chemical cleaners, though, as these can damage the finish. Abrasive scourers are best avoided too.
'Although natural remedies such as lemon juice or vinegar may seem safe to use, it’s always best to check with the manufacturer, as they contain acid that can dull certain finishes.'
Black and white bathroom accessories
Sometimes all you need to transform a space is a few key, stand-out accessories. If renovating a bathroom isn't on the cards right now, try adding some black and white accessories to tap into the style instead. Whether it's storage baskets, lighting, towels or even hand soap, monochrome accessories will provide stylish accents to your existing interior.
The matte-black fixtures, minimalist soap dispensers and black reed diffuser are enough to turn a plain white bathroom into an Insta-worthy black and white scheme.
What colours go with a black and white bathroom?
If you're after some accent colours in your monochrome bathroom, we suggest pink, green, gold or teal. These shades are light enough to keep the impact of the black foundation strong but rich enough to give your room warmth.
If you love the monochrome look, check out our style guides to black decor, black & white kitchen ideas and cream kitchen inspo too!
