In a bathroom setting, many people opt for beautiful neutral tiles. The key is to remember that there are no grays, taupes or beiges in the rainbow. It might not always be easy to see, but all “neutral” tiles actually have undertones and colors within them. This gray might have some green in it, that taupe might have some blue in it, and that stone might have a little yellow, orange or purple in it. It’s really important to take a look at what the real color is, even if it’s a natural surface (or mimicking a natural surface) because everything leads back to the rainbow. Once you discover these undertones, and are able to tell what you are really looking at, the sky’s the limit. For example, something with a yellow undertone will always look great against oranges, chocolates and blues. Or for a modern color combination, you could pair it with a charcoal or black.
In a bathroom, it’s really all about the way you combine your field tile with your accent tile. This is why it amazes me that so many people pick their field tile first, and their accent tile later. I always suggest picking your accent tile first — pick an accent tile that you love, a color that will look beautiful in your home. From there, it becomes easy to choose a field tile that will exist naturally with all the colors in your home (even if you don’t end up using the accent tile!) This technique is based on the same color philosophy I have used for years with my paint, and it will work wonders in your bathroom too!