Bring out the best in your bathroom

With bathrooms you can afford to be a little more courageous with colour.

A steel blue bathroom

Bathroom finished in Resene Bounty.

Bathrooms are one of the smallest rooms in the house and are generally cluttered with towel rails, basins and showers/baths. While this can make them a decorator's nightmare, it also means you can afford to be a little more courageous with colour. If your original colour choice doesn't work, you can repaint a small bathroom quickly.

There are no real rules when it comes to colour use, though greens and blues have traditionally been popular. Larger bathrooms can be made dramatic with deep reds and deep blues, but be aware they will reduce the perceived size of the bathroom so take care using dramatic hues in a small bathroom.

Avoid using too many colours if your bathroom feels small. Instead, paint a dado on the bottom third of each wall in your chosen colour and paint the remaining two-thirds in white. Blues and greens being tranquil and clean are popular choices for bathrooms. Being cool colours, they can also make a small bathroom appear more spacious.

Make sure your bathroom is adequately ventilated before you start redecorating; otherwise you may find your new bathroom finish doesn't last long in a wet and steamy environment.

Remember to add the finishing touches. These will reflect your personality and can make a big difference to the overall effect. You might like to think about coloured towels, flowers or plants; a wicker chair; shelves; decorative mirror frames; old china and candles; posters and paintings.

Resene has a range of kitchen and bathroom paints formulated with anti-bacterial silver and MoulDefender to protect your bathroom. Combine with Resene SpaceCote Flat on your ceiling.

A bright pink bathroom