Small bathroom design with painted walls. Painting walls in the bathroom: step-by-step instructions. Preparatory work - what to consider at this stage

Small bathroom design with painted walls.  Painting walls in the bathroom: step-by-step instructions.  Preparatory work - what to consider at this stage
Small bathroom design with painted walls. Painting walls in the bathroom: step-by-step instructions. Preparatory work - what to consider at this stage

Is it worth continuing to tile all the walls in the bathrooms with ceramic tiles? Let's try to debunk the main myths about painting bathroom walls and listen to expert advice.

No matter how much leading designers recommend painting bathroom walls, we continue to diligently install even rows of ceramic tiles. And let it be “like everyone else,” but it will be reliable. We ourselves don’t really remember what exactly reliability consists of, but old habits are hard to change. But our ideas about painted walls are often just misconceptions.

Myth 1 - “Painted walls are boring”

Yes, many still remember what the walls looked like in some Soviet apartments: painted with green or dirty beige oil paint, even then they were associated with poverty and despondency. But the situation has long since changed.

Designers use painting bathroom walls in interiors of many styles: they combine paint of restrained tones with stucco and traditional tiles for art deco, paint the walls in pastel colors for a light vintage and Provence feel, use a cheerful palette to recreate the era of the 50s and a contrasting bright one for style pop Art.

Painting allows you to use artistic painting and apply ornaments to the walls; if desired, the bathroom walls can be painted in different colors or applied with a striped, checkered or diamond pattern. And as soon as you get tired of all this, in just one day the walls can be repainted - which cannot be compared with a complex renovation where tiles were used!

Myth 2 - “In the bathroom, painted walls are afraid of water”

Of course, the absorbency of ceramic tiles is much lower than that of paint, but we are not going to pour water directly on the wall. Glass and tiled aprons around the sink and bathtub have not been canceled, and if your neighbors flood you one day, the renovation will still suffer, and no tile will save you.

There are also those who still believe that water-based paint will simply be washed off with water. In fact, acrylic and latex dry irreversibly, that is, it will no longer be possible to dissolve them with water after drying. According to their characteristics, acrylic and latex paints with special additives for wet rooms are ideal for ceilings and walls in bathrooms.

Myth 3 – “Painting bathroom walls is bad for your health”

Modern house paints are water-based, which is completely safe: they simply do not contain solvents that could be harmful to humans. Paints from reputable manufacturers have hygienic permits and certificates confirming the safety of their use, and it is your responsibility to request them from the seller when purchasing. In addition, special paints are produced for bathrooms and other rooms with high humidity that do not deteriorate and do not emit harmful fumes at high temperatures.

Myth 4 - “Painted walls will immediately become covered with mold”

In any room where there is moisture and there is no normal ventilation, there is a really high probability of mold and other fungi appearing. Moreover, mold feels great even in a room completely covered with tiles; it is simply located under it - which is less noticeable, but no less harmful. Meanwhile, paints labeled “bathroom” often contain special components that prevent the development of harmful microorganisms; their content per square meter can be further increased by applying two or three layers of bathroom paint.

Myth 5 – “The paint on the bathroom walls always cracks”

Cracks on painted walls are a common phenomenon not only in bathrooms. And paint, as a rule, has nothing to do with it: cracks form on poorly prepared walls. The surface of the wall must be well leveled, and the plaster must be completely dry; it is also unacceptable to skip the priming stage. On a properly prepared base and using high-quality paint, cracks will not appear.

Myth 6 - “After painting the walls in the bathroom, a white coating appears on them”

White deposits are calcareous traces of water from splashes and condensation. Owners of bathtubs lined with dark tiles constantly “fight” with such a coating, while those with light tiles simply do not notice it. Responsible paint manufacturers have thought about this too: quality bathroom paints prevent condensation and are deliberately produced in white and pastel colors.

Myth 7 – “Painting a bathroom is too much hassle”

In fact, you only need to spend one time on high-quality plaster, primer and paint, as well as on paying for the work of professionals, who are better off inviting for high-quality preparation of the base. And then - repaint the walls to your taste at least once every three years, at least once a month, and do it yourself, armed with a can of paint and an ordinary roller!

The main feature of the bathroom is high humidity. This problem can be solved by good ventilation, as well as the use of the right materials for finishing - specialized moisture-resistant products. Tile is the best solution, but its price is not the cheapest. Instead of tiles, the walls can be painted - this is an inexpensive and, at the same time, stylish option for creating a unique interior design. But how to paint the walls in the bathroom?

Very often, painting the walls in the bathroom with your own hands is the only right solution. For example, if you are limited in funds or space, and every centimeter counts. Let us list the main advantages of this type of room decoration:

  1. Cost-effectiveness - even with the most complex interior design project, the financial costs will be much lower than when decorating the walls in the bathroom with tiles or plastic panels.
  2. Ease and low cost of subsequent repairs if you decide to update your bathroom decor.
  3. Original appearance. Painted walls in the bathroom, as in the photo above, have a beautiful and unusual look.
  4. Wide range of options for choosing patterns, colors and a simple principle of applying paint that does not require special skills.
  5. The process of applying paint and drying it, with a well-prepared surface, occurs very quickly.

It is also worth noting points that are considered disadvantages of painted surfaces:

  1. Bathroom walls need to be carefully prepared for painting.
  2. Low durability of the coating at constant humidity.
  3. Difficult to care for. Do not use abrasive products when cleaning painted walls.

Thus, painting the walls in the bathroom is a fairly cheap finishing method that does not require special skills, a very hygienic, easy-to-clean coating, and easy to choose a pattern and shade. But it is necessary to perfectly level the walls for painting in the bathroom and follow the rules for caring for the painted surface in a room with high humidity.


How to choose moisture-resistant paint?

On the packaging of any finishing material there are instructions on how to use it, which makes it easy to navigate its features. When choosing what paint to paint a bathroom, first of all, you need to focus on its properties and features, and then on the color. So, you need to choose a painting material marked “moisture resistant”, but it is better not to take paint with a marker “moisture resistant”, since after its application the walls will not “breathe”.

If you don’t yet know what paint you can use to paint a bathtub, then let’s immediately note that waterproof paints include oil paints, which are more suitable for exterior decoration, while indoors such a coating will accumulate condensation on the walls, creating a greenhouse effect. Therefore, it is better to choose acrylic, latex or water-based paint for finishing the walls in the bathroom.

However, there is no clear answer to the question of how to paint the walls in the bathroom. The main thing is that the painted coating is beautiful, smooth and lasts a long time. All types of paints for wet rooms have their advantages and disadvantages:

  1. Alkyd enamel - dries quickly, is moisture resistant, forms a thin layer without streaks. It has an unpleasant odor, so it is usually used for outdoor work and protecting metal surfaces from rust.
  2. Chlorinated rubber is water-repellent, so it is mainly used in swimming pools.
  3. Oil-based is water-repellent, cheap, but it dries in 36-48 hours, has an unpleasant odor, cracks quickly, and is difficult to remove from the surface.
  4. Aerosol - if you are interested not only in decorating a room, but also in how to paint a bathtub, that is, restoring its surface to create a new design, then the choice is definitely in favor of aerosol enamel in cans, since it is used for painting steel and cast iron products.
  5. Water-based is the best option for finishing bathroom walls with your own hands. It is divided into silicone, latex, acrylic and with the addition of PVA. Let's look at the last type of paint in more detail.

To decide what to paint the walls in the bathroom with, we recommend that you watch this video:

Features of water-based paints

In addition to moisture resistance, bathroom paint must have antibacterial protection, since wet rooms are ideal conditions for the life of microorganisms. Finishing walls with water-based paint provides protection against bacteria.

Silicone water-based emulsion has a vapor-proof structure, repels water perfectly, and is a good option for painting facades.

To design walls in the bathroom, acrylic or latex water-based paints are used:

  • Acrylic waterproof is the most popular, has a low price and a huge range, allowing you to create a completely original design. Dries quickly, covers the surface well, leaving a clean, rich color, ideal for creating color transitions or textured patterns. However, to decorate walls with this type of paint, the surface must be perfectly flat.
  • After drying, latex paint forms a film that protects the surface from dirt, fungus and moisture. At the same time, it allows steam to pass through, which prevents the formation of condensation. The latex coating does not collapse even when directly exposed to water. However, this paint is very thick and viscous, so the walls must first be puttied to seal all the cracks.

PVA-based water-based paint is the cheapest option, but it is only suitable for dry rooms, since splashes of water, toothpaste and detergent foam will damage such a coating.


Choice of color and gloss

Having decided what paint to paint the walls in the bathroom, you need to understand how to choose the right color. Construction stores, as a rule, have tinting machines that can very accurately synthesize the desired shade. But this can also be done manually, adding coloring pigment a little at a time and stirring the mixture well.

Thus, for small bathrooms, a design in light shades is recommended, as they allow you to visually enlarge the room. The color of the walls should match the shades of the furniture and plumbing fixtures. To create the interior of spacious bathrooms, you can use contrasting shades. However, keep in mind that drip marks are more visible on dark walls.

The paint can be not only colored, but glossy or matte, as well as embossed.

The glossy coating shines and shimmers in the light, looks very beautiful, is resistant to mechanical damage, but is suitable for a perfectly smooth and even surface.


A matte finish can hide small irregularities and harmonizes with any design, but this surface is less resistant to mechanical damage.


Relief paints create a fine structure on the surface of the walls that hides minor irregularities.


Preparing for painting work

Before you paint the walls in the bathroom, you need to prepare the surface and the tools necessary for the job. The process of high-quality painting requires careful preparation of the base for painting work, otherwise all the efforts will go down the drain. Preparing bathroom walls for painting involves:

  1. Removal of old facing coatings by mechanical (hammer, chisel, drill with cord brush, sandpaper, spatula), chemical (special solvents, paint destroyer) or thermal (heating the construction surface with a hot air gun or blowtorch) method.
  2. Then you need to get rid of dust on the wall: wash it with water, and then apply one or two coats of primer.
  3. Carefully repair all cracks, holes and other defects using moisture-resistant putty intended for interior work.
  4. After the putty mixture has dried, remove any irregularities using a sander or manually with sandpaper.
  5. If there are traces of fungus or mold on the walls, treat the entire surface with a special antiseptic or chlorine-containing solution. Copper sulfate is also suitable for this purpose.
  6. A smooth and even base is carefully primed in several layers. After each treatment, you need to let the wall dry completely. It is better to choose a primer with antibacterial properties to prevent the formation of fungus and mold.

After the last layer of primer has completely dried, you can begin painting. But first you need to prepare all the necessary tools:

  • several types of brushes (narrow, wide, curved);
  • a suitable paint roller or spray gun;
  • tray (bath) for paint;
  • masking tape;
  • protective gloves and mask.

It is easy to determine how much paint to purchase for finishing a bathroom according to the instructions on the packaging - the consumption of milliliters of liquid per 1 sq.m. is indicated there. in one layer! By multiplying the footage of the room by its height, you will find out how many square meters you have to paint. Multiply this number by the consumption and the number of layers and get the result - how many liters of paint you will need.

For example, the can indicates a consumption of 0.25 liters per 1 sq.m., wall footage is 3 m, height is 3 m, number of layers is 2:

  • 9*0.25 = 2.25 liters

  • 2.25 * 2 layers = 4.5 liters of paint will be required to paint the wall.

Now you can find out how many cans or buckets of paint you need.


Bathroom wall painting technology

Painting walls indoors is an interesting and creative activity that requires an original approach and adherence to certain rules for the best result:

  1. Apply masking tape to adjacent surfaces and areas where colors change. The protective tape will prevent paint from getting into unnecessary places.
  2. Wear a protective mask and gloves.
  3. The paint for the first layer can be diluted slightly with water - by 10-15%.
  4. Pour the paint into the grooved tray and soak the tools (brush and roller) well. Roll the roller over the paper to ensure even application.
  5. Before applying paint to the wall, roll the roller along the grooves to get rid of excess liquid, then smudges will not form.
  6. First of all, use brushes to paint all hard-to-reach places and corners.
  7. Then, from top to bottom, from the junction of the wall and the ceiling to the free surface, everything is painted with a roller or spray. At the same time, do not press the roller too hard.
  8. After the first layer has completely dried, you can apply a second coat of paint.
  9. If the walls will be painted in multiple colors or with added squares, corners and lines, then use masking tape to create these shapes with even line borders. The tape is removed only after the top layer has completely dried.
  10. A very beautiful design is obtained when painting using stencils. To do this, you can use special rollers with a pattern or stencil paper.

Thus, painting the walls in the bathroom with your own hands is an inexpensive, very simple, but effective way to update the interior. To obtain the ideal effect, use high-quality materials and tools, properly prepare the base and follow the rules for painting the surface. Use your creativity to create an original design!

And we offer you some photo ideas that will inspire you to paint the walls in your bathroom:


Each manufacturer has moisture-resistant paints in its arsenal, specialized for wet rooms. Water-dispersion paints that are resistant to constant exposure to water have become widespread. They do not wash out for quite a long time, dry very quickly, and do not have a strong odor.

A very important feature of bathroom paints and varnishes is their vapor repellency. Pay attention to the composition so that it contains fungicides and algaecides. They prevent mold or mildew from spreading.

An important point: to prevent cracks from subsequently forming on the painted walls, and to ensure that the surface has a spectacular and attractive appearance, apply paints to completely dry walls. Otherwise, condensation will form under the coating, which will lead to a deterioration in the decorative properties of the paint.

If you are applying decorative plaster, it is better to focus on those types that use wax or water-dispersed varnish - they will provide protection from water droplets and from a humid environment.

A famous proverb says “My home is my castle.” Every person wants to surround himself with a cozy atmosphere of warmth, peace and care. People's lives can sometimes be very busy with many surprises and, alas, not always pleasant ones. At such moments, you want to quickly return to your native “nest”, forgetting about all the failures and mistakes.

It so happens that the “heart” of the home for many is in the bathroom. In the smallest corner of your beautiful home, you can relax, put your body and soul in order, be alone, think about important decisions and cheer up.

Have you ever noticed that a person enters the bathroom in one emotional state, experiencing despondency, weakness, depression, anger, disappointment, and leaves in a completely different state - cheerful, balanced, self-confident. The bathing procedure seems to be filled with magical properties that work wonders on people.

Psychological impact of colors on humans

Color is the colorful rainbow of life.

The color palette is luxurious and amazing. Shades and tones can not only affect your mood, they can radically change your life. The psychological impact of color solutions in the interior is amazing and sometimes surprising. But no one doubts that the spirit of magic is present - some colors irritate, while others heal.

Before radically changing the color in the interior, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations of psychologists in order to avoid negative consequences.

Colors are divided into soothing cold and stimulating warm. The warm palette consists of red, orange and yellow. And the calming range is famous for blue, cyan, green and violet. There are also neutral colors - black, white, gray.

Red color the interior is amazing, luxurious and beautiful, like a begonia in the morning, opening in a fragrant bowl. He is active, strong, with a powerful influence on the psyche. The color of action and passion. has a positive effect on a person. Half an hour a day and he behaves more confidently, more actively and decisively, radiates attractiveness and sexuality. In ancient times, only members of the royal family had the right to use red shades. The interior in this color looks majestic.

Orange bathroom will charge you with boundless happiness, warmth will emanate from you, as if you have taken on the role of a gentle, long-awaited sun. This color charges a person with joy, fun and kindness. Everyone who enters the orange room will be able to wrap themselves in a transparent, but so warm and gentle blanket, woven from the life-giving rays of the sun.

A yellow bathroom is an island of paradise in your home.

In such a room you can get a boost of optimism for the whole day, and no one can ruin your mood. You will radiate crazy magnetism. Thanks to the color yellow, people become more sociable and friendly. The yellow room can keep you in good shape all year round.

A green bathroom will become your desired life-giving oasis in the spring in the desert.

In a room of this color you can balance physical and moral strength, open your heart to new emotions, develop creativity, relax and feel stability. It is not for nothing that it is used in the meditation room.

A blue bathroom will “transport” you to endless cornflower meadows.

Color has mystical properties. He is mysterious and alluring. Brings peace and tranquility. And in the twilight and predawn hours you can observe a soft blue glow, which gives a mysterious blue color. In addition, it is capable of such a miracle as lowering the temperature in the room and introducing the desired refreshing coolness.

Purple is a royal color.

His palette is rich and fascinating. All floral shades are suitable for the bathroom. Lilac and lavender tones will amaze guests and household members. The purple color looks majestic and proud. It will perfectly relieve stress and nervousness. Has serenity and calmness.

Black color attracts with its formality and severity.

It will help you focus on spirituality and reflect on life. With its help, you can isolate yourself from the whole world and think about important issues, making the right decisions. But you should take into account that the color is gloomy and can lead to depression, so you should not use it as the main color. In a black room you will feel a heavy and cold cloak on you, pulling you into the dark abyss of anger, hatred and fear.

A white bathroom is angelically clean, beautiful and solemn.

Designers love this color. It is like a blank sheet of paper onto which brush strokes confidently fall, giving birth to a beautiful work of art. The room will give the gift of purity, virtue, innocence and freshness.

How to choose the right color?

Thanks to the amazing developments of designers, the bathroom has ceased to be a place that you don’t want to go into again. Now there are many bright, rich, interesting, bold and sometimes even strange styles. It all depends on the taste preferences of the owners.

Exquisite bathroom. The good thing about a classic is that it is relevant at all times. Brings peace and tranquility. In addition, it creates a light, airy, sometimes weightless, feather-like interior. Classic loves pastel, calm colors - beige, cream, milky, pale blue in a duet with golden and silver notes. Luxury, nobility and elegance are the credo of the classics.

Reflects the mentality of the inhabitants of the rising sun. This interior is distinguished by harmony, modesty and spirituality. The room is a pleasant place to relax and think about the meaning of life, filling your soul with your own philosophy. The preferred colors are red, white, green, black and sometimes pink. If you like laconic aesthetics, Japanese style is for you.

Delicate, elegant and the most controversial. The bathroom in this style solution gives comfort and functionality, thanks to modern technology. The room “plays” with all natural shades. It combines all the seasons - a snow-white winter, rich in exquisite “silks”, a charming laughing spring in an emerald dress, a golden, elegant and wise lady-autumn, and a cheerful, bright and juicy summer. All the colors of nature are appropriate in the interior of this charming style.

“came” from the French countryside. A room for taking water treatments in this style is associated with flower meadows, a refreshing wind and the golden sun of Provence. The color scheme is pastel colors with floral patterns. This room is cozy and homely.

Egyptian style is mysterious and very intriguing. The color palette pleases the eyes with sand, beige, light yellow, and golden shades. It is suitable for brave, active and knowledgeable people. An unusual bathroom, filled with the charm of mysterious Egypt, is rare, but if you want to try to understand the mysteries of the Egyptian pharaohs, start with interior design.

The styles are varied and impressive in their splendor.

Before giving preference to one color or another, take into account the area, the general style of the house, and also think about whether it can “give” the result that you need for a comfortable and practical life.