Every little design decision you make affects the look and feel of your home. One of the most important things you can do to change the mood of a room is to change the paint color. While this makes a new coat of paint a great way to transform a room, it also makes it tough to choose the right paint colors for your home.
This becomes even more difficult if you want to avoid the dull look of an all-white interior. If you’re looking for some unique red paint color ideas for primary bathrooms, here are our top picks.
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Caliente (AF-290)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Adding a splash of color to your bathroom is a great way to make it a bit more unique, but it can also backfire. The last thing you want is a red that’s too bright and doesn’t fit with the overall style of your bathroom. Caliente by Benjamin Moore provides a great balance of a strong red color that won’t overpower your bathroom.
Still, this may be a bit much if you’re looking for a simple red.
100 MPH (P170-7)
Source: Behr
Just because you don’t usually find bright colors in bathrooms doesn’t mean they can’t work. If you’re feeling particularly daring when choosing a paint color for your primary bathroom, take a look at 100 MPH by Behr. This red has a little bit of orange to it that keeps it from being too bright, but its almost peach-like color makes it a great option for accents in a bathroom.
Tanager (SW 6601)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
One thing reds are particularly great for is adding a sort of retro look to a room. Tanager by Sherwin-Williams may not be quite the retro shade of red you’re used to, but it has a bit of a throwback look that makes it a great option for traditional primary bathrooms. If you’ve got a window that can let some natural light into your bathroom, Tanager will shine even more.
Bonaparte (CC-64)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Adding a little bit of red to a room can really bring out its personality, but you probably don’t want to go for anything too drastic. Muted, duller reds are a good way to add some color to your primary bathroom without going for anything too bright. Bonaparte by Benjamin Moore provides a soothing feel that you won’t find in a lot of other reds, which makes it a particularly great choice for roomy primary bathrooms.
Whip Lash (P150-6)
Source: Behr
As tempting as it might be to go with a very subtle red, you can get some of the best results if you don’t shy away from more vibrant shades. Whip Lash by Behr might seem a bit too bright and pink for a bathroom, but its almost salmon color fits in great with all sorts of shades of white. This is a great color choice whether you’re looking to paint the majority of your bathroom or simply add an accent wall for a bit of color.
Begonia (SW-6599)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Most of these colors are fairly true reds, but Begonia by Sherwin-Williams makes magic by adding a little more pink than you might expect to see in a bathroom. The great thing about this color is that it’s soft despite being vibrant, which means it won’t completely overpower a room. However, Begonia might not be the color choice for everybody since it does make a strong statement.
Merlot Red (2006-10)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Your bathroom is a place where you spend a lot of time on your own, so you need to make sure it’s comfortable. True to its name, Merlot Red by Benjamin Moore is the perfect shade of red if you want to make your bathroom a cozy spot where you can relax in the tub with a glass of wine. Because this is a sort of mild shade of red, it looks particularly great when exposed to natural light from a window.
Pinkadelic (P160-5)
Source: Behr
If you want something similar to Begonia and Whip Lash but a little more traditional, Pinkadelic by Behr is a good option. While the name might suggest that this is a radical shade of pink, that’s not the case at all. In fact, Pinkadelic has a sort of rosy color that strikes a nice balance between vibrance and subtlety.
This is one of those colors that goes particularly well with a simply decorated bathroom.
Bolero (SW 7600)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
If you want to go with a traditional red in your bathroom, you have to be careful not to go with something too bright. Bolero by Sherwin-Williams does an excellent job of taking a fairly standard shade of red and muting it a bit so it’s not too strong. Perfect for accent walls and whole rooms alike, Bolero has a little bit of red, a little bit of brown and a lot of personalities no matter where you use it.
Cinnabar (CS-1165)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Everybody thinks of something different when it comes to red paint color choices. While some people might opt for a bright cherry red, others might opt for something a bit less vibrant. Cinnabar by Benjamin Moore is perfect if you’re not so into overly vibrant paint colors, offering a sort of warm take on a red that makes it an excellent choice for bathrooms.
If you’re looking for a red you can use for your whole bathroom, Cinnabar is great.
Red My Mind (MQ1-10)
Source: Behr
Sometimes you need a color change that makes a difference without being too drastic, and that can be tough with reds. If you’ve looked at hundreds of shades of red and can’t find one that has the qualities you’re looking for, you might like Red My Mind by Behr. This shade of red has just enough pink in it to lighten it up a bit without actually looking pink.
Still, it’s dark enough to create a nice contrast with the whites in your bathroom.
Red Bay (SW 6321)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Brick-like shades of red are some of the most popular when it comes to interior paint because they’re vibrant without overdoing it. Red Bay by Sherwin-Williams is about as strong a red as you’ll find that doesn’t actually overpower a room. One thing to keep in mind is that this red is strong enough that it creates a lot of contrast with lighter colors, so it might be best to opt for a lighter red if you don’t want that look.
Umbria Red (1316)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Umbria Red by Benjamin Moore gets its name from the Umbria region of Italy, which is famous for its vibrant red wines. The cool thing about this red is how well it actually matches the color of the wine. If you love to light a few candles and relax in your tub, this wine-inspired shade will give your primary bathroom the perfect feel for that.
Despite the mood it brings to your bathroom, Umbria Red is a mild enough color for your whole bathroom.
Haute Couture (MQ1-09)
Source: Behr
If you want to avoid the brightness that can make some reds a little too much, you can’t beat a good muted red. Haute Couture by Behr is an interesting red because it’s almost got a mix of purple and earthy tones that make it stand out. This is a great color choice if you’re looking for a color that makes your bathroom look a little different from the norm.
Despite its unique qualities, Haute Couture is a very safe choice.
Bold Brick (SW 6327)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Some people might not consider Bold Brick by Sherwin-Williams much of a red, but it’s got almost the exact color of brick if you look at it closely. The cool thing about a red like this is that it’s got enough of a brown shade that it’s very subtle. Of course, you also get the benefit of the beautiful contrast between white and the color of brick, which makes the fixtures and trim in your bathroom stand out that much more.
Persimmon (2088-40)
Source: Benjamin Moore
One of the simplest ways to find a good red for your bathroom is to choose a shade that’s not explicitly red. Pinkish reds are great if you’re looking for something soft and comforting, and Persimmon by Benjamin Moore is proof of that. This is a fairly pink-red, but it keeps its distance from hot pink-type colors with a little bit of dullness.
As for its tone, it looks like a color you might find right in the center of a sunset.
Morocco Red (PPU2-17)
Source: Behr
You don’t always have to go with an incredibly unique or odd shade of red to give your bathroom a fresh look. Instead, go back to the basics with Morocco Red by Behr, a traditional shade of red that’s also easy on the eyes. This is about as safe as it gets when it comes to choosing a shade of red for your primary bathroom; while Morocco Red strays toward the orange side of things a bit, it’s a very mild shade.
Cordial (SW 6306)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Just because you’re looking at red as a color family doesn’t mean you have to choose an explicitly red color for your bathroom. Cordial by Sherwin-Williams is one of the most interesting picks on our list because it’s almost as purple as it is red. Not only is Cordial completely different from the reds you’d usually see in bathrooms, but its almost mauve tone also gives it a soft, relaxing feel.
Italiano Rose (2087-30)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Bathrooms are a great place to do makeup, so why not pick a shade of red that’s reminiscent of a traditional makeup color? Italiano Rose by Benjamin Moore is a blush-like shade of pinkish-red. This is the sort of color you might find in lipsticks and beautiful roses alike.
Plus, the vibrant pinkish-red of this paint will stand out in your bathroom without creating too strong a contrast with the white shades.
Moroccan Ruby (S140-6)
Source: Behr
You can never go wrong with a sort of earthy red if you’re looking for something subtle, and that’s exactly what you get with Moroccan Ruby from Behr. A top choice among the mild reds offered by Behr, Moroccan Ruby is a sort of mix of a muted shade of red and a standard brown. If you’re hesitant to choose a red that overpowers your bathroom, this is the color for you.
Heartthrob (SW 6866)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
For the most part, this list sticks with the shades of red that are most popular in bathrooms. When most people are painting a primary bathroom, they avoid cherry-red shades that can add too much brightness. If you’re not afraid of taking the plunge and going for a truly bold red, Heartthrob by Sherwin-Williams is a really nice color.
Just make sure you want a red this bright in your bathroom before you take the leap.
Arroyo Red (2085-10)
Source: Benjamin Moore
Opting for a simple shade of red for your bathroom is a smart choice if you want to be safe. Arroyo Red by Benjamin Moore is great because it’s not quite a traditional red, but it’s also not daring enough to clash with your bathroom too much. This red gets its inspiration from the earthy reds you can find in the desert valleys of the Southwest, and it does a great job of capturing that color.
Cordovan (SW 6027)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
Of all the reds on our list, Cordovan by Sherwin-Williams might be the most interesting combination of colors. At first glance, Cordovan looks like a sort of purplish red. The more you look at it, though, the more you see its earthy brown tones.
This combination of colors makes for a really cool sort of purple shade that’s subtle enough to use anywhere.
Spice (PPU2-18)
Source: Behr
Every paint color works to create a certain mood, and warm and inviting is the best mood to create in a bathroom. Spice by Behr is reminiscent of the browns and oranges you see on the ground and in the trees during autumn. Just the right mix of orange and brown make this a slightly vibrant but mostly subtle color choice that looks great in any room in the house.
Antique Red (SW 7587)
Source: Sherwin-Williams
We already talked about how red can add a retro feel to a room, and Antique Red by Sherwin-Williams is specifically designed to give you that look. If you want to add a little character to your bathroom and offset the drab whites, Antique Red is a great way to do it safely. Plus, this red looks great with any traditional fixtures or decor you may have in your primary bathroom.
