Moody, not Gloomy! Beautiful Dark Small Bathrooms

One of the most common design tips is to make a small room as light as possible. But do you really need to do that? I have dived into small, moody bathrooms to show you you can go dark in a small space.

These dark bathrooms don’t all have huge windows that let in plenty of natural light. But what they do have is a good design. Large mirrors, brass accents, plants, or glossy dark tiles can make a dark bathroom feel luxurious, lively, and brighter. So, let’s get inspired by these moody dark bathrooms so you can see that dark colors work beautifully in a small bathroom.

Designer Heidi Caillier is one of my favorite interior designers because she is so good with color. She opted for dark blue tiles in this small bathroom paired with a marble and brass sink and classic Victorian-style floor tiles. The beige blinds add a calm, light, and neutral tone to the room.

Black walls and herringone tiles are spurced up with brass fittings and a wood vanity to add warmth.

The bathroom in the 1920s Portland home designed by Jessica Helgerson features dark green metro tiles.

Even though they used black tiles in this bathroom, it doesn’t feel dark at all. The light floor helps, but also the fact that they didn’t tile this bathroom all the way to the ceiling. The white border adds a fresh and light touch to this tiny New York bathroom.

The owners of this Edwardian house in London aren’t afraid of dark colors as they also painted the dining room black. For one of the bathrooms, they opted for dark blue tles paired with a light terrazzo floor and a yellow concrete sink for a vibrant color accent.

Moroccan vibes in this small moody bathroom with textured dark gray tiles. The huge lighted mirror and brass sink and fittings add a glamorous touch.

Another bathroom designed by Heidi Caillier in the Fox Island home. The room features deep blue tiles paired with warm wood and brass accents.

In 2024, Behr paint company chose ‘Cracked Pepper’ as its Color of the Year. This dark gray shade also works beautifully in a bathroom. In this bathroom designed by Becca Interiors, the dark gray walls are paired with a classic checkerboard floor. The wooden legs of the sink and the basket add a warm touch to the gray space.

The small bathroom in a light pink and gray Nordic home oozes luxury thanks to the dark gray walls and bras fittings.

The bahtroom in a duplex apartment in Stockholm features dark blue walls, a black marble floor, and warm deep red tiles.

Dark gray walls and glossy black tiles turn a small guest bathroom in a traditional Los Angeles home into a stylish space.

The small, moody bathroom in Trevor Noah’s Manhattan penthouse.

Dark gray walls, paneling, and shelves turn a small bathroom in a pink and black home into a moody haven.

The midcentury ranch house designed by interior design firm a 1000 x better features a bathroom with the ‘Artemis’ wallpaper from House of Hackney.

This small bathroom is decorated with the Farm Weeds wallpaper designed by Kelly Ventura.

The bathroom on the right features the House of Hackney ‘Midnight Garden’ wallpaper. ‘The wallpaper is inspired by the Dutch Masters and depicts a country garden after dark. Painted with bountiful blooms in a classic colour palette of pink, green, off-white and blue, this moodily romantic print offers a duskier take on a traditional floral.’

Midnight Garden by House of Hackney is a popular choice for a moody, floral wallpaper. This Tudor house in Los Feliz designed by residential developer Jordan Bakva features a moody bathroom with this floral wallpaper.

A Victorian villa in London is decorated with color and wallpaper which you can also see in the bathroom. Moody dark green tiles are matched with a dark green wallpaper.