Red is the 'it' bathroom colour choice for 2026 - here's how to use this dramatic shade in cloakrooms, ensuites and family bathrooms

I know what you might be thinking - red in a bathroom? Really? It's a bold and seemingly shocking bathroom colour scheme, but hear me out, the risk will pay off.

Most bathrooms fall victim to an all-white look. In a room where practicality, cleanliness and relaxation comes first, opting for neutral colours has long been the obvious choice.

However, as we make our homes more colourful than ever before, we learn that colour has powerful properties for improving wellbeing, and our bathrooms shouldn't be left out.

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Red is one of the biggest colour trends for 2026, and a bathroom might be the best place to try it out.

The unexpected red colour theory was how I first came across using this bold shade within the home. The practice involves using the colour sparingly as a pop of colour, whether on a window frame or even just through a table lamp.

This is particularly effective in living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms as a larger room benefits from unexpected touches that add a point of difference to a design. However, in a bathroom, decorative touches are less common, so you can afford to go bold with the overall colour scheme.

'Red is experiencing a resurgence in interior design. Not only in its softer, muted, earthy tones but also in its electric shades. Used in the right way, a pop of red can add instant vibrancy and personality to a scheme. Equally, drenching a space can have spectacular effect,' explains John Law, creative director of interiors at Woodhouse & Law.

'Be it in the form of a feature bath tub, or vanity, or a rich drenching treatment over walls and ceilings to create a cocooning feel,' he adds.

In 2026, bathroom trends are focussed around creating a wash space that feels like an extension of our living areas, so the more colour, texture and warmth the better.

When it comes to using red in a bathroom, texture is everything. We're seeing a resurgence in gloss paint finishes and it's especially effective in a small bathroom to reflect light and make it feel larger.

Ideal Home's Editor-in-Chief, Heather Young, has used a dramatic coral-red shade in her downstairs cloakroom in a matte finish, but the contrast of the curtain fabric adds plenty of dimension to the design.

'Combining reds in a gloss or lacquered finish with more textural, matte finishes adds depth to a scheme as well as a sense of fun,' John adds.

If you're not ready to go all in on red, you're in luck - it's a versatile shade that works so well with other bright colours.

'Don’t be afraid to use red with pink! People tend to think it’s a total faux pas but in fact it can really lift a pink scheme and avoid a saccharine look,' interior designer, Laura Stephens, adds.

Red also works exceptionally well with pale blue, and it's a clever way of adding light back into a look if you don't have an abundance of natural light in your bathroom.

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There is so much to gain from indulging in colour in a bathroom - you'll leave every bath soak and speedy morning shower feeling creative and inspired.