One thing you should never do when decorating a windowless bathroom

Step away from the white

Windowless bathrooms are tricky spaces to decorate. First of all, you have lighting to consider, with none of the natural light you get even from frosted windows. Given that the bathroom is where we apply skincare and makeup products, read in the bath and generally pamper ourselves, we really need to be able to see what we're doing.

However, before you instinctively start researching white bathroom ideas to 'lighten' up the room, an expert reveals why this could be one of the worst things you can do.

Related: How to add bathroom colour on a budget – updates under £50 using paint, fabric, tiles and more

While there are no fixed rules when it comes to bathroom colour schemes, Sophie Harrold, Director at Simply Bathrooms Ltd explains that whitewashing a windowless bathroom is to be avoided, as is playing it safe with colour and pattern.

bathroom with cabinets

(Image credit: Simply Bathrooms Ltd)

'Avoid whitewashing the space with light paint colours and boring products! People often shy away from darker colours or pattern in bathrooms,' says Sophie Harrold, Director at Simply Bathrooms Ltd.

'Here we combined small marble hexagon mosaics with the stunning real marble tiles with distinct veining alongside Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke paint colour on the bespoke furniture and backwall.

bathroom with vintage radio and plants

(Image credit: Simply Bathrooms Ltd)

'The colour added real depth, drawing the eye out to the corners of the room. Due to the blend of colour and design, the lack of natural light does not detract from the space. Instead, it feels like a unique and intimate space,' Sophie adds.

While whitewashing might be out of the question, you can still dabble in white accents and a couple of whitewalls. However, keep in mind that white ideally needs natural light to look it's best, so it will never have the desired effect of brightening a space when there is no window.

With this renovation, Simply Bathrooms Ltd have proved that you can make a really modern, relaxing bathroom even without a window. Playful decorative pieces add a sense of fun, from artificial plants to quirky prints and candle holders.

bathroom with bathtub and plants

(Image credit: Simply Bathrooms Ltd)

The mix of texture creates plenty of interest, with the wood and rattan stool adding a softness to the sleek and shiny space, and the marble provides a sense of luxury, which we all want in a bathroom.

This is an example of the feature wall really coming into its own, and making the space feel bigger. For a striking windowless bathroom, make bold colour choices, and opt for darker tones than you might usually dare.

Related: The best and worst colours to paint bathrooms says Psychology expert

No bathroom window, no problem.

Millie Hurst
Senior Content Editor

Millie Hurst was Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2020-2022, and is now Section Editor at Homes & Gardens. Before stepping into the world of interiors, she worked as a Senior SEO Editor for News UK in both London and New York. You can usually find her looking up trending terms and finding real-life budget makeovers our readers love. Millie came up with the website's daily dupes article which gives readers ways to curate a stylish home for less.