Try these 5 blue bathroom ideas for a true showstopper

The possibilities of blue seem to continue ad infinitum. In one’s bathroom, it has the ability to turn your space into a true at-home sanctuary, calm and unwinding and perfect for daily rituals. Dark, moody iterations of the colour can make this kind of room feel luxurious or cocoon-like, and then there’s the brilliance of turquoise for something bolder.

From punchy aquas to soothing pastels, we’ve rounded up five bathrooms to help you choose the right shade of blue. Delve into them for a retreat you can make your own.


This bathroom features tongue-and-groove paneling and shelf in Resene Yes Please, flooring in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash, a bathmat and inside tray table in Resene Mozart and vases in Resene Meditation and Resene Kandinsky. Furnishings include a bath, bath filler and vanity, all from Plumbing World.

A vivid turquoise like Resene Yes Please is a confident choice that’s perfect for a sharp injection of colour, especially in an all-white bathroom. Pair it with accents of pale mauve like Resene Mozart to bring in some warmth, or complement it with similarly icy blues like Resene Meditation and soft grey pastels like Resene Midwinter Mist and Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow. Get the look with a few small vases, a wooden stool and timber flooring stained in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash.

Top tip The natural colour and density of your wooden floorboards will affect the final look of Resene Colorwood, so keep this in mind when selecting your stain. If your timber has a higher density, it may not absorb the stain as easily. In this case, consider using a slightly darker stain to achieve your desired colour.


Wall in Resene Cut Glass, floorboards in Resene Raven, Resene Half Raven, Resene Gull Grey, Resene Grey Shadow, Resene Regent Grey and Resene Kensington Grey. The vanity is in Resene Bermuda Grey, the slatted screen in Resene Half Black White, the duck mat in Resene Black White, the ladder in Resene Silver Chalice and the side tables are in Resene Avalanche. Basin mixer and sink from Plumbing World, mirror from Kmart, vase from Junk & Disorderly, soap dispenser from Freedom Furniture, apothecary containers (on vanity) from Kmart, towels from Resene Living collection at Briscoes.

A symphony of blues is an easy – and stunning – feat. Simply bring in a range of similarly toned hues like Resene Raven, Resene Bermuda Grey, Resene Avalanche and Resene Cut Glass and disperse them. We’ve employed a light blue for this bathroom’s larger areas to keep the space nice and bright, and used darker colours for points of contrast.

The floorboards, a veritable mix of greys and greyed blues, add to the room’s creative edge while also amplifying the overarching sense of calm. Cut through these colours with a few pops of white to finish off the look.


Wall in Resene Cashmere, floor in Resene Lynchpin and stencilled tiles in Resene Solitaire, Resene Half Solitaire, Resene Gull Grey, Resene Double Stack, Resene Sour Dough and Resene Longitude. Woven basket in Resene Bone, half-painted rattan lampshade in Resene Bone, nesting table in Resene Avalanche and step shelf in Resene Eighth Black White with shelves in Resene Gull Grey. The Resene Living towels are from Briscoes. 

The combination of dusty coral pink and slate-grey blue is a striking one, and can be bought together with a considered, patchwork-like stencil. To get this look, paint your flooring in Resene Lynchpin and your walls in Resene Cashmere, then link the two with a three-column floor-to-ceiling design comprising Resene Solitaire, Resene Half Solitaire, Resene Gull Grey, Resene Double Stack, Resene Sour Dough and Resene Longitude. You can choose to repeat your stencil design or mix it up with several different patterns.

For your bathroom’s décor, bring in a woven basket, a ladder and a large rattan lampshade. A few vases and an indoor plant, such as an orchid, make for great final touches.


Back wall in Resene Jaguar with painted terrazzo in Resene Alpaca, Resene Urbane and Resene Tom Tom. Left wall in Resene Tangaroa and right wall in Resene High Tide. Floor in Resene Mercury, vanity in Resene Tangaroa, ladder in Resene High Tide, hooks in Resene Tangaroa (left) and Resene Alpaca (right), and soap dispenser in Resene Tom Tom. Basin and faucet from Plumbing World, dressing gown, beach bag and tote from H&M, shoes and mirror from Kmart, Resene Living towels from Briscoes.

Create the effect of maxi-sized terrazzo with this feature wall painted in a trio of neutrals: Resene Alpaca, Resene Urbane and Resene Tom Tom. Brought out by a background of Resene Jaguar, an inky blue, the chips of quartz, granite and more of the composite material appear as if they’ve been put under a magnifying glass – every detail is on display. 

Complement this look with charcoal blues like Resene High Tide and marine blues like Resene Tangaroa. If your walls are dressed in either of these colour schemes, paint your flooring in pale grey like Resene Mercury to really amplify those deep tones while breaking up the dark palette.


Wall in Resene Eighth Black White with grid in Resene Blackjack and colour blocks in Resene Jalapeno (red), Resene Aviator (blue) and Resene Galliano (yellow). Timber floorboards in Resene Colorwood in Mid Greywash, duck mat in Resene Black White, shelf in Resene Blackjack and vase with tulips in Resene Half Black White.

This look takes its inspiration from the abstract paintings of Piet Mondrian, where blue, red, yellow, white and a frame of black remain distinct yet coalesce in colour harmony. To match the vividness of Mondrian’s work, we’ve chosen Resene Galliano, Resene Jalapeno and Resene Aviator. Keep your bathtub and accoutrements a crisp white so as to let those pops of colours really shine and opt for a heavy black like Resene Blackjack for your vertical and horizontal lines.

Top tip Align your black framework with a square mirror, if you have one, to seamlessly meld art and design, and incorporate angular cabinetry to continue the sharp-lined motif.

styling Kate Alexander and Megan Harrison

images Bryce Carleton

Published: 11 Nov 2020

Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].

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Resene Midwinter Mist

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Resene Half Black White

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Resene Regent Grey

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Resene Kensington Grey

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Resene Half Solitaire

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Resene Eighth Black White

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Resene Quarter Scarpa Flow

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