Create a Bold Bathroom With These Purple Bathroom Ideas

Harriet Goodacre

May 26, 2022

Within in interiors, the use of purple is often overlooked being heavily associated with young, girly schemes or gothic influences but the colour has a fascinating history and can really add a vibrancy to any interior style when the right tone or shade of purple is used. Interestingly purple has had many connections with cultural change over the decades, from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in the 1950s, psychedelic drug culture in the 60s and feminism in the 70s, not to mention the suffragettes in the 1910s.

In its origin in Tyre (now modern-day Lebanon), it was extremely expensive and therefore rare which is where its long-standing relationship with royalty and leadership began. Worn by the Roman magistrates, the imperial colour worn by the Byzantine Empire, the Japanese aristocracy, and even Catholic bishops.

Although the colour is most often associated with royalty it also connotes rarity, magic, mystery, and spirituality, meaning that a deeper connection can be made using this vibrant hue. This is why it’s a great colour to use in a bathroom to create a relaxing sanctuary. Whether you want to makeover a small purple bathroom to create a cosy cocoon or go for a dark purple bathroom for an opulently grand finish, we’ve put together four purple bathroom ideas to suit any style to help inspire you.

Light and Scandi

A purple bathroom can sound a little overwhelming and even old-fashioned, however by tapping into the Scandi trend you can alleviate both fears. A fun purple tile can be modernised using a narrow grout line in a contrasting colour, here Diamante has a light grey grout, Brooklyn Grey, and paired with a modern bathtub design.

The simplistic nature of the grain in Thurlow feels sleek and modern and with the subtle grey wash of Birch it feels light and airy. When using a grey tone on the floor, it’s incredibly difficult to then get the right shade of grey on the wall that will suit both the wall and floor tile. This is where Dulux’s Pale Olivine comes into play, the muddied green has a greyish undertone making it feel harmonious but different enough to complement and not clash with the other greyer tones in the room. Add in touches of oak into your bathroom accessories and here you have the perfect small purple bathroom that feels fresh and modern. Diamante Pastel Lavender, Thurlow Birch, Heritage by Dulux in Pale Olivine, Bath Tidy, Towel Rail

Mid Tone and Rustic

When exploring mid-tones, you need to make sure nothing has too much orange in it, otherwise it can look a bit old or worse, cheap. But when done well, mid-tones offer a great finish and when thinking about purple specifically, these tones will feel less feminine and more neutral.

The Catania tile has a nice red undertone, and the subtle shading and rustic finish of the tile toughens up the overall look of the colour. Lay it vertically for a fresh feel with a complementary grout colour to help keep the finish soft, here we’ve used Powdered Rose.

Sleek matt units in your bathroom will provide storage whilst keeping the room feel seamless and therefore bigger. Opting for a harmonious colour on the doors will also help, Dulux’s Powder Colour is the perfect shade for Catania Violet. Lastly, your floor tile needs to feel warm and Elevo Natural offers the perfect balance of warmth with its neutral undertone. For an extra cosy feel, make sure to install underfloor heating.

Who knew purple bathroom tiles could look so good! Tie the whole look together with beige and matt black accessories and you’ll be making all kinds of excuses to stay home and enjoy your new bathroom.

Catania Violet, Elevo Natural, Heritage by Dulux in Powder Colour, Circular Hook, Toilet Roll Holder, Towels

Dark and Opulent

Dark purple bathrooms work best in larger spaces with a good amount of natural light to avoid them feeling fusty and claustrophobic. Dramatic damson pairs beautifully with darker woods, like Adalene Cognac, and you can’t get more opulent than a wood effect design inspired by the Palace of Versailles!

If you want to go all out, you can create a brocade feature using wallpaper to complement the luxurious scheme but most often this means you can’t have a shower in the space and therefore not the most practical. If you do want to go down that route, we love the contrast of Graham Brown’s Restore Wallpaper in Emerald. Balance the look with a warm green like Dulux’s Olive Tree from their Heritage range.

Carrying on the theme of luxury, a metallic tub is a great investment piece and brass is a truly versatile metal that can be easily introduced into other parts of the room such as the taps, lighting, or fixtures.

Diamante Damson, Adalene Cognac, Graham Brown Wallpaper, Brass Bathtub, Brass Light, Towel Ring

Moody and Modern

With the more vibrant shade of plum-like purples, a matt finish adds a moodiness that feels more modern. To further emphasise this, go for an alternative laying pattern or tile format on the wall and floor. For example, here we’ve used a linear stepladder laying pattern on the wall and then opted for a chic chevron on the floor with Elevo.

Balance out the look with a pink toned neutral like Dulux’s Ancient Sandstone, it will tie the look together and stop it looking too crisp and oversaturated, adding to that moody modern feel.

Elements of matt black, both metal and wood, and industrial touches like exposed copper pipe will help ground the look and keep it modern.

Matrix Collection Victoria Purple, Elevo Chevron Oak, Heritage by Dulux in Ancient Sandstone, Wall-mounted Mirror, Mixer Tap

Purple Paint

Dusted Heather is reminiscent of sea lavender, inspired by the coast, we’ve introduced pastel shades of ivory and green that feel light and airy to complement the colour.

We’ve styled it up with a modern twist on the coastal theme with concrete effect accessories and bamboo to add warmth. Get the look: Heritage by Dulux in Dusted Heather, Matrix Collection Spring Green, Enis Ivory, Cement Toothbrush Holder, Bamboo Mirror

Cherry Truffle is a dark chocolatey brown with a hint of red in its undertone making it a very sophisticated and luxurious purple. Play on the brown tones and introduce earthy terrazzo and rustic fixtures like brushed brass.

Get the look: Heritage by Dulux in Cherry Truffle, Suburbia Natural, Flute White Decor, Brass Shower, Byredo Handwash

Bring purple into 2022 with the help of glossy marble and an eclectic colour palette. Tones of off-white are brought to life by the rich Wild Blackberry tone and contrasted with rich terracotta, accents of dark wood and stunning glassware.

Get the look: Heritage by Dulux in Wild Blackberry, Torrano Calacatta, Matrix Collection Burnt Amber Matt, Walnut Mirror, Soap Dispenser

Looking to use purple in your next bathroom renovation? Make sure to send us a tagged picture on Instagram @toppstiles. You can shop our bathroom tiles online and in store now.

More to explore:

Styling Tips

HomeThe Topps Tiles BlogStyling TipsCreate a Bold Bathroom With These Purple Bathroom Ideas

Inspiration & Advice