Brown Paint Colors for Bathrooms (25 Designer Picks)

Drawn from the warm grounding hues of nature, brown is a color that signifies strength and security. Its supportive nature toward other colors also makes it a favorite accompaniment and balancing hue for both pale and vibrant colors.

This makes the brown color perfect for our personal and private spaces, such as bathrooms. This article will introduce brown paint colors for bathrooms with different shades and tones. These brown paint variations are perfect for homeowners who are choosing the best brown paint to integrate into their next bathroom update or build.

Best Brown Bathroom Paint Colors

Below, we’ll dive into the best light, rich, natural, and timeless brown hues to use in your design. Don’t forget to check out the section on designer tips to help you mix and match accessories and decor to create a cohesive style you’ll love.

The hex code for brown is #964B00, where you can create contrasting colors with blue and green. Variations on the brown shades are also possible with warm, neutral, cool, deep, and earthy browns. Deep browns, for instance, are great with sky blue or light blue. Earthy browns, such as terracotta, are usually combined with blue-green or turquoise.

Light Brown

Loved by the Nordic theme, light brown can range from Dunn-Edwards, which is basically a warm flesh-color tone, to Martha Stewart’s Light Cocoa G18. There are many light brown tones to choose from. It is a popular hue for aiming for that light and airy atmosphere associated with minimalist bathrooms, and you’ll find the color also conforms to almost any color.

Light brown can be an alternative to your usual whitewashed wall, as you can go very light with the undertone color of your choice. You can also match your light walls with a light brown-tone large format tile set to create a cohesive interior. And because it’s a brighter tone, you can match it with white to maintain your bathroom’s airy and spacious feel. 

• Sherwin Williams Dormer Brown SW 2050

• Sherwin Williams Ligonier SW 7717

• Sherwin Williams Sand Dollar

• Sherwin Williams Shaker Beige

• Owl Wing by Dulux

• Hog Bristle by Dulux 

Timeless Brown

Like its namesake, coffee brown is a forever color included in many paint swatches. It has a deep and earthy tone, much like brewed coffee. Like any dark-brown color, the paint tone can be used to highlight bathroom elements. Since it’s a familiar and timeless hue, you’ll have a comforting tone that is unlikely to be phased out, and you’ll easily find a paint color that resembles timeless browns.

Other timeless browns are mocha and caramel, as well as chocolate-brown and taupe. Timeless browns in bathrooms are reminiscent of traditional homes and are great in farmhouse or cottage-inspired homes. 

• Spanish Brown by Benjamin Moore

• Mocha Latte by Behr

• Roasted Nuts by Behr

• Autumn Brown by Benjamin Moore 

Rich Brown

From decadent bronze tiles to a natural expanse of oak-colored planks, the look and feel of wood are irresistible, even in your damp bathroom space. That is why simulated wood, such as porcelain or vinyl tiles, is a great option. However, you can also use rich-brown paints to add that warm and comforting tone you need.

Rich browns such as burnt sienna, dark walnut, mahogany-brown, espresso, or umber are gorgeous browns that are perfect for highlighting large sections of walls or architectural features. Aside from having been inspired by food and beverages, you’ll find rich deep hues in traditional materials such as terra cotta and burnt sienna. 

• Charleston Brown by Benjamin Moore 

• Valley Forge Brown by Benjamin Moore 

• Plymouth Brown by Benjamin Moore 

• Barista by Benjamin Moore 

• Wenge by Benjamin Moore 

• Tanner’s Brown by Farrow & Ball

• Behr Espresso Beans – PPU5-01

Dark Brown

With a sense of familiarity yet a degree of mystery, dark browns can be a substitute for black tones in a bathroom. They can be used as framing or to highlight colors in a white or other light-toned surround. Emphasize a bathroom element such as a deep walnut or pecan-brown color for your floating bathroom vanity or exposed trusses.

This adds depth while giving the illusion of a floating vanity counter. Dark-brown paint colors can also create a moody and sophisticated bathroom interior. Traditional bathrooms with deep wooden surfaces were common in the 1920s, combined with rich pastels and cozy neutrals in the 1930s. Today, a revival of the color combination of wood and pastels is popular, but it has a matte finish with grayer undertones. 

• Van Buren Brown by Sherwin Williams 

• Appachalian Brown by Benjamin Moore

• Middlebury Brown HC-68 by Benjamin Moore

• Sea Elephant by Dulux 

 

Natural Brown

Nature has an abundance of brown colors to showcase, starting with the most popular sources of inspiration: trees. Birch, pine, spruce, oak, teak, and red cherry wood. Benjamin Moore has a wide range of browns for bathrooms inspired by nature, aside from its color family of historic landmarks. 

When choosing colors for your bathroom, another great idea is to go with wood colors with a combination of a green-and-brown, which can be your accent, perfectly matching a nice, very rich-brown flooring. – Minimalist Lifestyle And Home, Patty Morgan

Because hues are from natural surroundings, you’ll find it easy to mix and match other natural materials, such as stone tiles. 

• Sherwin Williams Nomadic Desert SW 6107

• Sherwin Williams Coconut Husk SW 6110

• Dunn Edwards Monterey Brown

• Benjamin Moore 2096-20 Chocolate Truffle 

Designer Tips for Using Brown in the Bathroom

• Natural light plays an important role in creating a warm and welcoming bathroom space. You can determine which brown shade to choose by basing it on how much light enters your bathroom. 

• Using brown hues allows adding glossy surfaces to balance the conforming and earthy tone. Considered jewels in bathrooms and kitchens, your hardware can be made of plastic, metal, or ceramic. 

• Add plants or greenery to your bathroom. Just like nature’s color palette, green and brown go together well. 

• A layered color scheme can work well with brown hues, but a bathroom can become stale and uninteresting, especially if no light is accessible. That is why pairing brown with neutrals such as black or white is a common color scheme. However, you can still add any color based on your preference. 

• Aside from painting your bathroom walls, you can consider adding natural elements with a brown color, such as stones, wicker baskets, faux fur, or leather. 

• Don’t forget to combine your browns with analogous colors or those that are adjacent to create visual interest. 

• When unsure of the brown paint colors for bathrooms, always get color swatches to check it against your room’s conditions.

See more related content in our article about green bathroom paint colors on this page.