3 Popular Bathroom Color Trends That Are Becoming Outdated In 2025

When you think "outdated bathroom," you may jump straight to the beach theme that has become a staple of too many bathrooms, or the industrial styling that harkens back to the heyday of the hipsters. But it's not just specific styles that can leave your space feeling outdated, but color trends too. Since so many design trends are connected to colors — think Pantone color of the year, or generational colors like the outdated millennial pink or millennial gray – certain paint hues alone are enough to make your space feel like it could use an update. 

Although the styling can play a huge role too, the wall color of a room is one of the most prominent factors in determining the feel of the room, and some trends of the past were tied to colors that were altogether bland, boring, or just butt ugly. The type of material you choose to use, whether it's tile, wallpaper, or paint, can have an impact on the way that the color appears in your space. But there are a few outdated trends that you may want to stay away from altogether: certain shades of white, gray, pink, green, or yellow, for instance. 

That said, if your bathroom happens to be any of these colors and you like it the way it is, don't feel like you have to make a change. Ultimately your space should be a reflection of your own style, so don't let the laws of design have complete dictatorship over your space. Plus, there are some once outdated bathroom design trends that have been making a comeback. 

The trend of bathrooms (and entire homes) sticking with a very minimal white and gray palette was this "universal" style has begun to be phased out. While gray and white are easy go-tos because of their neutral ability to pair with almost any color, they can also make a space feel cold and impersonal. Even if you were to add colorful decor, having the majority of your room a plain white or gray is a wasted opportunity to set the tone of the room with a paint color that adds more personality and style. 

The issue with gray in particular is that not all of its shades will give the same effect, especially in different lighting. While some have a very soothing effect, others can give off a more dark and depressing vibe. In rooms where you are lacking a window, this can be a surefire way to get your space feeling dingy and dank. 

White, on the other hand, is definitely a brightening color. But when you completely white out a bathroom, you can end up with a space that feels blank, bare, and sterile. If you do want to opt for white, consider something that is not pure white, but has a touch of undertone. This will make it feel warmer without darkening the room. If you like the clean feeling of bright white, you can add pops of it in your accessories like towels, bath mats, shower curtains, or even your trim. This will give the space some dimension and contrast while still making it feel bright and fresh. 

Pink bathrooms — especially millennial pink — is out. While this was once a subtle way to add color to your home while still feeling neutral, it has now landed firmly in the land of overdone. This color is a favorite for embracing a girly feel, but you don't have to go full Pepto-Bismol to make your bathroom a feminine oasis. A bubble-gum pink can feel overwhelming when slapped all over your walls, that doesn't mean you have to shy away from pink altogether. In fact, there are many pinks out there that are sophisticated, on trend, and give a softness without feeling like you've been transported into a life-size Barbie dream house. 

Instead of going for something super vibrant, try something like a petal pink. This paint shade will give you the brightness of white while still giving you a pink color palette to play with. Another alternative would be to opt for a wallpaper instead so that you can incorporate some brighter pinks if that's the look you are after. And you can do it without committing to coating it all over your walls. This more subtle approach also feels more up to date than a solid color, and makes the space more interesting. There are also a ton of options out there for wallpaper ideas that will make people ask "where'd you get that?"

If your bathroom is some sort of green or peach that sits in the limbo between vibrant and pastel, it almost positively does not look like it was painted in the last 10 years. While it is possible to use bright and cheery colors without your space them looking dated, these two in particular tend to read as old fashioned. The most egregious of the bunch is arguably peach. This color is not quite pink, not quite orange, and not quite yellow — and it doesn't give fruity and fresh so much as tacky and tired. It is also the perfect recipe for giving yourself a jaundiced hue in the mirror, especially when paired with yellow-toned lighting.

Peach — like other ambiguous light flesh tones — is also notoriously difficult to work with. It doesn't really have any colors that complement it particularly well, so it often just comes across as dingy, especially when paired with a bright white trim. If you are still married to using an orange shade, your best bet is to go for a burnt orange or terracotta shade.