14 Black and White Bathroom Design Ideas

“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.” -Leonardo da Vinci

Black and white is a classic color scheme that will never grow old, especially in the bathroom. Its simplicity and sophistication cannot be matched by any other bathroom design ideas. 

The surge in simple farmhouse decor and minimalist concepts have fueled a new interest in black and white bathroom ideas. Scroll through our collection of the best black and white bathroom ideas for inspiration on creating your own unique bathroom design. 

1. Explore Matte Black and White Accents

While black bathroom fittings used to be hard to find, the popularity of industrial and farmhouse home decor has made matte black fittings readily available. Use them to further accentuate the black details in a mostly white bathroom. Black faucets, towel bars, and cabinet handles look amazing in a white bathroom, especially when paired with a black tile floor and black trim paint on the windows and doors.

Of course, any type of metal fittings will look amazing beside black or white wall tile. Polished nickel, brass, and copper fixtures all have a home in the black-white bathroom. Don’t be afraid to mix the metals in your bathroom decor, especially if you love casual or bohemian design ideas.

2. Discover Contemporary Black and White Designs

Contemporary style embraces the clean contrast of white and black. Add impact by painting your cabinet wood black and hanging a black framed round mirror over the vanity. An accent wall covered in a unique black and white print adds whimsy and texture that can be as bold or as subtle as you wish.

Pairing  with lighter shades of grey in various textures helps soften the sharp divergence of a black and white background. Lie a fluffy white sheepskin rug in front of the shower or bathtub to add soft, romantic dimension to a contemporary black and white bathroom.

3. Embrace Bold All-Black Styles

People everywhere are warming up to using black and other dark colors inside the home. Although it goes against common logic—and traditional interior design advice—an all-black bathroom can feel quite spacious.

Go full dark when doing a dramatic black bathroom remodel, replacing old fixtures  with a black shower, bathtub, and vanity. Use black wall tile, black floor tile, and even black grout. Accessorize with gold or bronze fixtures, drawer pulls, and mirror frames for an elegant contrast.

Lighting is important when your bathroom design relies so heavily on black. While you may prefer the subtle light of wall sconces, include brighter overhead lights that you can turn on when it’s time to clean.

4. Play with Black and White Decor Elements

Your decor decisions are what will turn a potentially cold, impersonal black and white bathroom into one that’s warm and welcoming. Black and white wall stripes or polka dots add whimsy to a basic bath idea. However, your decor color choices aren’t limited to black and white bathroom ideas.

Include green plants or a flower arrangement, jute baskets, and rugs with splashes of color. Hang a shower curtain that includes a touch of color in a mostly black and white print. Or use a patterned tile that has subtle touches of neutral or pastel color. 

Natural wood finishes are also great additions to your black and white bathroom ideas. Ask a carpenter to make a floating vanity out of a thick wood slab, or choose stained wood frames for your vanity mirrors.

See more inspirational DIY bathroom decor ideas here.

5. Incorporate Industrial Touches

A predominantly white bathroom may feel out of place with industrial decor, but it’s a great neutral background to start with. The more rustic black touches you include in your industrial white bathroom ideas, the better.

Paint an existing vanity cabinet black and replace shiny faucets with matte black fixtures. Heavy iron sconces are great additions over an industrial vanity top. Replace gold or silver glass shower doors with doors that have black metal frames.

6. Indulge in Luxury Black and White

Some of the most luxurious master bathroom plans in the world have a black and white foundation. These basic grounding colors allow more luxurious accents to shine, such as an oversized crystal chandelier hung over a freestanding bathtub.

If you have a particularly gorgeous granite, quartz, or marble tile, keep your bathroom wall color white to allow your expensive tile to stand out. Gold fixtures always add an air of richness, especially when paired with mirrored bath accessories.

7. Marvel at Marble Features

Black and white are the two most popular marble colors, and it’s even better if you find a marble slab that includes an interesting juxtaposition of both colors together. Take the time to look for unique marble veining patterns that will set your black and white bathroom ideas apart from the rest.

Choose a black marble vanity top and a white marble backsplash, paired with an interesting black and white marble tile floor. Marble mosaic tiles can be arranged in a pattern to create the illusion of a rug—a stunning focal point in an elegant master bathroom. 

Marble also makes an elegant shower or bathtub enclosure. Unlike smooth ceramic tiles, marble often has a textured surface that designers find attractive. If you prefer smooth and shiny surfaces in your hall or master bathroom, nothing beats the shine of polished marble.

8. Simplify with Minimalism

Nothing is more minimalist than a black and white bathroom—unless it’s a solid black or all white bathroom. White subway tile with white grout is an interior designer approved approach to creating a basic white bathroom foundation.

Black window and door trim and black window treatments stand out against this white bathroom background. Although contrast is not necessarily a minimalist concept, it does help define the lines and angles of the shower, bath, and vanity. Focusing on line and dimension is definitely a minimalist idea.

9. Adopt Modern Black and White Aesthetics

If your interior design style is modern, the bold contrasts of a black and white bathroom will fit in perfectly with the rest of your home decor. Modern style is equally represented by dark, dramatic decor and clean, bright white bathroom ideas.

Break up solid areas of black or white with veined marble or speckled black and white granite. Further enhance your modern bathroom vibe with monochromatic artwork showcasing strong shapes and patterns.

10. Infuse Scandinavian Influences

Black is not a color heavily used in Scandinavian decor, but white bathroom ideas merge well with this decorating style. Add other Scandinavian design elements to an existing black and white bathroom, such as introducing touches of pale blue or green, pale wood finishes, and natural fibers.

Because Scandinavian decor includes the idea of honoring nature, a simple botanical print wallpaper would add inviting detail to a predominantly white bathroom. Palm fronds, leaves, or flowers drawn in simple black lines on a white background fits the bill.

11. Maximize Small Space with Black and White

Wide, horizontal shiplap walls can make a small master bath feel roomier. Install clear glass panels around the shower enclosure. Being able to see inside the shower space is another way to make a small bath feel more spacious.

Try to keep the vanity, wall, and shower surfaces airy and white, and introduce black as an accent color. Black mirror frames, faucets, drawer handles, and rugs provide a big enough punch of black without making the room feel smaller.

See more small bathroom ideas here.

12. Mix and Match Tiles

Feel free to mix and match tile styles and patterns when you’re keeping to a black and white bathroom color scheme. Because you’re only using these two colors, your floor and wall tile doesn’t have to match in shape, pattern, or texture.

Many people use multiple types of tile in the shower and its enclosure. Small penny tiles on the shower floor coordinate well with rectangular or square wall tiles in the black and white color scheme.

See more bathtub tile design ideas here.

13. Add Vintage Charm

What has more vintage appeal than black and white? Whether it’s our home decor or the filters we use on our photos, there remains a deep nostalgia for all things black and white.

Replace a basic vanity sink with an antique cast iron sink that has black enamel on the exterior and white enamel inside. Duplicate that look with a freestanding black exterior/white interior clawfoot bathtub. 

Carry the vintage bathroom design further by using a freestanding dresser in place of a traditional bathroom vanity. Accentuate the space with antique artwork, vintage light fixtures, and rugs that are comfortably worn.

14. Create Statement Black Walls

Black is perhaps the most unexpected wall color of all. People have long shied away from using such a bold wall accent color. But as black and white bathrooms gain popularity, we will start seeing more rooms including black in larger applications.

Black wall paint comes in different finishes. Go high gloss if you want a shiny surface that reflects light. Glossy paint is great for bathrooms and trim as it’s easier to wipe clean. Choose a satin finish or flat enamel for a black matte finish on your walls.