Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Add Color to Your Tub

As much as I am a fan of modern, minimalist design, I am also a sucker for things vintage and embellished, especially old claw-foot bathtubs. I’m not even much of a bather, but there is something so charming and delightful about these retro fixtures. I also love seeing fun color used in unexpected ways, so I tend to squeal with glee whenever I spot a newly posted photo of a painted claw-foot bathtub on Houzz.

Whether you have a worn and weathered older tub that needs to be refinished, or you are purchasing new, think about adding a splash of fun color to your bathroom via a painted tub. Because it’s a relatively small surface area, I say go as bold and bright with color as you’d like. I’ve assembled some excellent examples of painted tubs, along with tips on how to incorporate a colorful tub into your own bathroom.

This fresh yellow-green hue is a favorite of mine and looks fantastic on the tub in this mostly white bathroom. Think about picking up the bathtub color elsewhere in the room, such as was done with the wall covering here, or with other decorative elements.


Don’t have an old cast iron tub lying around to paint? No problem; you can get a new tub that is primed and ready to be painted whatever color your heart desires, such as this beauty from Aston Matthews in London.

Your local paint retailer can recommend the best paint to use for the job. Think about whether you want a matte finish, which is a good choice if the exterior of the tub has some rough or uneven areas, or a glossy finish, which is easier to wipe clean but tends to show water marks.


When selecting a paint color for a bathtub, look to other colors used in the space or pull a color from artwork or decorative accessories. If you go with a vibrant yellow, such as the one here, include it in small amounts throughout the room and limit the number of other intense colors used, so the room has a well-edited, cohesive color scheme.


I often advise homeowners to pick a color they love and then use various tints, shades and tones of it in a room, along with a few different neutral hues. This results in a palette that has variety but doesn’t feel too busy or garish.


This greenish-blue tub color really stands out against the yellow-orange wood floors. Blue and orange are opposites on the color wheel, so they set each other off with maximum contrast. Your eye is drawn to both the floor and the tub here. The rest of the room, being light and white, gives the high-energy palette a soft and airy vibe.


Bathe al fresco in a sunny yellow bathtub. What a cute addition to a private garden.


This is a popular image on Houzz for a reason: It’s a bold bathroom that’s also big on charm. Red is an intense color, and there’s quite a bit of it in this room, but there’s also plenty of white to lighten things up. I think the vintage vibe of the wall covering and fixtures also helps keep the look whimsical.


Or dial down the vibrancy and go sophisticated and elegant with a monochromatic palette and a black painted tub as the centerpiece.


Don’t neglect your tub’s feet. These are painted silver, so they’re set off nicely from the black body of the tub.


If bold or dark colors are just not your thing, look at this subtler option. This bathroom has a colorful palette, but all the colors are muted, which I imagine makes it a relaxing and soothing space in which to bathe.


I think this floor tile is absolutely stunning, and I like that the color on the tub coordinates rather than competes with it. When you have beautiful, high-quality materials in a space, you don’t need blasts of vibrant color to have a strong design impact. I remain a fervent lover of bold color but really appreciate the soft and restrained palette in this bathroom.


Here’s another gorgeous soft gray and blue bathroom. It has a classic elegance that I think would appeal to a large number of people, and it won’t look dated for a good long while, if ever.


Have some fun painting your tub and think about other ways to customize it, such as adding decorative decals or painted details. You could get really creative with this, especially in kids’ or teens’ bathrooms.


Or go for a decorative paint finish that mimics patinated metal or other materials. This is about as far from a cookie cutter, builder’s-grade bathroom as you can get, and that bathtub is fantastic.

Tell us: Have you painted the exterior of an old or new tub? Please post a picture below and share details.

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