The Daring Color Combo HGTV's Hilary Farr Loves In A Small Bathroom

When it comes to small spaces, homeowners often think they have to play it safe with design. However, small spaces, like a bathroom or powder room, are actually the perfect rooms to do something bold and unexpected. That is exactly one of Hilary Farr's design philosophies. "I love giving small bathrooms . . . BIG design impact!" Farr writes in the caption of a photo on Instagram. In the same photo, the designer showcases a bold bathroom that features a stunning black-and-white color scheme. Though the color combination is seen as classic, the way Farr uses tile to create a dramatic, geometric design gives it a bold and modern twist. What also makes this classic design more daring is that it leans heavily on black, including a black vanity and sink. Plus, the floor and wall tiles outside the shower are also black.

Usually, it's advised to avoid dark colors in small spaces, such as small, windowless bathrooms, for fear that it will look too cave-like. Many opt for bright colors that will lighten the space, but that is more of a suggestion than a rule. Darker colors also have the ability to make a room feel larger as they can give the appearance of the wall receding. Using white tile along with the black also helps break up the swarth of darkness and helps add dimension to the room. The result is a dynamic bathroom that doesn't feel closed in at all.

Black and white is a color scheme that will never go out of style. The classic combination can be both elegant and modern and it will always have a timeless appeal. So, it makes sense that these are the go-to colors for Hilary Farr when it comes to designing a space. Black and white together are versatile, allowing for more creativity and flexibility.

Because black and white is such a simple color scheme, it allows you to apply it to different interior design styles. Farr tends to design in a traditional style with a bit of a modern twist. However, these colors can be both completely traditional or ultra-modern and everything in between. Farr's bathroom leans more modern because of the graphic, geometric tile and sleek vessel sink.

However, you can use a black and white marble checkerboard tile, such as the black and white 2-by-2 Checkerboard Mosaic Tile from Stone Center Online, on either the floor or shower wall for a more traditional look. Paired with a traditional cabinet vanity, such as the Miseno vanity from Build with Ferguson, a bathroom can have a more classic design that still has the daring aspect of a moody black-majority color scheme. With a variety of black tile options–including different shapes, sizes, and patterns–for the floors and shower walls, there are plenty of ways to infuse a unique style on classic black and white in a bathroom.

Black and white geometric tiles aren't the only way that Hilary Farr has made the classic color scheme feel more daring in a small bathroom. The designer also used a wallpaper that looks like a geode in the powder room of her home. This bathroom still has a black-and-white color scheme, albeit with a little more gray mixed in. Still, Farr proves that these two colors can be interesting and that you don't have to play it safe when it comes to a small bathroom's design. Wallpaper can be a daring choice for a bathroom and can be an easy way that is less labor intensive than tile to add a bold pattern and more visual interest. In a bathroom, vinyl is the best choice because it can hold up to higher levels of humidity and water splashes without peeling or warping.

Farr again uses the bathroom fixtures to create a bold design with a black vanity, white vanity top, and black and white marbled sink. Because of the stark contrast between the two colors, it's easy to create statement pieces in the room. A black pedestal sink or even a black toilet against a white wall creates a visually striking detail in a small bathroom. However, you don't always have to use large pieces to get the contrast. Use fixtures, mirrors, and hardware with a black finish to add black in small doses if a majority-black bathroom feels a bit too much.