Our previously beige-on-beige master bathroom has been transformed with Benjamin Moore’s Rockport Gray, and we’re thrilled with the result. This color felt familiar the moment we saw it in a kitchen we loved, and it translates beautifully in a bathroom setting. Below are the steps we took and the simple updates that made a big difference in this small space.
Before painting, we removed an unused shelf and towel bar that made the room feel cluttered. That cleared the only untiled wall—perfect for hanging art and creating visual interest. When we took the hardware off, we discovered metal anchors in the drywall that tore at the surface. Since this bathroom is part of a seventies addition, the walls are drywall rather than plaster, which meant the damage could be managed more easily.
To fix the holes, we tapped the stubborn anchors into the wall and filled the spots with spackle for a seamless finish. After letting the spackle dry, we sanded the area smooth using a sanding block; the block keeps the surface flat so you don’t create low or high spots the way floppy sandpaper can. We used Dap Crackshot spackle, and we’re interested in trying low-VOC spackle options in the future.
Once the patched areas were sanded, we painted. We used Benjamin Moore’s Rockport Gray in a semi-gloss finish—just a quart was enough for this small bathroom. We chose Natura paint from Benjamin Moore, their no-VOC line, for a healthier option. Because the finish is semi-gloss, it required two coats: the first coat looked uneven thanks to the sheen, but the second coat evened everything out beautifully. Skipping a primer has worked for us before, and modern paint formulas often cover well, but priming after spackling can still be a smart precaution.
After painting, the room immediately felt fresher and more deliberate. The darker wall color contrasts nicely with the tile and brings out the gray tones in our existing tile accents—especially the small tree tiles that now coordinate more than they did against the old beige walls. The wall that used to hold shelves now feels open and inviting, and the room seems larger even though the paint is darker. Removing bulky fixtures that sit at eye level can make a surprising difference in perceived space.
With the new paint in place, the bathroom now invites artwork and other finishing touches. The shower curtain’s slice of white balances with the warm tan and cool gray tones, and we plan to make the trim a true glossy white soon so it reads consistently against the wall color. Small additions of crisp white—on the trim, toilet, and accessories—will pull the room together and add contrast.
Here’s our updated bathroom to-do list, showing what’s done and what’s next:
- Paint the cream trim bright white — the trim looks off compared to the light switch and needs to be brightened.
- Paint the walls for contrast — completed
- Replace the current toilet with a classic white model to match the trim and accessories.
- Swap the dated light fixture for a more modern, flattering option.
- Hang bathroom-safe artwork to add personality to the newly opened wall.
- Add privacy treatment to the window without sacrificing natural light.
- Consider replacing the decorative border tile in a later phase to better match the updated palette.
- Eventually update the floor tile to introduce more visual variation and break up the expanse of existing tile.
For anyone hesitating to paint a small bathroom: it’s a manageable weekend project. Each coat took us less than an hour—the usual routine: cut in around edges, then roll, and repeat for the second coat. It’s quick work compared to many other renovations, and it instantly elevates the feel of the room.
Small, thoughtful updates—color, a few repairs, and swapping a couple of fixtures—can make a compact bathroom feel more modern and cohesive. Rockport Gray gave our master bath the depth and contrast it needed while complementing the existing tile, and the next steps will be simple refinements that pull the whole look together.