Colour guides · Bathroom

Which finish for a bathroom?

Steam, splashes, condensation on cold walls, wet towels against the skirtings: a bathroom puts any paint to the test. One sees too many blistered walls and mildew-spotted ceilings — not because the colour was wrong, but because the finish was wrong for the surface.

Here is how to share the Mylands finishes out in a bathroom, from ceiling to floor.

Updated September 2026 · by the Mylands France colour team

Which finish for a bathroom?

The short answer

In a ventilated bathroom, Marble Matt Emulsion suits the walls and ceiling: it is washable and breathable. Around the bath, shower and basin, switch to moisture-resistant Multi-Surface Eggshell. For the woodwork, vanity unit and radiator, Multi-Surface Satin; for painted floorboards, Decorative Floor Satin.

The finishes, one by one

6 finishes

01

The dry walls and the ceiling

Marble Matt Emulsion

Pigment-rich depth with a velvet-matte soul

  • Very Matt
  • Washable
  • Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
  • Class 1 scrub resistance — EN 13300
  • V1 High breathability — EN 1062-1

Suitable for
Interior Walls & Ceilings · Bathrooms

Our signature wall finish, formulated with crushed Carrara marble. It offers an unrivaled 15m² coverage per litre with a breathable, scrubbable surface that brings a rich, limestone-soft depth to any room. Independently rated at the highest scrub resistance (Class 1 — EN 13300) and the top breathability class (V1 High — EN 1062-1 / ISO 7783), it stands up to daily cleaning while letting walls breathe.

Many matts are banned from bathrooms; ours is expressly made for them. Its crushed-Carrara-marble formula breathes — steam passes through it rather than blistering beneath — and sponges clean. On walls away from the shower and on the ceiling it is the loveliest finish: the velvet matt makes a deep colour truly deep, where a sheen would make it glare under the spotlights.

Our tip — A bathroom with neither a window nor a good extractor is the exception: switch the walls to eggshell there, ceiling included.

Every colour in this finish →
02

Around the bath, shower and basin

Multi-Surface Eggshell Paint

Luminous low-sheen for effortless elegance

  • Low Sheen
  • Multi-Surface
  • Washable
  • Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
  • Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior & Exterior Walls · Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Interior & Exterior Metalwork & Radiators

A versatile 15% sheen finish that strikes a perfect balance between durability and soft luminosity. Ideal for interior and exterior transformations where a gentle, silk-like glow is desired.

Our most useful finish in a bathroom: a soft moisture-resistant sheen (15%) that takes direct splashes and wipes clean without marking. It goes on walls as well as wood and metal, so the bath wall, its panel and the window can all be painted in a single finish. Its slight lustre returns a little light, welcome in a room that is often small and windowless.

Our tip — The same shade in eggshell around the bath and matt emulsion elsewhere: the difference in sheen only shows in raking light.

Every colour in this finish →
03

Vanity unit, door, window, radiator

Multi-Surface Satin Paint

A lustrous, silk-spun finish for refined details

  • Mid Sheen
  • Multi-Surface
  • Washable
  • Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
  • Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Metalwork & Radiators · Kitchens & Bathrooms

A mid-sheen masterpiece that provides a smooth, resilient coating. Perfect for accentuating architectural details, it offers a sophisticated luster that stands up to the rigours of modern living.

A smooth, very hard-wearing mid-sheen, expressly recommended for kitchens and bathrooms. It protects everything in wood or metal — the vanity unit that gets splashed, the door that takes the steam, the towel radiator. Its discreet lustre picks out the mouldings of a door or the panels of a dado without the mirror of a gloss.

Our tip — Vanity unit in satin Eaton Square or Market Green under a white marble top: the safest contrast in a bathroom.

Every colour in this finish →
04

Panelling and colour drenching

Multi-Surface Dead Matt Paint

An ultra-flat, sophisticated heritage finish

  • Very Matt
  • Multi-Surface
  • Washable
  • Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant

Suitable for
Interior Walls & Ceilings · Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Interior & Exterior Metalwork & Radiators

A 5% sheen level dual-purpose paint designed for flawless 'colour drenching'. This environmentally conscious formula provides a completely flat, non-reflective finish across furniture, radiators, and woodwork.

A washable dead matt that goes on walls and woodwork with the same non-reflective look. In a well-ventilated bathroom it is the colour-drenching finish — walls, panelling, door and ceiling in one deep shade, with no surface shining more than the rest. Keep it to surfaces away from direct splashes: in the shower, eggshell remains the rule.

Our tip — Bathroom colour drenching: Observatory or Pleasure Gardens Green everywhere, brass taps, white marble.

Every colour in this finish →
05

The bath panel and touches of shine

Multi-Surface Gloss Paint

High-glamour brilliance with enduring strength

  • High Shine
  • Multi-Surface
  • Washable
  • Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
  • Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior & Exterior Woodwork · Metalwork & Radiators

The ultimate statement finish. This high-reflectivity gloss provides a mirror-like depth of colour while offering our most durable protection against the elements and daily wear.

Our glossiest and most moisture-resistant finish. In a bathroom it is used in touches: a bath panel, a cabinet, a gloss ceiling that doubles the light of a small room like a lacquer. It asks for faultless preparation — every flaw shows in the reflection — but nothing stands up to water better.

Our tip — A gloss Pure White ceiling above coloured matt walls: the light bounces and the room looks twice as tall.

Every colour in this finish →
06

Painted bathroom floorboards

Decorative Floor Satin Paint

Master-crafted durability for architectural floors

  • Mid Sheen
  • Washable
  • Scrubbable & Scuff Resistant
  • Moisture Resistant

Suitable for
Interior Floors · Interior Stairs

Specifically engineered for high-traffic surfaces, this floor finish combines an elegant satin sheen with industrial-grade resilience, ensuring your floors remain a centerpiece for years to come. Not suitable for concrete floors.

Old floorboards in a bathroom can be painted — it is even the safest way to protect them. This satin finish engineered for high-traffic surfaces resists water, bare feet and shoes, and turns mismatched boards into a single, luminous floor. Not suited to concrete or tiles.

Our tip — Floor in Sleet or Frieze, walls in Morning Blue: the easiest Scandinavian bathroom to get right.

Every colour in this finish →

Sharing the finishes out in a bathroom

A bathroom divides into two zones. The wet zone — the shower wall, the surround of the bath, the splashback of the basin — takes direct splashes and needs a moisture-resistant finish: Multi-Surface Eggshell on the walls, Multi-Surface Satin on wood and metal. The dry zone — the other walls, the ceiling — only takes steam, and a breathable emulsion is enough there: Marble Matt Emulsion is expressly designed for bathrooms.

The ceiling, the weak point

Steam rises and condenses on the ceiling, the coldest surface in the room. That is where mildew appears first. Good ventilation solves most of it; for the rest, a washable emulsion sponged down now and then is enough in a ventilated bathroom. With neither window nor extractor, paint the ceiling in eggshell — or in gloss, for the light.

Preparing before painting

No finish holds on a damp or soapy surface. Wash the walls down with detergent, rinse, leave to dry for two days with the door open, and apply wall primer to new or repaired plaster. On wood and metal, a multi-surface primer before the finish.

For colours, see our 10 bathroom colours and our greens for a bathroom, as well as our bathroom ideas; to compare every finish, find your finish.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use a matt paint in a bathroom?
Yes, in a ventilated bathroom and on surfaces away from direct splashes. Mylands Marble Matt Emulsion is breathable and washable, and is among the finishes expressly suited to bathrooms. Around the shower and bath, prefer Multi-Surface Eggshell.
Which finish around the shower and bath?
Multi-Surface Eggshell: a soft, moisture-resistant sheen that takes splashes and sponges clean. It goes on walls, wood and metal.
Which finish for a bathroom ceiling?
Marble Matt Emulsion if the room is ventilated; eggshell or gloss if it is not. In every case, wash and dry the ceiling before painting.
Can you paint a bathroom cabinet?
Yes, with a multi-surface primer then two coats of Multi-Surface Satin, smooth and moisture-resistant. For a high-shine look, Multi-Surface Gloss.

Guides to read next

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Want to see these colours at home?

Order a sample to judge the shade in your own light, or browse every paint for the room.

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