Black and Gold Bathroom Design Guide

November 17, 2023

Enter a return to sophisticated luxury with statement black and gold in your home’s most personal space—the bath. It’s a classic look rooted in the prosperity, opulence and optimism of the Art Deco period. Yet, it remains an ageless template of elegance easily adapted to the latest trend thanks to its pure forms, beautiful geometric patterns and clean lines. Designing—or remodeling—in black and gold is sure to take your breath away, so what better room is there to play with the principles of light, line and reflection within the realm of black and gold than the bathroom?

Black Isn’t Just Black

Just as white can take hundreds of tints, black comes in infinite shades, values and depths that give it warmth or coolness. You’ll find blue-based blacks, green-based blacks, red-based blacks and every other combination making black more than just black. Beyond that, the black that you choose may be flecked or mottled, textured or patterned. Look to the black, and you’ll find all of the colors you need.

Gold Is More Than Yellow

Pure 24-karat gold is a rich malleable yellow. Ratios of added silver, copper, zinc, nickel or palladium, for example, give it strength while also lightening it, brightening it, warming it up or cooling it down. As a result, gold can range from almost-white, pale yellow, ochre, bronze and rose to tints of green, blue, purple, and even gray and black. Beyond metallic color, gold offers reflectivity, its finish impacting how light strikes it and the surrounding colors it may reflect or enhance.

Design Tips for Black and Gold Bathrooms

Some designers follow a 60-30-10 rule, with the main color representing 60 percent of the room, a secondary color representing 30 percent and an accent color picking up the last 10 percent. If 60 percent seems a bit intense, you can play with the balance as you work with the various elements of a black and gold bathroom design.

Tile, Tile, Tile—Use it for walls, shower enclosures, bath surrounds, floors, alcoves, back splashes, doorways and other focal points. Tile offers durability, impact, reflectivity, color, pattern and clean geometric lines. Plus, you don’t have to use the same tile everywhere.
- Use dark tile for the wall but a patterned one for the floor, for example, and marry them with a mirrored border pattern.
- Use one scale and pattern of tile for the wall. Then, repeat it in a smaller scale for the floor.
- Offset a soaking tub, or create a striking geometric mosaic that makes a wall, floor or shower enclosure a work of art.
- Apply it to a sink backsplash or surround to enhance a point of interest.

The beauty of tile is that it comes in all sorts of textures as well—glossy, matte and everything in between and beyond.

Countertops—A long flat surface with lots of potential for reflectivity and light is a major design element. Embrace the opportunity with choices like black quartz, a stunning golden granite, black marble, natural stone, concrete, stone composites and solid composite variations. Flecking, marbling and gold detailing options, for example, can add sophistication and interest.
Cabinetry—Dark cabinetry can be incredibly dramatic in a black and gold bathroom. If you like a clean, modern look, go for the glossy onyx or deep charcoal of modular storage. Or, renew the old with graceful yet sleek antique-inspired cabinetry. If you prefer cabinets of gold, go all out for a striking gold vanity, or explore the golden tones available in wood cabinetry. Then, bring your countertops and cabinetry together with coordinating or contrasting pulls and handles of gold or black.
Wall Space—For painted areas, you can do more than simply paint walls black. A patterned black-background wallpaper with a striking golden geometric pattern may be perfect for enlivening a space. Likewise, a bit of trim like picture frame molding can add interest and a sense of quality. Consider using a golden paint for the top portion of the wall and a black for the bottom portion or setting off one wall or alcove that is different from the rest of the room.
Light—Gold’s reflectivity automatically adds the element of light wherever you place it. It works beautifully for gilded mirrors and picture frames in a black-and-gold theme. Golden lighting fixtures—hanging pendants, a chandelier or vanity lighting—can illuminate a room and give it a luxurious feel. Likewise, if you’ve already used a lot of gold, black fixtures can ground a design. Either way, the richness of gold offers wonderful opportunities to light up a room and let it shimmer and shine.
Fixtures—Gold fixtures like faucets, for example, are the ultimate in luxury simply because they’re golden and carry the weight and permanence of their signature metal. Even their placement—the centerpiece of focal points like a sink, bathtub or shower—denotes their significance and lets you make a tasteful style statement when you choose fixtures worthy of the room. Likewise, smaller scale golden fixtures like pulls, handles, bars and more spread the look, feel and presence of gold throughout the room.

As for the large fixtures key to a bathroom—sinks or vessels, bathtubs and toilets—personal taste, budget and availability become key factors. A gold or black vessel sink could be perfection, or you may be searching for other unique fixtures. However, many beautiful black and gold bathrooms use classic white tubs, sinks and toilets, recognizing that the lines and silhouettes are at least as important as color for style—maybe even more so. Plus, that 10 percent in the 60-30-10 color design ratio could easily be white.

The GROHE Lineare Collection of Bathroom Faucets

Bringing luxury and elegance to the bathroom, GROHE’s Lineare Collection of bathroom faucets is the gold you’re looking for. The finish is called “brushed cool sunrise” and features the GROHE Starlight durable coating that simply wipes clean yet maintains its beautiful golden finish for life.

The look is pure and artful—a cylindrical column body paired with a graceful, distinctively designed rectangular handle and spout. It’s the perfect balance of curve and straight line, and its visual weight delivers aesthetic impact regardless of scale.

The slim, raised spout gives an air of elegance and lightness.
The spout’s 90-degree swivel area delivers better accessibility, is more comfortable to use and is easier to clean.
The single-handle design allows for easy operation. GROHE SilkMove ensures smooth handling, effortless precision and ultimate comfort.
State-of-the-art technology using physical vapor deposition—PVD—makes GROHE faucets’ exceptional surface finishes three times harder than other sophisticated finishes and 10 times more scratch-resistant for a lifetime of beauty.
GROHE EcoJoy reduces water usage without sacrificing performance.
The GROHE AquaGuide adjustable aerator lets you adjust water angle from 20 degrees to 40 degrees.
Lineare Collection faucets in brushed cool sunrise are available in both widespread, four-hole and single-hole configurations.
Solid brass bodies and metal lever handles ensure the durability of every Lineare Collection faucet and fixture.
The Lineare Collection extends its artful design throughout the line in all sizes—from extra-small to large, from small bathroom faucets to deck- and floor-mount tub fillers and showers. You can outfit an entire luxury bath with the distinctly unique collection.

For ultimate luxury and the perfect golden touch in a black and gold bathroom, the Lineare Collection of bathroom faucets offers everything you could ever want.

Fixtures for a Black and Gold Bathroom

Bathroom remodels and bathroom designs are wonderful opportunities to make your personal space everything you’ve ever wanted it to be. To find everything you need—including experience and advice—in one convenient, friendly place, try Coburn’s. Visit us at your nearest Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath Showroom location. We’re sure to have exactly what you’re looking for.