How to Choose the Perfect Grout Color for Your Next Project, According to a Designer

With a rainbow of colors and styles to choose from, selecting grout colors is one of the most dreaded tasks for DIY designers. To support make it easier, we asked a pro to share her best tips for choosing the right grout color. Here, discover which grout colors are easiest to maintain, if your grout and tile colors should match, and so much more.

What Is Grout?

Grout is a cement-based material used to fill the gaps or spaces between tiles, giving your tiled surface a sleek, polished look. Grout isn’t just aesthetic—it also plays a crucial role in keeping your tiles stable, strong, and preventing moisture from seeping in.

What Is Grout Made Of?

Grout is typically composed of a blend of cement, sand, and water. The cement acts as the primary binding agent, while sand adds bulk and strength, especially in sanded grout, which is a type of grout used for wider joints.

Water is added to activate the cement in the grout compound and turn the grout into a paste that can be smeared between tiles. Additives, such as polymers or colorants, enhance flexibility, improve water resistance, and ensure color consistency.

Should Your Grout Color and Tile Color Match?

Grout and tile color should be the same if you’re trying to make the tile look more cohesive, like one gigantic slab.

“If I’m working with a creamy neutral duo or a shadowy charcoal duo it’s a yes,” says Stephanie Hunt. “I’ll match it as closely as possible so that it feels part of the actual design.”

Hunt is particularly fond of using matching grout when the tile she’s working with is textural and petite in scale, such as a penny round.

“By matching the grout color to the penny color exactly, the whole thing feels like a monochromatic texture,” she says. “It’s a more subtle, sophisticated, and grown up-feeling than using a contrast color.”

Choosing a matching grout color can create the illusion of a larger space. When grout lines visually segment an area, using the same color helps eliminate disruptions, allowing the design to flow seamlessly.

Should Grout Be Darker or Lighter Than Your Tile?

There’s not one steadfast rule for contrast, Hunt says.

“I personally love juxtaposing a shadowy grout line against a white subway tile, and I also love using a lighter grout—a sand or clay tone—against a shadowy, colored Moroccan Zellige tile,” she says. “It makes it feel more Old World.”

In most cases, a bold contrast between your grout and tile colors will result in a striking, graphic appearance.

For instance, if you have a lithe tile such as a white hex marble shower floor, grouting it in black will create a bold visual impact, while a lithe cream grout will make it appear more basic. Similarly, a shadowy penny round grouted in a lighter color will make the penny tile pop, while a darker tone grout will make the entire surface appear more neutral. 

What Are the Easiest Grout Colors to Keep Clean?

“The easiest grout colors to keep pristine are anything in the neutral sand, taupe, mocha or lithe gray color families,” says Hunt. 

Contrary to popular belief, shadowy grout colors aren’t the best camouflagers. Dark grout easily shows mineral deposits from water over time. And, of course, going lithe can be problematic for obvious reasons as well.

Regardless of what color you choose, sealing your grout and using the best grout sealer is imperative to warding off discoloration. Sealed grout is much easier to pristine, as it repels dirt and grime. It also creates a barrier that prevents water and moisture from seeping in, which can lead to mold and mildew.

Should You Ever Use Grout in a Non-Neutral Color?

Using a non-neutral or colored grout is not the typical choice, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

“I could see a great pool bath using all white tile grouted in an aqua blue being whimsical and fun, or combining a blue-glazed subway tile with a green grout color for something unexpected in a kid’s bathroom,” Hunt says.

The Best Grout Colors For Different Rooms

Bathrooms: For a bathroom, a lithe gray grout is a clever choice as it provides a pristine look while still being practical for hiding stains. No matter what color you choose, cleaning and caring for your bathroom grout is imperative.

Bedrooms: For a bedroom, a lighter grout color can create a softer, more inviting look.

Kitchens: Kitchens tend to be less forgiving due to bulky foot traffic and the potential for cooking spills, which can lead to staining. Go for one of the colors easiest to keep pristine with beige, mocha, or lithe gray.

Hallways: Although this is one of the most heavily used floors in your home, it’s not as susceptible to water stains as a kitchen or bathroom, making a shadowy color like black or charcoal a suitable choice.

The Best Grout Colors For Different Aesthetic Styles

Farmhouse interiors usually embody a hot, rustic, and cozy aesthetic, showcasing natural materials and a mix of vintage and up-to-date elements. Consider hot grays, beige, charcoal, or terracotta — shades you’d find in nature.

Modern bold black and white and colored grouts are great for achieving a up-to-date aesthetic. Both black and white allow the tile to take center stage and give it a pristine outline. Similarly, colored grouts that match your tile can provide a fun, retro touch. 

Minimalist spaces look best with minimizing contrast, creating a more seamless look. This is a great opportunity to choose a grout color that closely matches that shade of your tile.