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    • Mar 8

What is Colour Drenching? 7 Design Tips & Tricks


Bedroom with bed and white couch and a sage, green colour theme

Colour drenching is a decorating technique which involves using one colour to paint an entire room. Everything from floor to ceiling is the same hue, including ceilings to skirting boards and window frames to picture rails. 


In this article we will explore what colour drenching involves, its benefits and 7 tips and tricks for creating a colour-drenched room.


Why is Colour Drenching a Popular Trend?

Black wall with wood panelling armchair wooden cabinet

Colour drenching has become increasingly popular in recent years, but it's no new concept. This technique has been used for centuries to create a seamless, sophisticated look.


Nowadays, colour drenching's popularity can be attributed to its versatility and ease of application to a wide range of styles.


What are the Benefits of Colour Drenching in Interior Design?

A blue bedroom painted with the colour drenching technique

Works for both bold and minimalist design styles

Colour drenching can work in a wide variety of spaces, whether you're going for a bold, colourful, or maximalist aesthetic, or you want to increase simplicity for a minimalist and understated style.


You'll find colour-drenching enthusiasts typically use bold or bright colours, but there are no limitations - colour drenching with neutral hues can create a simplistic yet elegant aesthetic.


Simultaneously makes rooms look bigger and feel cosier 

When it comes to designing a room, the use of colour can have a significant impact on how the space is perceived. For instance, if you have a small room, using a monochromatic colour scheme can help to make the space feel larger by creating a seamless perception. 


On the other hand, if you have a room with high ceilings, using warm tones can help to create a cosier feel by enclosing the space in colour.


Conducive to a calming atmosphere 

Research shows that our brains can respond better to uncomplicated colour palettes, making them more conducive to relaxation. 


By using the same colour throughout the space in various textures and shades, you can create a sense of unity and enhance the calming properties of your home. 


Seamless aesthetic 

Colour drenching creates a cohesive appearance by simplifying the palette of the space. This is why colour drenching is a timeless technique.


Easy to coordinate decor 

Simplifying the colour palette to one hue makes coordinating furniture and decorative accents with the room effortless.



How to Do Colour Drenching - 7 Tips & Tricks

Colour drenching is a simple way to create an aesthetically pleasing room design. A monochromatic approach simplifies the coordination between the room, furniture and decoration. 


1: Careful Colour Choice

The bedroom is painted purple, plum colour, drenching with the colour drenching technique

Typically, there's no wrong colour when it comes to colour drenching, but there are things to consider.


For instance, the type of room you're working with can alter what the ideal colour is. Some rooms receive more natural light and can handle dark shades in cool hues, while other rooms can lack natural light and do better with warm tones in lighter shades. 


Otherwise, the colour you choose will depend greatly on your preferences, how you plan to decorate and the effect you want to create.


Dark shades are amazingly versatile. Rich hues such as mossy green or navy can make your space look dramatic and sophisticated, which is perfect if you're going for a Dark Academia look. Meanwhile, earthy tones like muted reds and browns provide an organic cosiness.


Vibrant tones can give your space a bold or playful look. Some fun but subtle options could be coral, turquoise, lilac, or pink. 


Colour drenching and powerful, bright colours go hand-in-hand, especially if you're going for a maximalist design - think oranges, sunny yellows, bright pinks and emerald greens.


If you're looking for simplicity or want your wall colour to provide a blank canvas for the rest of your decor, light and neutral colours might be right for you. 



2: Unify Foundational Elements

A room painted dark green with a gold framed chair

The key to colour drenching is to paint the foundations of a room the same hue. This creates that seamless effect we're after.


Achieve this by painting all of these elements in the same colour:


  • Walls and ceilings

  • Woodwork: doors and frames, window frames and sills, skirting boards, mouldings, panelling, etc

  • Built-in elements, such as bookshelves, fireplace mantles and cabinetry

While not necessary, some designers do include flooring. This could involve painting floorboards or pulling up carpets, so it's important to consider the feasibility and potential impact before making any significant changes. It's certainly not necessary to extend the dominant colour onto the floor to uphold the cohesive effect colour drenching creates.



3: Camouflage Room Elements

Radiator painted the same colour as the wall behind pink so it's camouflaged

Colour drenching also provides a way to camouflage unsightly room elements. When visually obtrusive objects are the same colour as the walls, it pulls some focus away from them, blending them seamlessly into the space. 


Radiators

Radiators are essential for warmth but not exactly pretty. Easily blend them into your design by painting them the same colour as the wall.


Storage

Built-in bookshelves and cabinets can overwhelm a space because they often stick out beyond the wall. Blending them into your colour theme can cushion their appearance. 


Moreover, colour drenching freestanding wardrobes, china cabinets or sideboards achieves the same harmonising effect on the room.


4: Extend Colour Drenching to Furniture and Decor

A grey chair that matches the grey Wall behind it

While colour drenching can just mean using the same dominant colour across the base elements of a room, you might want to extend the primary colour onto furniture and decor items, such as:


  • Sofas, armchairs, footstools, bed headboards

  • Soft furnishings: throw pillows, blankets, bed linens, towels 

  • Decorative objects: wall art, vases, ornaments, candles

  • Kitchen items: crockery, utensils, appliances


The option you choose will depend on the effect you want your colour drenched room to have - Using one colour for the whole room, including both base elements, like walls and skirting boards, along with furniture and decor creates a bolder and more immersive statement. With this method, every single element contributes to the design. 


On the other hand, you could colour-drench only the base elements and opt for a more complex colour palette for your furniture and decor. This technique can pull focus away from the walls and base elements, which might be ideal if you want your furniture and decor to be the dominant element of the space. This method can be more minimalist and understated, which might make it more suited to your preferences.


5: Incorporate Different Textures and Patterns

A living room with a green colour theme and a textured artwork piece

Another essential factor for a balanced, colour drenched aesthetic is to employ a variety of textures. This adds visual interest while preventing your furniture from "disappearing" into walls of the same colour.


Consider:


  • Wood panel wall accents complement colour drenching beautifully, creating depth and warmth while preventing monotony.

  • Adding textured wall decor, such as paintings with visible brushstrokes, embroidered tapestries, or 3D artwork, can add more depth and dimension to your home's aesthetic. 

  • Textured fabrics such as corduroy, boucle, or velvet give a richness to the tactile feel and visual appearance of the room.

  • Incorporate patterns, either subtle or bold, that feature the main colour. It adds an extra level of dimension while staying in keeping with the colour scheme.


6: Pay Attention To Lighting

Are living room, painted dark, green camouflage and closed up fireplace

Another important factor is lighting. This can make or break the aesthetic. 


You want to ensure every room has sufficient lighting, regardless of how it's decorated, so you can balance the brightness and warmth of the space. This is especially crucial for rooms with a lack of natural light, or any room when it's dark outside. 


To balance the lighting, you might consider layering small light sources rather than relying on your overhead light. This will create a soft glow across the room and illuminate any dark corners.


Furthermore, warm, soft lighting is key for a cosy and inviting atmosphere. Opt for warm white lightbulbs over cool white, and consider using diffusing lampshades to soften the light.


Maximise natural light by keeping your blinds open during the day or using sheer curtains to maintain privacy. Keep your windows clear of obstructions that could block sunlight from filling the whole room.



7: Don't Limit Yourself to a Single Shade

Living room painted with the colour, drenching a technique in blue with a light blue rug

While colour drenching involves using one dominant colour, you can effortlessly balance the space by incorporating various tones of your chosen hue. 


For example, if you're going for a blue colour palette, you could combine varying colour intensities from deep navy to sky blue. 


This method creates a more layered appearance while maintaining the colour theme. 


Moreover, certain designs opt to use the colour drenching technique for a single accent wall while deviating from the colour scheme for the rest of the space.


A bedroom with a seamless peach pink colour theme

Colour drenching doesn't need to be a strict technique. You may wish to use it purely as inspiration, use it in one room of your home, or even one wall. Don't be afraid to deviate from the rules to create a design that's aesthetically pleasing to you and your unique preferences. 


We'd love to know how you use colour drenching to elevate your space - let us know in the comments!


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