For a dramatic change in the look and feel of your home, it doesn’t get much more impactful than colour drenching. If this recent trend has passed you by so far, now’s the time to give it some consideration, because it can be a powerful way of transforming your home for the better.
Colour drenching is when you fill a room with one single, carefully chosen colour (usually with paint) to create a seamless, cohesive whole. Forget having just one accent wall; this process includes walls, ceiling, skirting boards, window frames, radiators, built-in cabinetry – the lot. The result is an immersive space which feels unified and harmonious, and that can be completely captivating. For those who want to take this look further, you can choose the same colour for the floor covering and main items of furniture, too.
It may sound overwhelming, but there are plenty of reasons why colour drenching can be successful (apart from being helpful when you can’t make up your mind about combining shades). For one thing, it enables you to ‘paint out’ the unattractive parts of the room so they’re less obvious. This includes air vents or standard metal radiators. Bulky cabinetry can be minimised, making the room feel less cluttered.
Single Minded
It goes against years of standard practice, but this is where you say goodbye to painting your ceilings and woodwork plain old white (though both papered ceilings and decorative effects have been gaining in popularity in recent years). The monochromatic approach is a great way to differentiate between rooms or areas of your home – whether it’s a bright and welcoming hall, an inviting living room or a tranquil bedroom, for example. What’s more, it’s an incredibly effective way to showcase your most beautiful furnishings and accessories, with contrasting colours standing out against the colour-drenched background.
Changing Places
Saturating a room with a single colour will also alter the sense of space and its ambience – both of which are the results of the specific colour chosen. You can colour drench with any colour you like – but be aware of how colours can have wildly different effects. Select your ‘hero’ shade wisely. It may sound obvious, but you can colour drench with white, or off-white, creating a real sense of airy brightness and potentially giving an illusion of a larger space. This works well in small and dark rooms but could be a little like an art gallery in large rooms with plenty of natural light, unless you work hard to create a sense of warmth with flooring, window treatments and furnishings.
Choose muted colours such as pink, pale blue or soft green and the room will feel tranquil and relaxing – a good option for bedrooms and snugs that you want to feel soft and warm. Stronger, darker colours such as navy, crimson or chestnut are not only dramatic but will also tend to make a space feel very cosy and cocooning (you may need to add extra lighting, however). These colours make a stunning choice for larger rooms where you want to either relax or spend time socialising, especially in the evening.
If you’re feeling a little timid about committing to colour drenching, why not start with a small room, such as a downstairs WC or an en-suite shower room? This can be a sensible way to experiment. If you love the result, before you know it you’ll be extending your colour drenching to every room, totally committed to this full-on, floor-to-ceiling, fashionable style.
