What is Color Drenching?

Let’s talk about color drenching, a paint treatment that’s been trending for a couple of years. What is color drenching?

Here are the basics:  Color drenching is a bold design trend that focuses on the use of monochromatic color schemes in a space. The idea is to saturate a room or an area with different shades and tints of the same color, creating a cohesive and immersive atmosphere. Rather than mixing contrasting colors, color drenching uses variations of one color across walls, furniture, ceilings, textiles, and decor. The goal is to create a harmonious and enveloping look that feels unified and soothing. I’ve mainly seen one paint color used in a space and then colors in the same family on fabrics, etc. Color drenching gives a very bold look to a room and I love the trend.

via Farrow & Ball

The main things to know about color drenching are these:

Walls and Ceilings:

Both walls and ceilings are painted the same color, which can make a room feel more expansive or cozy, depending on the chosen hue.

via: Farrow and Ball

Furniture and Decor:

Furniture and decor items are often selected in complementary shades of the main color, enhancing the color cohesion in the room.

via: Southern Living: PHOTO: Lucas Allen; Styling: Elizabeth Demos

Textiles:

Curtains, rugs, cushions, and other fabric elements are coordinated in matching tones, providing texture variation but sticking to the same color palette.

via: Southern Living: Jeff Hurr Photography

Accent Features:

Even small details, like door frames, light fixtures, and accessories, can follow the color drenching concept, reinforcing the visual unity.

via: Southern Living {Photo: C.W. Newell}

The color drenching trend is very popular in interior design as it adds an element of sophistication and makes a space feel personalized. It works well with both muted tones (like soft pastels or earthy neutrals) for a calm and serene vibe, or with bold and vibrant hues (like deep blues, greens, or reds) for a dramatic and striking effect. I’ve seen it done in lots of colors, but darker jewel tones seem to have the biggest impact using this trend.

via: Better Homes & Gardens Courtesy of Valspar paints

You’ll notice that applied moldings are a part of this popular trend and that has been gaining in popularity the  last few years. We’ve done plenty of that in our house and love it. Those added moldings really make a room pop when you paint the whole thing in one bold color.

via: Making Pretty Spaces

Look how pretty this bathroom is just by adding additional moldings and painting all trimwork plus the ceiling in this lush green shade. Gorgeous!

Same color, picture taken early morning below, which gives it a lighter appearance.

Here’s how we used color drenching in our home. Our sitting room off our bedroom was the perfect space to add this trend. We first adding moldings to the plain drywalled walls and then painted the entire space in a beautiful blue shade called Moody Blue (by Sherwin Williams). The fabrics added are in the same color family on the chairs and drapes. The white cabinet and rug add a contrast, but you can certainly use the same color on everything for a major impact too.

What do you think of color drenching? Would you try this in your home? It’s a great way to liven up a room and it’s only paint and molding so it’s not too expensive to pull off.

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