How to use Color Drenching

What does color drenching mean when used in interior design? Color drenching is the use of a single color, usually in varying shades and tones across the entire room. The drenching applies to everything in the room with emphasis on making the walls, ceiling and trim the same color using a monochromatic theme. The result can be dramatic or calming depending on the choice of color and depth of color. So, before you start painting, describe the “feeling” you want to evoke in the room. For example, if you want it to be calm and restful, select warm earthy tones. For an energetic and fun result, select a bold turquoise or bright green. If you are working to incorporate your existing furniture into your design and it is not your drench color, make that your contrast color to create focal points in the room. Once you have chosen the mood of the room and your color, consider four design principles as you continue:

Interesting Texture

The first principle when drenching with a single color is to incorporate interesting texture. If everything is shiny and smooth, your eye will not stop on the details to appreciate your furniture or artwork. An example of this when using an earthy tone would be using your drench color in a textured grass wallpaper or installing natural grass roman shades for your window treatment. If everything in the room is smooth, add a high-pile rug.

Value Contrast

The second principle is to incorporate value contrast by mixing light and dark shades of your chosen color either in the paint treatment, or by selecting wood for furniture or cabinetry that includes your drench color. This is shown in cherry cabinets in our photo that pick up the rich chestnut wall color. Value contrast will usually happen naturally when you start to add furniture, window treatments and accessories, but this can also be achieved by using materials of the same color but mixing shiny and dull finishes. Notice that the ceiling inside the niche in the photo is hand-applied copper leaf with copper gimp around the edges where the ceiling meets the wall. The result is a melting of the shiny copper ceiling, the flat rust walls, and the smooth cherry cabinetry.

Interesting Line

If your room is a simple square as in our photos, be sure to add interesting line to add movement to the space. This is achieved with architectural details such as the ceiling crown molding and baseboard, or the furniture that has the detailed carving of a craftsman.

Interesting Pattern

The last principle, which is just as important, is the use of interesting patterns to evoke the feeling you described for the room before you started. In our example room, there is a gallery of Asian art on the shelves and around the room, most of which have some or all the black contrast color we chose for this drenching. Each piece of art has intricate detailed patterns to catch your eye, and most also have interesting texture. We also used a dramatic black ceiling with a subtle shiny/dull diamond pattern, and finally a soft rug with black in the pattern to reinforce the contrast color and provide texture and interesting lines.

If you’re not sure of how to start, begin with a small room that might lack personality such as your guest powder room or your laundry room. Once you’ve mastered the art of color drenching in a small space move on to bigger things in your home and have some fun with it!