What is colour drenching?

Imagine you are caught in the rain and you are absolutely soaked all over.  In fact you are drenched.  Well, this is the same with using the same colour, or very closely related tones, for every surface in a single room.  This is colour drenching.  It may sound overwhelming.  Who would want to use just one colour for everything?  But, in fact, it is quite a stunning technique and a great way to use a favourite colour.

Whenever I talk about colour or colour schemes, I always ask people to consider the mood that they want to achieve?  Do you want a fresh, light and airy feel to your space?  Or would you prefer a cosy and intimate feel to the room?

Colour drenching doesn't have to be bold, in fact you can use colour drenching for light tones too.  You can even use it for white.  I have lots to show you in this post.

What happens when you don't use a contrasting trim or door colour

In general, most interiors will use a contrasting colour for architraves, skirting boards and internal doors.  However, if you paint these areas in the same colour as the walls, then you are not making a feature of them and your eye will glide over the area.  This creates a very calming mood.

Often, a neutral or colour will really benefit from a crisp white trim.  The colour is made more pronounced and features of the room can be highlighted.  However, if you want a very soft and cosy environment, then painting these areas the same as the neutral or colour on the wall will achieve this.

Therefore by not painting your trim or doors in a different tone or colour, you create a cocooning effect which is like enveloping yourself in colour.  The darker the tone of the colour, the more cosy you feel.

Related: What to paint your skirting boards and architraves

Related: How to use a dark trim in your home

Using the same colour on the ceiling too

Did you know that you can manipulate a space with colour?  This is what you are doing with colour drenching, but it really comes into its own when you use a darker colour for your ceiling.

This is an excellent way to demonstrate the art of manipulating a space with colour.  The darker you paint a ceiling, the lower it will appear and if it is the same tonal level as the walls, you will achieve a cave like feeling.  You can use this to really train the eye to focus on what you want it to, for example a beautiful view or artwork.

Related: How to manipulate a space with colour

Colour drenching for a calm environment

People get scared of colour, which is a big shame.  In fact, most people love colour, but are afraid of getting it wrong, and so they stick to using whites and simple neutrals.  This is fine as you can still colour drench with a neutral.  In fact a room that is completely white on all surfaces has been colour drenched too.

If you paint everything in the same neutral, as in the image below, you achieve a very calming effect.  The eye simply focusses on what you would like it to.  For example, the objects on the bookcase are highlighted perfectly.  The same can apply to a beautiful artwork.  Colour drenching is a great way to highlight something in a room, and neutrals are perfect for this as they disappear.

Colour drenching with a soft pastel tone is a perfect treatment for a child's nursery.  By not using a contrast for the trim and ceiling, the effect is very calming.  This soft apricot is perfect for this look.

Colour drenching in a small space

Using just one colour for the walls, trim and ceiling works particularly well in a small space.  If you like the idea of using this effect, but are a little apprehensive about committing to the look in a large area, then opt for a small room like a bathroom.  Powder rooms are particularly good for this treatment as they tend to be a little separate from the other areas in the home in terms of style and colour.  This is a room you can often use some dramatic license with.

The pantry joinery and v groove panelling below from Oho Interiors has been painted in Farrow & Ball's Cola.  This is a stunning colour and works with the brass hardware perfectly.  The kitchen isn't this colour, but the pantry is behind a pocket door and is absolutely intriguing.

Transition from colour drenching

If you are using a dark tone as colour drenching in a chosen room, you need to consider how the look will flow to other rooms, particularly if this is an open plan interior.

The space above has been painted in a beautiful dark olive green.  This has been colour drenched as it covers the walls, architraves, picture rails, cornice and ceiling.  The effect is a very intimate and cosy living space.  The hallway however is painted in more traditional neutral tones with the architraves and skirting boards accented with a classic off white.  This works because the colour in the hallway is a stone neutral that works with the olive green.  There is also a link with the flooring and stairs which assists with the flow.

Notice how this dark green beautifully recedes and therefore frames the room leading from it?

Which paint finish should I use?

Farrow and Ball has some great examples of colour drenching in rooms.  In response to this trend, they have introduced a paint called Dead Flat.  This has an ultra matt surface.  This is an important point to note, particularly if you are using a very dark or dramatic colour on all the surfaces of a room.  Ultra matt finishes absorb light, rather than bounce it around a room and this is the effect that you want with a dark, strong colour.

If you are colour drenching with a neutral, then you can either use the same matt paint everywhere, or for just a little contrast you can use a more durable paint finish with a slight sheen for the skirting boards, doors and architraves.  Once you add a little gloss level, the colour will lighten.

You must always use a matt finish for ceilings to hide any imperfections.  The glossier the surface, the more imperfections you will see.

Related: Which paint finish should I use?

So, what do you think about colour drenching?  Do you think this is an interior design trick that you would like to try in your home?  I would love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Are you renovating or building your new dream home?  If so you should access my FREE Resource Library where you can download comprehensive checklists and e-books to help you with your project.  If you need help with your colour selections, I have an online consultation service.