This joyful interior trend is a celebration of color in its purest form. Think wall-to-wall or wall-to-ceiling color, layers of color matching, coordinated furniture and soft furnishings, and dramatic color drenching techniques with matte finishes.
Choose any color – whether dark or light, classic or on-trend – to tell your story and consider all aspects of the space. This includes those forgotten-about features that usually get ignored, like skirting boards, door trims, woodwork, and even your radiators.
Color drenching interiors is about saturating everything in the same color for seamless beauty and impact. Want to know how to pull off this trend like a pro? Read on for our ultimate cheat sheet.
Cheat code 1 – Add more space with light colors
Choose light to mid shades to create the illusion of space and make a small room appear larger. Drenching your home in a single light color can make it feel bright, airy and beautifully sun-lit during the daytime.
Invest in good lighting options, such as LED ceiling spotlights, to maintain the same look and ambience at night. This can work well in terms of light distribution and adapt well to all ceiling heights.
If your windows are towards one end of the room, or you have an awkward-shaped space, remember to consider ways to light up those dark corners and recesses. In the same way you're drenching the room in color, you'll want to drench it in lots of light too.
Cheat code 2 – Create drama with darker hues
Fancy stepping over to the dark side? Darker hues like navy are a match made in heaven for color drenching interiors. Plus, if you've never dipped your toe into dark home design, this is the perfect time to try. This highly saturated trend makes it super easy to curate dark colors, such as forest green, navy, or charcoal gray.
Matte finishes are great if you want to soften the look too. This can make moodier hues feel less imposing, creating a more ''cocooned'' and cozy effect where the color envelopes you as soon as you walk in.
Just be sure to consider lighting carefully. Some great tips for ensuring your space still gets the right amount of light include:
- Adding lots of mirrors to bounce light around the room
- Illuminating low ceilings with effective lighting options
- Keeping window areas clear to invite maximum sunlight during the day
- Opting for lighter-colored flooring
- Combining gloss and matte finishes for depth and dimension
Cheat code 3 – Celebrate the color of the season
Blue by Shandra Smith wall mural
There's no better way to embrace color trends than by drenching your space in one color. Drenching is a confident, self-assured interior design narrative that goes full pelt with zero inhibitions. In order to really pull this one off, the designer has to do it with poise and conviction. In other words – don't second guess yourself.
If this is the color you love, go right ahead and paint everything. Your walls, ceilings, skirting boards, woodwork, furniture, and more. Whatever you can get your paintbrush on!
Some of the hottest colors in 2024 include deep maroon and cherry, fun retro blues, golden honey and rich yellow, as well as warm, earthy tones like terracotta and caramel. And let's not forget the WGSN and Coloro Color of the Year – ''Future Dusk'', which sits somewhere between dark blue and purple.
Cheat code 4 – If in doubt, go tonal instead
Are you concerned about using only one shade? We get it – it's a bold move. But if you get stuck or lose confidence along the way, try tonal design instead. By selecting similar shades, you won't risk losing depth and dimension, but you can keep everything monochromatic and in line with the main narrative.
Explore lighter and darker shades of the same hue and mix in some different finishes, such as gloss, matte, satin, or textured. Color drenching interiors can be achieved in a more open way, by diversifying your color palette ever so slightly and using a range of surfaces to tell your story.
Cheat code 5 – Use texture to balance out the space
If you're you're worried about your room appearing too one-dimensional, make texture your best friend. It's likely that wonderful textures already exist in your woodwork, shelving, ceiling cornices, or things like your fire surround. But if you don't have a lot of texture, you can incorporate it through textiles, furnishings and different accessories.
Plush rugs, tactile fabrics and surface texture wall murals can all add visual interest, which will help balance out your space. With texture-effect murals, such as wood panel effect, you get the look at a fraction of the cost too!
Other ways you can create a sense of balance include:
- Introducing neutrals to provide relief from the dominant color.
- Considering the placement of furniture and other key features.
- Playing around with room proportions (such as adding oversized ornamentation).
You'll also want to declutter your home if balance is a concern. A clean and tidy space is critical for this trend to work and for textured elements to be seen and understood in all their visual glory. That's why it's essential to choose the right room. One with ample storage, a well-designed layout where everything has its place, and one that is easy to organize.
Cheat code 6 – Finally, use color drenching for connection
One of the most important cheat codes for drenching your home in color is to do it for the right reason. Yes, it's on-trend. Yes, it can really open up a space. But why are you choosing this color? If it's personal to you, your design will have much more longevity because long-lasting interior design is about meaningful connection.
Sometimes, we can run with new interior trends only to get bored the following season. Make sure the color resonates with you to feel connected to your color-drenched space. You may feel connected to this hue, or it reflects your personality. It may evoke strong emotions or inspire a specific mood.
Whatever the reason, the more emotionally attached you are to the color, the more likely it will become a project of passion and one that you really pour your heart and soul into.
What do you think of this bold trend? Would you try it in your home? Let us know whether it gets the thumbs up or thumbs down in the comments below…
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