Color Drenching: Everything You Need to Know About…


Color drenching goes well beyond the simple accent wall. Like a monochromatic fantasy, the trend is all about a full-on, single-hue explosion across all surfaces in a room. In addition to the walls and ceilings, many objects and installations, such as window treatments and light fixtures, get the same color treatment. However, a single tone doesn’t necessarily mean monotony. When color drenching a room, many designers opt to play around with the paint’s finish, mixing in both gloss and matte across a variety of textures—such as wood or plaster—to create greater visual interest.

If you are ready to try some color drenching in your home, consider the following guide your north star. Below, AD shares tips on how to execute this new trend while sharing inspiring examples from around the world—so you’ll know what to expect before you reach for that roller.

Architecture studio MKCA renovated this Brooklyn brownstone where the entire living room—walls, moldings, window frames, and the ceiling—were all painted a juicy peachy pink (Palazzo Pink by Benjamin Moore). 

Photo: Alan Tansey

Where did color drenching come from? 

If you’re from the UK, where designers have long been open to saturating spaces in intense colors, color drenching might not be all that new to you. “We’re constantly being hit with new trends, but color drenching only deserves that trend label to a limited extent—it’s actually more of a technique,” explains Patrick O’Donnell, brand ambassador for the British paint and wallpaper manufacturer Farrow & Ball. What’s attractive about this approach, he says, is the seamless look that’s created when a single color is applied on every surface. “It’s a fantastic trick for allowing unspectacular details like radiators or overly prominent built-in cabinets to ‘disappear.’”

A tranquil haven: this entire bedroom—including the radiator and window frames—was painted in Calke Green by Farrow & Ball.

Photo: Farrow & Ball

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