Have a hue you can’t get enough of? When an accent wall doesn’t satisfy your craving, it might be time to color drench. It’s no surprise that color drenching is booming in popularity across both TikTok and high-end interior design. While a new trend, color drenching has timeless appeal and caters to various styles.
Color drenching exudes some seriously showstopping style – and is an accessible, easy, and cost-effective way to completely transform almost any space.
Ready to fill your world with color? This DIY color drenching guide covers everything you need to know about how to color drench a room.
What is Color Drenching?
Color drenching takes wall paint to a whole new level. With color drenching, you coat walls and ceilings in a single color—including the trim, wainscoting, doors, and even the ceiling. While paint alone can achieve this look, you can incorporate textured wallpaper of the same hue for an upscale touch.
But why color drench? Color drenching creates an immersive environment and makes a dramatic statement. With the right color pick, you can create the illusion of higher ceilings and a bigger room—or curate a cozy and comfy environment. It’s all about the colors you pick and the spaces you choose to color drench!
Choosing the Right Color for Color Drenching
Choosing the right color for your color-drenching project is crucial. Before you break out the primer and painter’s tape, be mindful of how both hue and depth can impact the look and feel of your space.
Color: Consider Your Room’s Purpose & Intended Mood
Different colors evoke different emotions. The color you select for your color-drenching project can influence a room’s mood.
For example, blues and neutrals can create a calming atmosphere, making them perfect for bedrooms and living rooms.
In contrast, bold and vibrant hues can energize a space, which works well for dining rooms or creative studios.
Looking to set a serious and moody tone? Dabble with dark colors. Navy, deep greens, and even shades of plum or black are popular deep-hued color-drenching picks.
Depth: Mind Light Reflective Value & Your Space’s Dimensions
Do you have a small room you’re looking to visually expand or a room that feels just a tad too large? Color drenching is the perfect solution in either case.
If you’re wondering what colors make a room look bigger, consider lighter, brighter shades or light neutrals. Lighter colors have a higher light reflective value (LRV). The more light reflected, the larger a space will feel.
If you want to lower high ceilings or shrink oversized rooms, opt for a darker shade. Darker colors have a lower LRV and absorb light, which is why they make a space feel cozier and more compact.
Mind Natural Light (Or Lack Thereof)
Remember that the amount of natural light a room receives can affect how your paint color looks once it’s on the wall—and, in this case, everywhere else.
As a general rule of thumb, rooms with plenty of natural light can handle darker, more saturated colors. In contrast, smaller rooms or those with limited natural light might benefit from lighter shades to avoid feeling cramped.
Which Spaces Work Best for Color Drenching?
You can color-drench any room! However, some spaces—particularly those in an open-concept home—will better lend themselves to this trend. Don’t forget to mind your overall color scheme, though!
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are closed-in by nature and are an obvious choice for color-drenching projects. Picking paint for color-drenching bedrooms? Your paint pick doesn’t always have to be bold or in-your-face. With the right color, you can crank up the cozy and create a serene, cohesive feel. Consider soothing, warm neutrals or colors that promote relaxation, such as soft greens or blues, to make your bedroom a peaceful retreat.
Tie in your bedding and curtains for a monochromatic look and feel, and experiment with furniture hues and finishes for added interest.
Living Rooms
Color-drenching a living room can create a stunning and sophisticated look – no matter which living room color you’re feeling. Deep, rich colors can make your space luxurious, while lighter shades make your living space feel airy and spacious. Experiment with different tones to find what best suits your style and your space.
No room is complete without furniture and decor, though. In a dark-colored living room, go for a head-to-toe look with a deep couch and a bold rug, or stick to neutral hues if you’re striving for light and airy. No matter your style, don’t forget to add ambiance with lighting and decor!
Dining Rooms
Dining rooms are excellent spaces for experimenting with bold colors. A color-drenched dining room can create a backdrop for an intimate and inviting atmosphere, perfect for entertaining guests—and displaying statement wall art and bolder dining sets.
Entryways or Mudrooms
Bold, welcoming colors that set the tone for the rest of your home can benefit these transitional spaces—no matter their size! A color-drenched entryway is also the perfect backdrop for a gallery wall!
Powder Rooms
Here’s your opportunity to create a dramatic and memorable effect! Smaller rooms, like powder rooms, are ideal for experimenting with intense hues – like 2024’s color of the year: peach fuzz. Opt for coordinating wall art or choose something bold and contrasting to make a statement.
Hallways
A narrow or oddly shaped hallway can benefit from the floor-to-ceiling brightening power of color drenching. Light, bright shades – neutral or colorful – will help visually open hallways and create cohesion. In contrast, a darker hue can help narrow and visually shorten large hallways.
Post color drench, incorporating decor, such as wall art or decorative mirrors, can help you achieve your design goals.
What to Know Before You Color Drench
Before diving into your color-drenching project, there are a few essential considerations to remember to ensure you love your finished look.
Test Your Color First
There’s nothing worse than a paint color surprise. So, before you invest in gallons of paint, double-check your color choice in the context of your space’s natural lighting—don’t just rely on a paint chip under the store’s fluorescent overheads!
Paint a small section of your room and observe how your paint choice looks at different times of the day to see how the color looks under varying light conditions.
Plan to Incorporate Visual Interest and Texture
Worried that color drenching will visually flatten your space? There’s a simple fix for that: texture. Incorporating different paint finishes—like matte and gloss—or adding textured elements like limewash, fabric, or wallpaper creates much-needed depth and interest.
Recommended Paint Finishes
Are you unsure where to start when selecting paint finishes for your color-drenching project? Here’s what we recommend!
- Walls: Satin or eggshell for improved durability.
- Baseboards and Trim: Easy-to-clean satin or semi-gloss.
- Ceilings: Flat, matte paint for most rooms; semi-gloss for high-humidity areas like bathrooms or kitchens.
Pro Tip: Working with a dark color, like navy or dark green? Unless you have super high ceilings, you might want to lighten the opacity with a touch for the ceiling. This small tweak lets you achieve a color-drenched look without feeling closed in.
Prep Your Space, Paying Special Attention to Your Doors and Trim
Preparation is key to a successful color-drenching project. Ensure all surfaces are clean before painting—and, if needed, sanded and primed, too. For doors and trim, sanding and priming will help the paint adhere better and provide a smoother finish.
Color drenching might still require a bit of painter’s tape, too. When painting doors and thresholds, you’ll want to ensure your color doesn’t “bleed” into the next room.
The rule of thumb is that the inner frame of the door (where you have your latch) should be painted the same color as the room it faces when open. So, if your doors open into the room, coat the latch side of the door, too. If it opens out, you can skip painting the latch side. Instead, paint the inside by the door mounts.
Don’t Forget to Balance Your Space With Furniture and Decor
Once your color drenching project is complete, balance the boldness with carefully selected furniture and decor. Instead of trying to match your furniture to your walls exactly, consider embracing neutrals and variety in your larger pieces. Timeless furniture in greys, beiges, navy, and black can provide a calming counterbalance to vibrant walls; coordinated decor elements, like wall art, textiles, and lamps, can enhance the overall theme and color continuity.
Cultivate Style With CORT Furniture Rental
Color drenching is a fabulous way to fill your space with the colors and vibes you adore. From ceiling to floor, we’re here to help you find the freedom to make your space your own.
With us, it’s easy to find the furniture, decor, appliances, and more you need—and to have them for as long as you need them. We’ll deliver your items to your space, professionally set them up for you, and when your lease is up, we’ll take everything away. Start creating your perfect layout online or at your local CORT showroom today and discover how our timeless and trendy pieces can elevate any color-drenched space.
