Monochrome doesn’t have to be monotonous. Quite the opposite. Interior designers can add drama to a room by playing with different shades of the same color or by covering all surfaces with a single color.
Called a “must-try” trend for 2024 by House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, and other publications, color-drenching is not for the faint of heart. It’s bold and eye-catching, and requires a steady hand and firm commitment. Done wrong, color-drenching a room can reveal hidden flaws in the walls and ceiling, and risks turning off potential homebuyers and guests; after all, not everyone is keen on an entire room of blood-red walls and furniture. Done right, it can transform a drab entryway or office into a dramatic, cozy space that fully showcases its owner’s personality.
The classic color bath involves painting all the surfaces in a room—walls, trim, ceilings, and sometimes even fixtures and floors—the exact same shade. It’s definitely a dramatic visual statement, whether it’s a cool gray or a deep green. A big benefit of the color bath, especially in small spaces, is that it “provides a more unified feel and makes the space feel a little bigger,” says interior designer Holly Ortiz. She prefers the “dark and moody” effect of a full-surface color bath.
“If you do dark and moody walls, it will create a stark contrast with the trim and ceilings” if they remain white, Ortiz says. “And sometimes you don’t want that much contrast. If you’re trying to make it dark and moody, you want the whole room to be dark and moody. So you don’t want the white ceiling to let in even more light.”
Flooding a room with color is a great way to make a big aesthetic statement without the need for a major renovation. After all, Ortiz says, “it’s just paint… I want my clients to take risks with color because that’s probably the easiest thing to change.”
She cautions her clients to make sure they really love the color they choose. Varying the sheen of the paint, even if it stays the same color, can add variety to the room. A matte or eggshell finish on the wall is complemented by glossy or satin trim, which adds depth and variety while maintaining the drama of the monochromatic look. However, Ortiz recommends taking a close look at the condition of the walls. With paint drenches, especially glossy or semi-gloss paint, every nick and dent in the underlying surface can show through.
Intense color can work in any room, says Ortiz, but it’s particularly effective for “making a room feel more cohesive, cozy and closed.”
Detroit and Atlanta-based designer Tiffany Cobb of Tiffany René Interior Design doesn’t exactly describe her work as color drenching. Instead, she layers many different shades of a single color, along with bold patterns and textures, to create a chic monochromatic scheme that can be used throughout a space. She encourages her clients to “think tonally. Instead of matching everything in the exact same shade, mix and match different tones to create depth and interest.”
Often working with a palette she describes as “ranging from reddish to burgundy,” Cobb creates a striking visual experience with patterned wallpaper and fabrics. “I find they’re very calming, but still create a very moody atmosphere,” says Cobb. “I love creating moody interiors and I’m known for pushing the envelope with different textures on the wall.”
When creating a tone-on-tone look, Cobb recommends that her clients fully embrace the color. “When you extend the color, or its various hues and shades, into your upholstery and decor,” she says, “you create a cohesive and chic monochromatic interior scheme.” To really enhance the dramatic effect, Cobb often uses several different textiles from the same color family. For a recent project, she used three different Fabricut leather textures, ranging from silky smooth to almost pebbled.
Once her clients have decided on a color family, Cobb plays with patterns within that family: A bold tropical print on one side of the room is complemented by a classic marble wallpaper on the other. “A bold approach can make spaces feel larger and more unified, creating a striking visual impact,” she says. The result is equal parts sophisticated and cozy, elegant and intimate at the same time.
Both Cobb and Ortiz like to use a monochrome palette to make a big impact in a small space. But that bold statement isn’t to everyone’s taste. Lora Leslie is a real estate agent with DOBI Real Estate who specializes in staging homes to maximize their sales potential. That often means appealing to a common denominator or making sure a home looks neutral enough that potential buyers can envision their own design aesthetic in the space. Although Leslie firmly believes that “when you buy a home, you should be able to live in it and decorate it however you want,” she cautions that such bold statements may need to be walked back when selling. “If you’re doing something super dramatic, you may need to factor in the upfront costs so that in the end, before you sell your home, you may have to redo everything again.”
Leslie notes that color drenching is a popular trend right now and a relatively inexpensive way to add more impact and personality to a space. However, like other trends, it could seem dated in a few years—she compares it to the barn door trend, which is currently fading away. Still, she encourages homeowners to try any decorating ideas they want to personalize their living space. Finally, Ortiz tells her clients, “Just be bold! Take risks because the biggest risks are the biggest rewards. So if you’re looking for that wow factor or something new, I think this is a good trend to jump on.”
Mickey Lyons is a freelance writer based in Michigan.
