Color Drenching, the Ceiling-to-Baseboard Paint Treatment
DESIGN
STORY BY VIRGINIA BESHEARS
Whether you’re looking to get inspired to try color drenching yourself, or you’re just wondering what in the world color drenching is, you’ve come to the right place.
Color drenching is a relatively new term for painting your walls, ceiling, trim, doors, etc. the same shade, effectively “drenching” your room in that color. The effect creates a cocoon of color; by reducing the amount your eye is drawn to things like trim and doors, the walls and ceiling simply become a backdrop of color.
I’ve seen color drenching referred to as an effect to create tranquility in spaces. This can of course be true depending on the chosen color, but I think the real power of color drenching is its ability to make a space feel absolute. Color drenched spaces feel almost otherworldly in the way that they envelop you.
As you’ll soon see via the past ORC projects below, the color drenching technique lends itself equally well to traditional and modern style, as well as to maximalism and minimalism. In fact, color drenching can be a a great way for a color-loving minimalist to bring color into their space, because it reduces the visual clutter.
Color drenching obviously isn’t for everyone— it’s a huge commitment to one shade of paint and it can be tricky to style. However, when done well, a color drenched space is magical and unique. Below are seven incredible color drenched rooms from past ORC events.
VIA BETH DIANA SMITH
Beth Diana Smith’s goal with this bedroom makeover was to create a space with “moody and contrasting earth tones with a very green foundation.” She actually used a darker color on the ceiling, but the difference between the shades is almost imperceptible and it really heightens the feeling of being in a cocoon of earth tones.
The overall effect of color drenching with grey-green paint is that the space feels incredibly calm and soothing, despite there being lots of pops of bold gem tones. The grey-green allows the bolder colors enrich the space without them feeling loud or overbearing.
The finished bedroom is absolutely magnificent!
This olive green home office by Sarah of Simplify the Chaos is another fantastic example of how color drenching with earth tones can create an amazingly serene, cozy space. The wood desk and seagrass rug pair especially well with the olive green as they add to the natural feeling of the space.
Also, the addition of shiplap adds some wonderful texture to the walls and ceiling.
VIA JEWELED INTERIOR
Jewel Marlowe chose to color drench this amazing dining room in Sulking Room Pink by Farrow & Ball. The color choice is fresh and unexpected, and the color drenching makes the space feel very immersive.
The pale table and the black chairs create lovely contrast with the medium tone blush.
VIA HOUSE OF BRINSON
The beautiful shade of emerald green in this bedroom by House of Brinson is certainly worthy of the color drenching treatment.
This room is like jumping into the most luxurious emerald green pool. At the same time, color drenched spaces need a healthy dose of contrast so that the room doesn’t feel visually stagnant. The light area rug, the stunning wood pieces, and the white bedding all work perfectly to keep your eye moving.
Lauren from Lauren’s Handmade transformed this study for her husband and used the color Blueprint by Behr. She set out to create a space where her introverted husband could unwind after work by reading and listening to music. The medium-toned blue on the walls makes for a serene environment perfect for relaxing.
VIA LW INTERIORS
Linda of LW Interiors used this lovely, rich cobalt blue color in her guest bedroom. In a space with a ceiling that isn’t a uniform height, color drenching is a genius move, because it makes the extra lines disappear.
All the natural, warm shades she used look gorgeous on this paint color, and the finished room is, amazingly, simultaneously bold and tranquil.
Color drenching with black really brings the drama in this space by Melissa Grieve. Can you imagine this space with a white ceiling? It wouldn’t make nearly the same impact and the gorgeous moody ambiance wouldn’t be the same.
One of the keys to a great color drenched room is making sure the lighting and other accents are right to put your paint color in the most flattering light (no pun intended). Below are some of our lighting faves and other picks that would be perfect in a color drenched space.
