2. Play with lighting
Lighting can make or break any colour-led design scheme – which means it's doubly important when colour drenching your living room.
For instance, a sun-soaked room with huge windows can better handle deeper or moodier shades, ensuring the décor doesn’t feel dark or dingy. On the other hand, if your living room doesn’t get a lot of natural light, brighter shades bring in that missing glow.
You also need to think about how your colour drenched living room will look under artificial lighting. Brighter wall colours will reflect light, meaning you’ll only need a floor or table lamp, while darker walls need more lighting fixtures to reveal the full majesty of your décor.
3. Camouflage radiators, light switches, and sockets
Colour drenching is all about bringing a seamless shade to your living room, so the last thing you want is a white radiator spoiling your aesthetic. Instead, use these practical elements as part of your canvas.
You can find paint specifically designed for the high heat of a radiator, and many lighting brands offer paintable covers for any sockets and switches on the wall. It does take a little extra care and patience to paint these elements, but the result is more than worth it.
How to Transform Your Living Room with Colour Drenching
There’s something instantly captivating about a room wrapped in a single, saturated shade – and that’s exactly why colour drenching is so popular. As an interior design concept, it speaks to the homeowner who isn’t afraid to push boundaries, confidently embracing colour and completely reimagining what a living room can look like.
In this article, we’ll explain what colour drenching is, as well as how you can bring this bold trend to your living room.
What is colour drenching?
This trend is exactly what it sounds like: you take one colour and drench your entire space in that specific shade. We’re talking walls, ceilings, skirting boards, all coated in a single hue, creating a seamless, cohesive effect.
It’s such a simple design choice (it’s just one colour, after all), but it can completely transform your space. Whether you want a dramatic and moody aesthetic or a lighter, more relaxing look, colour drenching your living room allows you to control the vibe of your décor with a quick paint job.
5 tips for colour drenching your living room
1. Find the right colour for your décor
There are so many different options when it comes to colour drenching your living room, how can you possibly choose just one? Well, you can let your existing décor – particularly your furniture - help you make that decision.
If you have a warm brown leather sofa, for example, colour drenching with an olive green or clay beige can create a beautiful tonal harmony. Alternatively, if your living room leans into natural wood furniture, you can better highlight those elements with sage green, charcoal grey, or even ochre.
You want to consider your furniture and wall colour together, rather than seeing them as separate elements competing for attention.
2. Play with lighting
Lighting can make or break any colour-led design scheme – which means it's doubly important when colour drenching your living room.
For instance, a sun-soaked room with huge windows can better handle deeper or moodier shades, ensuring the décor doesn’t feel dark or dingy. On the other hand, if your living room doesn’t get a lot of natural light, brighter shades bring in that missing glow.
You also need to think about how your colour drenched living room will look under artificial lighting. Brighter wall colours will reflect light, meaning you’ll only need a floor or table lamp, while darker walls need more lighting fixtures to reveal the full majesty of your décor.
3. Camouflage radiators, light switches, and sockets
Colour drenching is all about bringing a seamless shade to your living room, so the last thing you want is a white radiator spoiling your aesthetic. Instead, use these practical elements as part of your canvas.
You can find paint specifically designed for the high heat of a radiator, and many lighting brands offer paintable covers for any sockets and switches on the wall. It does take a little extra care and patience to paint these elements, but the result is more than worth it.
4. Contrast colour with your furniture
Colour drenching your living room provides the perfect foundation to create an eye-catching contrast.
By enveloping your walls and ceiling in that single shade, you create a backdrop that allows your sofa to shine. For example, a turquoise blue sofa will leap out against a dark red room, instantly taking centre stage. Or, for a softer, more chic look, set a cream sofa against a backdrop of taupe walls.
Loveseats, accent chairs, and even footstools can also act as bold punctuation marks in your colour scheme. The key is to balance your colour drenched backdrop with furniture that either pops or harmonises, depending on the mood you’re aiming for.
5. Add tonal variations with accessories
The concept of colour drenching does focus on a single dominant hue, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add some subtle tonal variation to keep things interesting.
Scatter cushions are your best friend here, adding depth without disrupting the cohesion. For example, add petrol blue cushions against navy walls or try burnt orange cushions layered on rust. You can also look to the likes of throw blankets or footstools to help build out the colour scheme even further.