As we look ahead to 2025, design trends are evolving to reflect a deeper connection between our living spaces and our personal expression.
One of the boldest trends that’s gaining popularity is color drenching—a technique that involves painting the walls, trim, ceiling, and even doors in the same or very similar shades of color. This immersive style creates a monochromatic look that feels both cozy and luxurious.
If you’re looking for a design style to shake things up, color drenching could be the perfect solution.
Meet the Expert
- Ellie Mroz is the founder and principal designer at Ellie Mroz Design.
- Desiree Burns is the principal designer at Desiree Burns Interiors.
What Is Color Drenching?
At its core, color drenching is all about wrapping a room in one continuous color to create a seamless, immersive effect. Gone are the days when neutral ceilings and white trims were the default. In color drenching, every surface—walls, ceiling, trim, and sometimes even the floor—is coated in the same color or slight variations of it, creating an enveloping aesthetic. This approach can make any room feel more cohesive, intimate, and carefully curated.
Ellie Mroz of Ellie Mroz Design sums it up perfectly: “Color drenching is a relatively easy and cost-effective way to create a cohesive, sophisticated look for a room; trims and ceilings that were previously left white are now part of the immersive paint scheme.”
By abandoning traditional paint conventions, you create a space that feels intentional and impactful.
Want more design inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest decor ideas, designer tips, and more!
The Allure of Color Drenching
Why should you consider this bold approach for your home in 2025? Color drenching has a unique way of elevating any room, making it feel more luxurious and tailored to your personal taste.
Desiree Burns of Desiree Burns Interiors notes that “color drenching has a way of instantly elevating a space. Paint your walls, trim, and even ceiling (if you dare) all the same color for a refined and luxurious feel.”
The beauty of this trend is its versatility. Whether you’re aiming for a soft, serene bedroom or a bold, dramatic office space, color drenching can be adapted to suit any atmosphere. And because this trend plays so heavily with the concept of saturation, it can make both large and small spaces feel more defined and cohesive.
How to Pull Off the Color Drenching Look
While color drenching sounds straightforward, pulling off this look requires some thought and planning. Here are some tips to help you make the most of this trend:
Choose the Right Color for the Room’s Function
Ellie Mroz emphasizes the importance of considering the function of the room before settling on a color scheme.
“Bold paint choices create drama (suitable for an office, lounge, or living room) while softer, warmer tones will have a calming effect (perfect for bedrooms),” she said.
A home office, for instance, might benefit from a deep navy or rich green to create a sense of focus and sophistication, whereas a bedroom may be more suited to a soft beige or blush to encourage relaxation.
Consider the Lighting
Natural light plays a crucial role in how color is perceived in a room, so make sure you factor in the amount of light your space receives.
If you’re working in a room that gets a lot of sunlight, don’t be afraid to opt for rich, saturated colors. In darker rooms, though, you might want to choose softer, lighter hues to keep the space from feeling too enclosed.
Play with Finishes
One of the secrets to making color drenching look polished is to vary the finishes of the paint. Mroz suggests using a matte or flat finish for walls and a satin or eggshell finish for trim, doors, and window panes.
This subtle contrast in texture will add dimension and keep the room from feeling too flat, even when it’s drenched in the same color.
Add Contrast with Furnishings and Decor
While color drenching focuses on one dominant color, adding contrasting elements through furniture, fabrics, and accessories will bring the room to life.
Think about how your furniture can either complement or offset the color drenching effect—lighter fabrics, patterned pillows, and metallic accents can create balance in an otherwise monochromatic room.
Dos and Don’ts of Color Drenching
To ensure your color-drenched room hits all the right notes, here are some important dos and don’ts:
Do
- Test your colors in different lighting. Before committing to a shade, test it out in various parts of the room and see how it looks during different times of the day. Colors can look dramatically different depending on the light.
- Experiment with texture and pattern. Incorporate different textures through rugs, curtains, or accent pillows to add depth to your monochromatic scheme.
- Vary the finishes. Using matte and gloss versions of the same color helps prevent the room from feeling too one-dimensional.
Don’t
- Go too dark in small, dimly lit rooms. If your room lacks natural light, going too dark could make the space feel cramped or cave-like.
- Neglect the ceiling. One of the hallmarks of color drenching is that the ceiling is part of the look. Don’t leave it white; instead, paint it in the same shade as the walls for a fully immersive experience.
- Forget to balance the color with decor. While color drenching is about creating a cohesive look, make sure you break it up with accessories, art, and furniture that introduce texture and variety.
Color drenching is set to be a defining trend in 2025, offering homeowners a fresh, cohesive, and luxurious design style that truly makes a statement.
By thoughtfully choosing your colors, considering lighting and finishes, and balancing the space with carefully selected furnishings, you can create an unforgettable room that feels both modern and timeless.
Get the best products from Amazon
