Your Color-Drenched Room Isn't Working — But This Is the Small Change Designers Would Make to Fix It
"Get it wrong, and drenching can feel overwhelming and claustrophobic"
"Color drenching has really landed: walls, mouldings, ceiling, and maybe the joinery too, all in one shade, rather than color being confined to one surface," says Jessica Gibbons, an interior designer whose spaces are often full of bold color. And it has; since color drenching took hold, we've become more and more daring with its application. Darker hues, tonal variations, bolder finishes — so why is your color-drenched room not reading as stylishly as you imagined?
As seemingly simple as this approach appears (slap a color across every surface and call it a day, right?), it actually requires clever technique and nuance. Neutrals can easily read as flat, and strong saturations quickly become overwhelming, so what's the fix? Well, leaning into the more contemporary variations of color drenching is a good way to start — adding trim in a slightly different tone, adding accent finishes on the doors or ceiling, and styling decor that ties the color around the room.
For design lovers like you and me, there is a universal experience of constantly seeing interiors you admire and garnering inspiration for your own space. For me, I've always loved a bold color-drench, but it's a hard one to really pull off. So, if you're not quite satisfied with how your drench is sitting, here are a few expert tips and tricks for getting it right, according to designers.
Your color choice is even more important when drenching a room.
The first part of nailing a beautifully color-drenched room is understanding where it can go wrong. Interior designer Jessica Horton, founder and creative director of London-based studio Deorling, explains, "A lot of people think that drenching a room will work in every color, but color choice is so important. Get it wrong, and drenching can feel overwhelming and claustrophobic."
So, the color you use for color drenching matters. Nature-inspired greens will create a grounding space that feels serene yet vibrant, while a deep brown or aubergine drench is for those who want a more maximalist space. Think about the mood you want to create or the environment you want to exist in within the room.
And another easy trick is to choose a shade slightly lighter and darker for detailing. "I like a slightly darker shade on the skirting, architraves, and ceiling," says Jessica. "This gives the eye a break without using a different color." Many paint brands do shades in different strengths to easily achieve this (Little Greene's Portland Stone comes to mind).
Established in 2023 by Founder and Creative Director Jessica, Deorling was born from a passion for interiors and antique sourcing. Following a successful career in the fashion industry as a Head of Design & Designer, spanning over 15 years, Jessica’s keen eye for detail, trend analysis & concept curation, plus Jessica’s experience developing sustainable manufacturing processes and sourcing ethical materials, organically became the principles for the very ethos and foundation of the Deorling brand.
"Another tricky thing is making sure the 3D space doesn't feel 2D, which can easily happen," warns Jessica. Switching up paint finishes throughout the room creates contrast and visual depth. A glossy finish here, a matte or limewash there — these subtle variations will keep a room from feeling flat.
"My typical rule of thumb is eggshell on the walls, satin on all millwork, and flat on the ceiling," says interior designer and founder of Silo Studio, Gabriela Eisenhart. This combination builds a livable base, but you can always increase the intensities if you want something bolder.
And, more than just choosing between the aesthetics of a gloss versus matte finish, think about how it will sit in the room. "If you're using a darker color, I like to lower the opacity of the ceiling paint by about 30-40 percent to help reflect more light and keep the room from feeling too heavy," says Gabriela.
Gabriela is an Atlanta-based interior designer and the founder of Silo Studio Design. Rooted in an organic modern sensibility, Gabriela loves layering minimal, tactile materials to create soft, grounded interiors with just a hint of the unexpected.
Next, you want to think beyond just the walls — a truly effective color drench will bleed into every part of a room's design. "Adding textiles, architectural detailing that matches the heritage of the house, and raw, natural materials are a great way to add depth to the design while complementing the cocooning feeling of the drench," says Jessica.
For instance, "patterned fabrics, tiles, wood, cornicing, and rattan can all add contrast to a drenched scheme without feeling too stark," she adds. These also help to break up the room visually so that your design details don't get lost in the drench.
Lastly, pay attention to the details. "You can't have white recessed can lights staring down at you in a rich, dark color-drenched room," says Gabriela. "Make sure you're painting vent covers and recessed lighting to blend in, and change your switch plates to a finish that works with the wall color you selected." Those small details make a huge difference in how finished the space feels.
And just because you are doing a color drench doesn't mean you can't experiment. Sometimes, a characterful element, like a tented ceiling, colorful carpeting, or a bold sofa, is what really brings the space to life. "And don't forget the window treatments. I love to go monochromatic with those as well; it adds so much texture, depth, and drama to the room," says Gabriela.
Color drenching is a beautiful paint technique when done well, and these expert tips make for a more nuanced application.
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