COLOUR DRENCHING
Lately I've been drawn more and more to monochromatic rooms, that stick to a very limited colour palette, and layer using that palette only. Colour Drenching as I like to call it. It's incredibly striking and draws me in every time.
The most famous example of Colour Drenching that I can think of is The Gallery at Sketch. Bathed in a sea of baby pink upon more baby pink, is it any wonder that Sketch is London's most Instagrammed restaurant? It doesn't get much more striking than this! I've been a few times, but feel another visit will be required soon to get my fix. I need to sit in a different part of the room so I can admire more of David Shrigley's art whilst happily sat in that pink sea.
Colour Drenching kind of reminds me of the sets of The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, albeit less dramatic, and less about the lighting, but where going from one room to another completely changes the atmosphere, and looking from one room to another is an exciting visual feast.
If you've not seen that film, you should do yourself a favour and track it down, but be warned, the subject matter is somewhat disturbing. Maybe read the blurb first, and definitely don't watch it with the kids!
I love the idea of having rooms that are not referred to as The Living Room, The Dining Room, The Kitchen and The Bedroom, but instead, the Pink Room, the Blue Room, the Green Room and so on, where the colour of each room completely envelops you.
It's not hard to achieve this look, but you do have to be committed. Start by matching your walls to your sofa or largest piece or pieces of furniture in the room. And by painting all the woodwork the same colour as the walls, you're well on your way.
Suddenly, my white trims seem SO dull and old fashioned. I have a terrible feeling this urge is going to result in a whole load of trim painting throughout the house in the coming months. Oh dear.
To really nail the look you need to be ruthless, fearless and completely unapologetic. Decide on your colour and stick to it. Use a colour that's saturated enough otherwise you run the risk of it being dull, which is the opposite of what you're trying to achieve! The more you stick to your colour, the more dramatic the effect. Use wood tones, black, white and metallic accents as they won't diminish the overall effect. And texture has never been more important if you're going to pull off this look. Layer, layer, layer.
Looking to Sketch again for an example, there's a marble herringbone floor, the upholstery is all rich velvet, and there are lots of brass accents. Metallics are neutrals, so use them freely.
Let's look at some more shining examples...
The interior designers of Hotel Providence in Paris have nailed Colour Drenching with the help of some of my favourite House of Hackney prints...
Not quite adhering to the Colour Drenching rules, but still with a similar effect - I love this wall and upholstery colour...
And last, but most definitely not least, some green and a spot of teal...
What do you think? Would you be brave enough to Colour Drench? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
The most famous example of Colour Drenching that I can think of is The Gallery at Sketch. Bathed in a sea of baby pink upon more baby pink, is it any wonder that Sketch is London's most Instagrammed restaurant? It doesn't get much more striking than this! I've been a few times, but feel another visit will be required soon to get my fix. I need to sit in a different part of the room so I can admire more of David Shrigley's art whilst happily sat in that pink sea.
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| Image: India Mahdavi / The Gallery at Sketch London |
Colour Drenching kind of reminds me of the sets of The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, albeit less dramatic, and less about the lighting, but where going from one room to another completely changes the atmosphere, and looking from one room to another is an exciting visual feast.
If you've not seen that film, you should do yourself a favour and track it down, but be warned, the subject matter is somewhat disturbing. Maybe read the blurb first, and definitely don't watch it with the kids!
I love the idea of having rooms that are not referred to as The Living Room, The Dining Room, The Kitchen and The Bedroom, but instead, the Pink Room, the Blue Room, the Green Room and so on, where the colour of each room completely envelops you.
It's not hard to achieve this look, but you do have to be committed. Start by matching your walls to your sofa or largest piece or pieces of furniture in the room. And by painting all the woodwork the same colour as the walls, you're well on your way.
Suddenly, my white trims seem SO dull and old fashioned. I have a terrible feeling this urge is going to result in a whole load of trim painting throughout the house in the coming months. Oh dear.
To really nail the look you need to be ruthless, fearless and completely unapologetic. Decide on your colour and stick to it. Use a colour that's saturated enough otherwise you run the risk of it being dull, which is the opposite of what you're trying to achieve! The more you stick to your colour, the more dramatic the effect. Use wood tones, black, white and metallic accents as they won't diminish the overall effect. And texture has never been more important if you're going to pull off this look. Layer, layer, layer.
Looking to Sketch again for an example, there's a marble herringbone floor, the upholstery is all rich velvet, and there are lots of brass accents. Metallics are neutrals, so use them freely.
Let's look at some more shining examples...
The interior designers of Hotel Providence in Paris have nailed Colour Drenching with the help of some of my favourite House of Hackney prints...
 |
| Images: Hotel Providence |
Not quite adhering to the Colour Drenching rules, but still with a similar effect - I love this wall and upholstery colour...
 |
| Image: Neptune |
And last, but most definitely not least, some green and a spot of teal...
 |
| Left: Panton designed Der Spiegel office lobby (Image source unkown) / Right: Duvan Interiors |