Take your home to the next level with these bold colour transformation tips for the living and dining room.
Colour drenching has become more than just a passing trend in the world of interiors. When done right, it completely transforms a space with just a single colour of your choice.
Choosing the right colour will set the mood of your space. How do you know you’ve picked the right colour? It’s all about what mood or vibe you would like your room to have. Light and airy colour schemes will make a room feel bigger while darker colours create a cocoon effect which is great for relaxing.
From the do’s and don’ts of colour drenching to colour ideas for your living room and dining room, discover all there is to know about colour drenching. Once you’re reading, browse our range of blue fabric sofas to get started.
What Is Colour Drenching?
Colour drenching is when you paint everything the same colour – from the walls, wall panelling, ceiling, and skirting boards to the radiator. The furniture should match the wall colour scheme or complement the walls. You can also decorate by layering your space with different tones of the same colour. For example, matching light green walls with a dark green sofa.
The Do’s And Don’ts Of Colour Drenching
Do:
— Choose a colour that fits your decor and personality
— Highlight the architectural details
— Use colour drenching to highlight a specific room or area
— Layer different shades of the same colour
— Use colour drenching to set the vibe of your room
Don’t:
— Don’t use colour drenching in an open plan space
— Don’t forget to test out the colours before you fully commit
— Don’t use colour drenching to make your feel bigger or smaller
Yellow is the go-to colour if you want to bring a big dose of optimism to your space. As Dulux’s Colour of the Year 2025 True Joy is an example of an earthy, yellow tone that uplifts and refreshes the room with its bright energy. Choosing it as a wall colour will uplift the room, especially if you want to invite a new and fresh feeling like the changing seasons. Complement the walls with other earth tones when decorating, such as mustard or burnt orange upholstery. This will bring out their deep undertones with all the earthy connections in place.
Blue is always a relaxing favourite for colour drenching - whether to lighten up or darken the room. Light blues bring a cool, understated feel, while darker blues add more depth, creating a cocoon-like feel by enveloping the room. If you want to bring balance to the room, it’s a good idea to layer dark and light tones. Start with a light base on the walls and a dark blue sofa to ground the room. For the sofa, choose upholstery like velvet for a cosy feel and to make the room feel less one-dimensional.
3. Create A Stylish Feature Wall With Mossy Greens
Another soothing colour that’s ideal for colour drenching is green. Thanks to its natural connections, green wallpaper with plant motifs may be just what you want. Don’t be afraid to mix colour, wall panelling and wallpaper together where you can paint the bottom half of the wall and wallpaper the top half. If you want just to colour drench one wall that’s completely fine too, as it creates a stylish focal point. A good tip is to match the sofa with the wall - go for a dark green sofa to complete the look.
Earth tones are colours inspired by nature that soothe and ground the home by bringing the outdoors in. Brown is an obvious pick, especially for living rooms. If you want to introduce it as a wall colour, choose muted tones like beige, camel or latte for that luxe feel. You can also decorate with different brown tones, like using dark browns to accentuate parts of the room to highlight shelving for an alcove. For a stylish contrast, you can introduce a green sofa to perk up the room while still keeping to the earth tone theme.
Similar to the living room, neutral earth tones help create a soothing ambience in the dining room. Muted brown tones like beige, camel or latte on the walls create a soft but luxe feel. Play with texture to prevent the room from looking one-dimensional. Choose plush fabric for dining chair upholstery and bring in black accents to break up the neutral tones. Picking the right lighting will also brighten the room – warm bulbs will set the mood for relaxation and create specific zones.
Modern farmhouse décor brings together traditional farmhouse elements updated with contemporary design. A fresh white space is the ideal base for a dining room in this style. Since the walls (and ceiling) are all white, bring in natural elements for a soft and cosy environment.
Wooden flooring like hardwood flooring, herringbone or pine sets the tone while rustic woven rugs made from jute or sisal adds to the farmhouse aesthetic. Cream, light brown and beige accents complement the white base and create a cosy feel.
Black is always cool – we can’t deny that. An all black dining room may not be for the faint-hearted so we thought black wood panels with off-white walls might be the stylish balance you’re looking for.
Painting the wood slat panels black creates a stylish focal point, adding richness and warmth to the dining room. Dark wood slats are a timeless choice, serving as a backdrop for a chic black and white dining set. Choose a wooden dining set in black to complement the wall panels.
Grey is another classic choice for colour drenching. Choosing the right grey for your dining room is key. A grey shade with a warm undertone will make the space feel cosy and inviting, while a cool grey creates a cool, contemporary aesthetic.
Consider the type of paint finish too – a matte finish gives your space a more muted look, whereas a glossy finish will brighten the room. Metallic accents like chrome or silver helps add a contemporary edge and can be introduced through furniture like a dining set, decorative mirrors or light fixtures.
This depends on what type of mood or personality you would like your room to have. Dark colours like navy blue make the space feel like a cosy cocoon, inviting you to relax and curl up. Bold reds or earthy terracotta tones bring a bold energy and sophisticated feel. Earthy neutrals like browns create warm inviting space. If you want to lighten up your room, pretty pastels like baby pink, light blues or lavender will make your room feel airier.
Do you paint the ceiling when colour drenching?
Yes, you can paint the ceiling when colour drenching. Known as ‘the fifth wall’, this will unify your room and make a dramatic statement.
When not to colour drench?
Don’t colour drench an open plan layout as it’s hard to determine the starting or end point of the space. Depending on the colour, it can drown the room and make the space feel small.
Does colour drenching make a room look bigger?
Yes, depending on the colour of choice. Light tones like pink, lilac, sky blue, sage green can make a room feel airier and bigger.
We hope you enjoyed reading our guide on colour drenching. Want to know how our customers decorate with bold colour? Discover how with this home tour where colour blocking and luxe details shine.
