It's official: the power of paint to transform a room remains unrivalled. And while white ceilings and trim, with a contrasting or neutral colour on the walls, has served us well for many decades, there's a new way to use paint that is turning heads.
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According to paint company Wattyl, colour drenching is in vogue, a striking style in which every surface is painted the same colour - the ceiling, walls, window/door trims and skirtings. Whether it's a saturated colour, or a softer neutral, the result is the same - the walls and architectural details recede, while the contents of the room play a more dominant role.
The overall effect is that the room appears to be larger, while furniture, textiles and artwork become the hero. Items such as carpets and rugs can be selected in similar hues to the wall colour, or in contrasting colours. Pattern and texture also play key roles.
Wattyl is predicting some consumers will find the idea a little confronting, with those people opting for tonal variations on a single hue - walls would be painted in one colour, for example, while the ceiling would be in a slightly lighter tone, or the trims and door could be a deeper tone than the wall.
Colour drenching delivers a whole new range of interior styling opportunities. As pictured, walls and trims can be painted in one bold colour, while furnishings and decorative elements are in an analogous (neighbouring) hue on the colour wheel. The result is a joyful, vibrant interior, but one that is simultaneously relaxing.
