The Ultimate Guide to Colour Drenching

What is Colour Drenching?

Colour drenching is all about going all in with one beautiful shade. Instead of just painting your walls, this technique covers everything: walls, ceiling, woodwork, skirting boards, even the radiator, all in the same colour. The result is a bold, immersive look that wraps the whole room in one cohesive vibe.

It’s a clever way to ditch contrast and let your chosen colour truly shine. It sets the tone and atmosphere in a way that feels both dramatic and totally stylish. Whether you go for something moody and rich or soft and calming, colour drenching makes a serious statement with minimal fuss.

Is Colour Drenching a Good Idea?

Aside from looking amazing, colour drenching comes with some seriously practical perks that make it a smart choice for any home makeover:

Budget-Friendly: One of the best things about colour drenching? You only need one paint colour for the entire room! This means you can save a pretty penny on paint and supplies compared to using multiple shades and finishes. It’s a stylish update that’s also easy on the wallet.

Reduces Prep Work: Say goodbye to the hassle of taping off different areas and stressing over colour overlaps. With just one colour to work with, prep time is cut down, making the whole painting process a breeze. Less time prepping means more time enjoying your refreshed space!

Minimise Waste: Sticking to one colour means you’re less likely to end up with half-used tins of paint cluttering your storage. It’s a more efficient way to paint, reducing waste and saving you money in the long run.

Versatile Application: Colour drenching isn’t just trendy—it’s versatile too! This technique works beautifully in any room and complements a variety of decor styles. It’s a flexible, fuss-free way to make a big impact without needing to overthink your colour choices.

Colour Drenching in Different Rooms

Colour Drenching Living Rooms and Bedrooms

Living rooms and bedrooms are ideal for colour drenching because they’re all about comfort and relaxation. Using a single, rich shade across the walls, ceiling, and woodwork makes the space feel warm and cocooning. Think velvety blues, soft sage greens, or deep terracottas. Wrapping the room in one colour helps it feel calm and cohesive, perfect for winding down or curling up with a good book.

Colour Drenching Dining Rooms

In dining rooms, colour drenching is a simple way to add a splash of sophistication. Bold hues like forest green, burgundy, or navy can turn mealtimes into a real occasion, giving the space a dramatic, intimate feel. It’s especially effective for evening entertaining, when candlelight and mood lighting bring out the depth and richness of the colour.

Colour Drenching Home Offices

For home offices, colour drenching isn’t just stylish; it’s practical too. A carefully chosen shade can help you stay focused and inspired while keeping the space polished and pulled together. Mid-tones like dusty blues, soft greys, or warm neutrals strike a balance between calming and energising. It’s a great way to create a workspace that feels both professional and personal.

Colour Drenching Hallways and Corridors

Hallways and corridors are often overlooked, yet they’re perfect for colour drenching if you want to make a striking first impression. These smaller spaces can really carry bolder shades such as aubergine, mustard, or charcoal. Even awkward angles and corners blend in when everything is painted the same colour, creating a smooth, dramatic flow from one room to the next.

Does colour drenching make a room smaller?

Not necessarily. While it’s easy to assume that using one colour all over might shrink a space, colour drenching can actually do the opposite. By painting the walls, ceiling, and woodwork in the same shade, you blur the lines and edges within the room. This creates a seamless flow that can make the space feel more open and cohesive.

Darker shades add depth and atmosphere, while lighter tones reflect more light. Both can work beautifully depending on the look you're after. Rather than feeling boxed in, a colour-drenched room often feels thoughtfully styled, immersive, and incredibly inviting.

So whether you’re going bold or keeping it soft and subtle, colour drenching is less about making a room smaller and more about transforming how it feels.

Does colour drenching make a room look bigger?

Yes, it definitely can, especially when you use lighter colours. Colour drenching helps blur the edges of a room by covering everything in the same shade. With no stark contrast to break up the space, your eye glides smoothly around the room, creating the illusion of openness.

This trick works particularly well in smaller spaces, helping them feel larger, lighter, and more airy. By removing visual interruptions, colour drenching gives even the tiniest room a more expansive and cohesive feel. 

Want to explore more tips on opening up small spaces? Head over to my blog all about making smaller rooms feel bigger.

What are the Best Colours for Colour Drenching?

Colour Drenching with Light Colours

Au Lait - Farrow & Ball: A warm, creamy beige that adds a soft, inviting atmosphere to any room, perfect for neutral yet cosy spaces.

Flat White - DCO: A crisp, clean white with a matte finish, ideal for creating a modern, minimalist look or a fresh backdrop.

Slaked Lime - Little Greene: A light, subtle grey with warm undertones, offering a calm and sophisticated feel, perfect for airy, relaxed spaces.

Ash White - Dulux Heritage: A soft, pale off-white with grey undertones, great for creating a timeless and elegant space with a subtle warmth.

Isabeline - Craig & Rose: A soft, muted off-white with a hint of warmth, perfect for a gentle, neutral backdrop that enhances light.

Skimming Stone - Farrow & Ball: A warm, light grey with taupe undertones, ideal for spaces needing a soft, neutral hue that feels effortless and chic.

Raw Cashmere - Dulux Heritage: A warm, beige-inspired neutral with a luxurious, soft feel, adding an understated elegance to interiors.

Naked Beige - DCO: A natural, earthy beige that creates a warm, grounded atmosphere, ideal for creating a serene, relaxed space.

Colour Drenching with Dark Colours

Shadow Taupe - DCO: A rich taupe with deep, warm undertones, perfect for adding depth and sophistication to living areas or bedrooms.

Kashmir Beige - Craig & Rose: A soft, neutral beige with a hint of warmth, perfect for creating a calm and inviting atmosphere in any room.

Silt - Little Greene: A muted, earthy grey with subtle brown undertones, adding depth and warmth, great for rustic or industrial-inspired spaces.

Roasted Macadamia - Farrow & Ball: A rich, warm beige with nutty tones, perfect for cosy, inviting spaces that need a touch of warmth and comfort.

Pullman Green - Craig & Rose: A deep, rich green with classic appeal, perfect for adding a sophisticated, vintage touch to a space.

All the Sage - DCO: A soft, muted sage green, ideal for creating a calming, nature-inspired space that feels fresh and tranquil.

De Nimes - Farrow & Ball: A rich, deep blue inspired by classic workwear, perfect for adding a sophisticated yet relaxed feel to living rooms or kitchens.

Livid - Little Greene: A deep, moody blue with a grey undertone, offering a bold, dramatic statement for rooms with character.

Hague Blue - Farrow & Ball: A rich, dark navy with green undertones, perfect for creating a dramatic and intimate space full of depth and elegance.

Ganache - Little Greene: A warm, chocolatey brown that adds richness and warmth, ideal for creating a cosy, sophisticated atmosphere.

Colour Drenching Ideas with Bold Colours

Bright and Bold Colours I'd recommend:

Yellow Pink - Little Greene: A unique coral shade that combines the cheerfulness of yellow with the sophistication of pink, perfect for a playful yet refined room.

Red Earth - Farrow & Ball: A warm, earthy red with terracotta tones, bringing warmth and richness to any space, ideal for rustic or Mediterranean-inspired interiors.

Scorched - DCO: A deep, burnt orange with earthy undertones, perfect for adding warmth and a dramatic flair to bold spaces.

Russet - Craig & Rose: A warm, rich reddish-brown with an earthy tone, perfect for creating a cosy, autumnal vibe in any room.

Light Bronze Green - Little Greene: A muted green with a subtle bronze undertone, perfect for adding an elegant, earthy feel to both modern and traditional spaces.

Soothing and Subtle Colours I'd recommend:

Aquamarine - Little Greene: A soft, serene blue-green that evokes a sense of calm, ideal for a bedroom or bathroom.

Calamine - Farrow & Ball: A delicate pink that’s both gentle and uplifting, perfect for adding a touch of warmth to a space without overwhelming it.

How to Colour Drench

1. Prep Your Area and Surfaces

Before you dive into painting, save yourself some hassle by prepping your space properly. Lay down some floor protection – I'd recommend our temporary  Poly Backed Cotton Dust Sheet, which are proper cotton dust sheets, or our  Covermasq Tape and Drape, which we love because it eliminates the need for separate taping by having tape attached to the edge of the dust sheet. This makes it much easier to keep your dust sheets in place. Don’t forget to mask off windows, sockets, and anything else you want to keep paint-free. Since colour drenching involves painting everything, there won’t be much to mask off, but it’s always good to protect key areas.  

Start by cleaning the walls, ceilings, and any woodwork you plan to drench to remove dust, grease, or grime. Cleaning ensures that the paint adheres properly and helps prevent streaks or uneven finishes caused by hidden dirt. If the surfaces are rough or previously painted, give them a good sanding after cleaning, as sanding over dust or dirt can cause scratches and ruin your finish. After sanding, clean the surfaces again to remove any remaining dust, ensuring a smooth and flawless application of your paint.

If you're planning to drench your radiators, prepare them first with a coat of Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 Primer. This step ensures the best, long-lasting results when you move on to painting.

2. Start with the Ceiling

Let’s kick off with the ceiling! Since painting the ceiling can get messy, it’s best to tackle this first before moving to the walls or woodwork. This ensures any drips or splatters won’t ruin the rest of your work. Apply your chosen shade in two coats, making sure to follow drying times between layers. I would highly recommend using a Axus Silk Touch 12" Roller Sleeve with an adjustable roller frame for the larger areas—this will make your job quicker and easier!

3. Paint the Woodwork

Once the ceiling is done, it’s time to move on to the woodwork. For tricky areas like doors, skirting boards, and trim, I recommend using Zinsser AllCoat a fantastic finish coat that works on a range of surfaces, without needing a primer—just go straight on with the paint! You can use the same colour to extend the drenching effect, giving your space that seamless, unified look. Use a 4" Silk Touch Roller Sleeve or a straight brush. While angled brushes are great for cutting in around edges, a straight brush is more suitable for this project while painting doors, skirting boards, and getting into corners.

4. Apply Your Base Colour on the Walls

Now for the fun part—getting that colour on the walls! Since the woodwork is already taken care of, you can apply your base colour to the walls without worrying about messy edges if you’re using the same product on both walls and woodwork. However, if you’ve chosen different products for the walls and woodwork, it’s still a good idea to cut along the edges of your woodwork and doors to achieve a neater, more professional finish. For best results, apply two coats of paint, giving enough time between coats for drying. Again, I would recommend using a  Axus Silk Touch 12" Roller Sleeve with an adjustable roller frame for this larger area. Make sure to have a straight brush handy for tight corners!

The beauty of colour drenching is that you can follow this guide or go with what feels most natural to you! Since everything is getting the same colour treatment, there’s no need to worry about tricky cutting-in work.

5. Assess and Touch Up

Once everything is dry, take a step back and assess your work. Touch up any areas that might need it, and ensure all surfaces have an even, consistent finish. Keeping a small amount of leftover paint handy for future touch-ups is a good idea, especially if you’re using dark, intense colours. If you're unsure what to do with leftover paint, check out our blog on how to safely and responsibly dispose of it.

Must Have Tools For Colour Drenching

1. Paint

Zinsser AllCoat

If you’re looking for one product that can handle everything, Zinsser AllCoat is your answer. This beauty works on walls, woodwork, metal, both inside and outside—it’s even self-priming! Yes, it’s a specialist paint, so it’s a bit pricier, but the convenience of having one tin that covers all surfaces is unbeatable for colour drenching.

Available in Matt, Satin, or Gloss, you can get it in 1L, 2.5L, or 5L sizes depending on the area you’re covering. Whether you're tackling walls, woodwork, or radiators, it gives you a sleek, uniform finish without the faff of multiple products. Zinsser AllCoat is available to colour match into any shade giving you a huge breadth of options for colour selection!

Johnstone’s Acrylic Durable Matt 

Johnstone’s Acrylic Durable Matt is perfect for drenching walls and interior woodwork. It’s ideal for low-traffic rooms where you don’t need extreme durability on the woodwork. I’d recommend this product for spaces like bedrooms or lounges, where it can handle a bit of wear and tear, but for super high-traffic areas, I’d personally look for something a bit tougher for woodwork.

For those who like to keep things coordinated, Johnstone’s offers a fabulous product pairing: Acrylic Durable Matt  for your walls and Johnstone's Aqua Guard Satin for the woodwork and metal if you want to maintain a contrast in sheen level. This will give your woodwork a subtle shine while keeping your walls matte. However, if you prefer a uniform flat look throughout, you can opt for Aqua Guard Matt to keep everything in line with the flat finish of your walls. Make sure to grab the Johnstone's Aqua Guard Primer Undercoat if you’re working with bare wood or radiators for a smooth, flawless finish. Bonus: because they’re from the same product family, the colour matching is spot on, ensuring a seamless look across your whole space.

Zinsser Perma White

If you’re planning to drench a bathroom or a room that struggles with airflow (hello, mould spots and mildew!), Zinsser Perma White is your best friend. This paint is designed to resist mould and mildew, which makes it perfect for those high-humidity spaces. Plus, it can be used on walls and woodwork—and yes, radiators too, once they’ve been primed! I’d recommend the Leyland Trade Acrylic Primer Undercoat or Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 primer for a smooth base on your radiators.

Zinsser Perma White is fantastic because it’s not just a paint but a specialist solution for spaces that need a bit more TLC. No cracking, peeling, or blistering – just a beautiful finish that stands the test of time. It can also be colour matched, so you’re not limited to just the standard shades you can get that perfect, tailored hue for your drenching project.

Little Greene Intelligent Matt or Eggshell

For those wanting a luxurious, heritage feel, Little Greene’s Intelligent Matt or Eggshell paints are an excellent choice. These paints don’t require a separate primer, which makes them a great option if you want to streamline your project while still enjoying a high-quality, premium finish.

The Intelligent range is known for its beautiful, historic colours, tying in perfectly with the origins of the colour drenching trend. Plus, it’s durable, washable, and available in both matt and eggshell finishes depending on your desired sheen level.

Farrow & Ball Dead Flat

Farrow & Ball’s Dead Flat is perfect for those wanting an ultra-matte finish on their walls. If you’re drenching in a high-traffic area, consider pairing it with F&B’s Modern Eggshell on the woodwork to add durability while keeping a seamless look on the walls.

F&B paints are renowned for their rich pigments and luxurious finish, making them an obvious choice if you're after something truly special. It’s a bit of an investment, but once you see the result, you’ll know why!

2. Flat Brushes: Since you won’t be cutting in with an angled brush, I’d recommend flat brushes like the Axus S Finish or Axus Silk Touch. For a budget option, check out the ProDec Premier Synthetic flat brush.

3. Rollers: For larger areas, the Axus Adjustable Roller Frame and 12" Silk Touch roller are great. Don’t forget the 4" Silk Touch roller kit for smaller areas or doors.

ProDec Microfibre Roller Kit: Perfect for an all-in-one solution, with two sleeves for different surfaces.

4. Covermasq Tape and Drape: Keep your floors and skirting boards protected while you drench!

So, Is Colour Drenching Timeless, Or Is It Just a Fad?

Colour drenching is so much more than a trend. It’s a transformative technique that can completely shift the feel of a space. Whether you want to make a small room feel bigger, bring a cosy vibe to a larger space, or add some bold drama to your decor, there’s a colour and a method to suit you.

So, if you’ve been thinking about trying it, now’s the perfect time to take the plunge. With the right shade, you can create a room that’s not just painted but fully drenched in the atmosphere you’re dreaming of. Whether you’re going for light and airy or dark and dramatic, it’s all about embracing the power of colour to create something truly special.

Why not take DCO along for the journey? You’ll find everything you need for colour drenching at Decorating Centre Online, from designer paints and prep products to quality decorating tools, all at competitive prices. We always aim to make decorating more affordable and more enjoyable.

I’d absolutely love to see how your project turns out, so don’t forget to tag us on  Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or Pinterest with a snap of your newly drenched space.

And if you have any questions or need a bit of guidance, we’re always here to help. Reach out via social media, live chat, phone (01388 608144),  email or even WhatsApp. We’re more than happy to support you in creating your perfect space.

Happy painting!
Helen x