Trend: Colour Drenching

What is colour drenching?

The trend ‘Colour Drenching’ involves using a single bold colour or tonal variations, across most, if not all surfaces in the bathroom, including walls, ceilings and even furniture and fixtures, with the intention to create a cocoon like effect.

This brave trend evolved from monochrome interiors and maximalist colour blocking seen in fashion and interiors in the late 2010’s. Coinciding with the rise of more adventurous interior design choices after years of minimalism and shades of grey dominating interiors.

Colour drenching began gaining traction in home interiors around 2021 - 2022. Paint brands such as Dulux and Farrow & Ball began promoting the trend in their 2022 colour forecasts, referring to it as a way to create immersive, cocooning spaces.

What are the benefits of colour drenching

There are many benefits to colour drenching the bathroom, it not only creates a striking space it also offers practical and psychological benefits.

Create the illusion of space

Removing ‘visual breaks’ by using a single colour means your vision flows smoother when viewing the room, thus making a compact space feel larger and unified - perfect for small bathrooms.

Cohesive design

Using a single colour creates a cohesive and immersive appearance. Sticking to one colour or shade variation reduces visual clutter, delivering a more harmonious and intentional finish.

Create an atmosphere

Different colour choices evoke different feelings. Deep, saturated jewel tones as seen in the Navajo and Accordion tiles bring a sense of warmth and comfort, whilst lighter pastel tones seen in ranges such as Borneo and Santa Cruz create a calm and tranquil mood.

Feature textures

Consistent colour use allows other textures to stand out without competing tones, such as metallic taps and showers, a feature wood effect tile floor or bold towel and accessory choices.

Popular colour choices

Deep Ocean Hues

Petrol blue, forest green, deep teal and navy, all jewel tones inspired by nature create a calm yet sophisticated spa-like style.

Peaceful Pastels

Soft pinks, pale blue, lavender and mint all create an airy and whimsical look that's fresh yet comforting.

Earth Tones

Terracotta, neutrals, beige and olive greens create an organic and grounded aesthetic that’s soothing and inviting.

Dark & Dramatic

Daring shades of charcoal and jet black are ideal for creating a high-end luxurious space. These moody hues are bold yet cosy, creating a true coocone effect.

How to achieve the colour drenched look

Paint

Tile Drenching

Tiles can cover full walls for ‘tile drenching’ or use in wet areas only alongside painted walls in complementary colours. Tiles can be a mix of styles, rather than just a single tile, experiment with texture, pattern and a variation of finishes to prevent your final design from looking flat. Pair painted matt walls with glossy tiles or a patterned floor tile alongside a colourful brick tile.

Add Depth

Introduce a mix of different textures and patterns within the same colour family, whether it's pairing complimentary tile styles, adding towels and accessories or even coloured bathroom furniture and colourful ceramics, the mix of surfaces and layering technique will create a more defined luxurious space.

Create Zones

Specific areas of the bathroom such as the sink, shower or bath can be highlighted or zoned in a different shade. Using a lighter or darker tone to the rest of the space to create a stand out feature within the room is referred to as ‘double drenching’.