Colin and Justin: A colour trend gone too far?

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As much as colour drenching may have dramatic appeal, Colin and Justin say not always does it work well

Ah, the fickle pendulum of taste, sliding side to side (and up and down) more quickly than a Selling Sunset realtor running to the tanning salon between takes of the impossibly glamorous (albeit cut throat) real estate TV show.

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As much as we’ve been vocal, in the past, and quick to opine (okay, for opine read ‘criticise) anything that doesn’t fall within accepted levels of C+J taste arbitration, we’ve softened – a little – as time has passed. 

And we’ve learned to seek the best in almost anything, style related. Becoming a little less black and white has actually served us well, affording us, as it has, an opportunity to appraise, rather than automatically denounce worth. One person’s meat, after all, is another person’s poison, huh?

As we write, there’s a bubbling trend, about which we’re increasingly aware, called ‘colour drenching’. 

It’s the decorative term assigned to spaces where everything is attired in precisely the same hue. 

Beyond paint finishes on walls, ‘colour drenched’ rooms typically have trim and molding painted the same colour, as well as furniture, carpets and accessories in oft’ identical shades.  As popular parlance might have it, it’s ‘a lot’.  Particularly when the dictum is followed to the letter.

Ask those in the know to comment on the trend, and it’s likely they’ll attribute its ascent to British companies such as Designers Guild and Farrow and Ball whose bold, saturated colour collections have popularized the drenching technique since, well, before it was a thing.  

As with any trend, however, too much can be overpowering – take it from us, an ability to forgo heavy-handed tactics and navigate ‘select’ elements makes colour drenching eminently more workable and indeed ‘livable’.

Aye, can someone say ‘less is more’? Walls, ceilings and trim look undeniably cool when hued in tandem, but an awareness of background and foreground will provide schematic relief.

In this regard, play various shades of your chosen colour (rather than literally just one colour) to better serve a ‘layered’ aesthetic. Sure, lavish walls, for instance, in your principal selection, but opt for a lighter shade for baseboards, ceilings and plasterwork.

It’s also worth noting that unifying elements which formerly overpowered your space (radiators, air vents and dated wall paneling, for example) can help them regress into the background.

Navigate a few shades up or down the spectrum for upholstery and accessories to ensure they don’t morph into one muddy picture. Think of your project space as a mosaic (with complementary pieces that assemble the bigger picture) rather than a decorative melting pot where homogeny reigns (less than) supreme.

Combining some of the principles of colour drenching with ‘biophilic’ design (where elements pertaining to the earth – wood, stone, clay and brick, for example – help you connect with nature and the great outdoors) seems to work particularly well to help suffuse your home with relaxed, moody atmosphere. 

 It’s also worth noting that different finishes (matte, satin, gloss, etc.) will embolden your colour-drenched vision. Different textures, too, will help your scheme make sense, as will mixing modern elements with more traditional pieces to solidify your efforts. 

If something runs the risk of appearing (even a little) one dimensional, work hard to balance everything else.

Colour drenching, in its purest form, may feel somewhat overt for certain style aspirants, but when the monochromatic trend is carefully distilled (from, erm, a gush to a trickle) there’s no reason it shouldn’t work well.

Hmm: maybe we should substitute the word ‘drenching’ for ‘showering’ to broaden its appeal. Umbrellas at the ready: colour sprinkling, C+J stylee, starts right here, right now…

Watch for Colin and Justin on Citytv’s Breakfast Television. Find the Colin
and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit www.colinandjustin.tv