Color Drenching Might Be Everywhere, But My Mom’s Been Doing It Since the ’90s

I grew up with a Sherwin-Williams fan deck in one hand and a stack of Architectual Digest magazines in the other. My mom’s been an interior designer for over 30 years—long before Pinterest made mood boarding mainstream—and I like to think I inherited her eye for color (and her opinionated stance on greige). Plus, after working with high-end designers and curating spaces for editorial shoots, I’ve seen every beige-on-beige trend come and go. But lately, there’s one saturated shift designers (and TikTok) can’t stop talking about: color drenching.

It’s bold. It’s immersive. And it’s quickly become the design move of 2025. So naturally, I called the woman who’s been drenching rooms in oxblood, sage, and slate since long before the algorithm caught on—my mom. Below, she breaks down why it works, where to try it, and how to actually pull it off.

Meet The Expert

Jaimi Meister is a seasoned designer with more than 30 years of experience in both residential and commercial interiors. A graduate of The George Washington University School of Business, she began her career designing trade show exhibits for Fortune 500 companies before transitioning into home furnishings, where she’s spent the past 15 years representing top furniture vendors in the NY/NJ market. Today, she works as a territory manager at Style Connection Two, combining her background in interior design with deep sales expertise to help clients source the perfect pieces for their projects.

Color drenching basically means painting every surface in a room the same hue—walls, ceilings, trim, doors, and sometimes even furniture. The idea is to fully immerse a space in one tone, creating a seamless, high-impact look that’s both dramatic and surprisingly calming.“The thing about color drenching is, it’s not for people who want to ‘dip a toe in,’” my mom tells me. “You have to commit. But when done right, it’s one of the easiest ways to make a room feel curated, and with the right shade, more expensive than it probably is.”

It’s also worth mentioning that Google searches for “color drenching” hit an all-time high in February 2025. On TikTok and Instagram, it’s become the visual shorthand for elevated but editorial, with designers using it to transform everything from tiny powder rooms to moody dens. And unlike past trends that felt like a commitment-phobe’s dream (hi, peel-and-stick wallpaper), this one demands devotion. But that’s part of the appeal…

Color drenching works because it removes the visual clutter of contrast. When everything is coated in the same hue, your eye glides across the space uninterrupted, which instantly makes it feel more cohesive—and often, more expansive. “It’s like adding an Instagram filter to a room in real life,” says my mom. “You’re not distracted by trim—or an oddly placed vent—or that one mismatched door frame you’ve been meaning to fix for years. Everything blends, allowing the architecture of the space to take center stage.”

She also points out that color drenching can emphasize elements you might otherwise overlook. “Crown molding, paneling, archways—those details pop more when you’re not breaking them up with white or wood trim. The light hits them differently. It becomes about shape and shadow, not color contrast.” And while it might sound like a maximalist move, it can actually calm a space down—especially in rooms with unusual dimensions or awkward proportions. “When you have a irregular ceiling angle or a weird bump-out, painting everything the same color helps it disappear,” she adds. “Again, I like to think of it as the real-life blur tool.”

“Color drenching is perfect for rooms that don’t need to feel bright and airy all the time,” my mom starts. “Think: dining rooms, powder rooms, libraries, even bedrooms—anywhere you want a little atmosphere.” For powder rooms in particular, she’s a longtime fan. “I’ve been color drenching small bathrooms forever. It’s the easiest place to go bold without worrying about ROI.” (Meaning, it’s easy to paint over in a buyer-friendly hue when it comes time to sell.) Plus, the tight footprint makes it feel like a jewel box, especially when the color wraps from floor to ceiling.

Bedrooms, she notes, are another place where drenching can feel both cozy and elevated. “If you want that cocoon effect, drench the walls, ceiling, and trim in a deep, moody shade. I’m seeing the look pair with layered textures and good lighting… been saving a lot of boutique hotel rooms from Copenhagen to my Instagram lately.” (See above.) That said, living rooms and kitchens require a bit more finesse. “If you have an open-concept space, it’s tricky,” she warns. “There’s often no natural stop point, so it can feel overwhelming. But if you have a defined living room with built-ins or paneled walls, drenching can be stunning—especially in a soft neutral or chalky green.”

Her best rule of thumb? “Let the architecture guide you. If the room has great millwork or quirky features, color drenching will highlight them. If it’s a blank box, it might need some extra styling to make the effect work.”

If the idea of painting an entire room in oxblood or ochre gives you heart palpitations, start with a compact space where the visual impact is strong but the risk is low. Powder rooms, entryways, laundry rooms or even closets are ideal for experimenting with a saturated hue from top to bottom. “You’re not trying to trick the eye into thinking the space is bigger,” my mom says. “You’re creating a mood. And since smaller spaces are already contained, why not make it feel like a little treasure box?”

For color drenching to really work, you have to commit—and that means taking the paint all the way up. Walls, ceilings, trim, doors: it’s all part of the same immersive envelope. Leaving the ceiling white breaks the continuity and makes the space feel unfinished. “The ceiling is the first place people get cold feet,” my mom says. “But if you skip it, the room loses its impact. It’s like wearing a red dress and beige Haviana flip flops—why half-ass it?” That said, she also adds, “If you’re nervous, stick with flat finishes overhead.” (See the next tip…)

When you’re coating a room in a single color, sheen becomes just as important as the shade. A matte or flat finish (like the Farrow & Ball one above) helps absorb light, hides surface flaws, and creates a velvety, architectural look that feels thoughtful—not shiny and slapped-on. “A semi-gloss finish will reflect every weird bump and roller mark,” my mom says. “If your walls aren’t perfect—and most aren’t—a flat finish will keep the focus on the color, not the texture.” That said, if you’re layering finishes (say, matte walls with satin trim), just make sure it’s intentional. Otherwise, stick to one sheen throughout for a more cohesive result.

Color drenching doesn’t mean your whole room needs to be a single-tone set piece. In fact, matching every object to the walls can flatten the space. Instead, layer in pieces that complement or echo the main color—a velvet pillow in a slightly darker tone, a rug with a subtle print, or brass and wood finishes that add warmth and variation. “If you paint your room blue and buy a blue couch, blue lamp, and blue curtains, it starts to feel like a cartoon,” my mom says. “Tonal is elegant. Matchy-matchy is not.” Meaning, it’s important to play with scale, texture and material here. A room drenched in sage green, for instance, might include moss-colored upholstery, pale jade ceramics, and dusty olive textiles.

Color drenching is at its best when it highlights the character of a room. Moldings, archways, built-ins and beams all benefit from being cloaked in the same hue—it draws attention to shape and shadow rather than contrast. But even in newer homes without those features, you can still make the look work with strong styling choices. “If the room already has bones, color drenching makes them sing,” my mom says. “If it doesn’t, that’s when you layer in art, mirrors, even texture on the walls. Otherwise it can fall flat.”

Her biggest piece of advice? “Treat paint like the foundation, not the whole story.” You want to add visual depth with “sculptural lighting, textured fabrics, or even a bold bookshelf moment to help the space feel finished.”