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Color Drenching Do’s & Don’ts

Color Drenching Do’s & Don’ts

Color drenching is certainly trending in interior painting for 2025 but what exactly is color drenching? Think of it as a color explosion! Coating walls, ceiling and trim in the same, or versions of the same, color. Before you jump into the deep end and create a the navy interior of your dreams, let’s take a step back and look at the best practices of color drenching.

Historically, color drenching has it’s roots in many periods of architectural significance. It was typically seen in luxury homes of royalty and the elite and was viewed as a status symbol. During the mid-century modern era, color drenching was used to create more cohesive, minimalist styles. Today, it’s seen as a bold way to create a mood of coziness and style.

If you’re interested in color drenching in your own home, here are some basic guidelines to consider:

DO: Start Small

A great room to test your tolerance is a powder room. Using a saturated color for walls, ceiling and trim can transform a smaller space into feeling more expansive. The use of one color erases the line breaks created by white ceilings & trim causing those features to recede and shifting focus onto the decor.

DO: Select a Color that Makes a Statement

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to color! The color drenching in and of itself begs for a statement. When reviewing your color options, consider the mood you are aiming to achieve. For instance, in a home office you may want a mature, professional and stoic presentation while in a child’s bedroom something lighter and more playful could be goal.

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Our color consultant is always available to help you select the perfect colors to make the statement that is right for you!

DON’T: Use Color Drenching in an Open Layout

Of course, you do you but unless you are using a very neutral color (think white or shades of white), color drenching a space within an open layout can definitely get tricky. It’s best to color drench within the confines of a single room.

DO: Select Some Decor Items BEFORE Choosing a Color

When considering the idea of color drenching, the idea is to incorporate furnishings, window treatments, and other decor into the color pallet. The drapes match the walls, the wall matches the rug, the rug matches the sofa & chairs. Color drenching envelopes the room in a very cohesive color.

Make a Mood Board for Your Project

DO: Paint Decorative Trim & Molding

The idea of color drenching includes painting the picture mold, chair rail, board & batten, and other trim as well. You will retain the texture of the decorative detail without “calling it out” in a contrasting color.

DON’T: Forget About Sheen & LRV

High gloss points are not the best choice for this project. It’s best to use lower sheen paints: matte, eggshell or satin is best for walls & trim above the baseboards, baseboards may be easier to clean and maintain in a satin or semi gloss finish, ceilings should be flat or matte for most rooms.

Light reflective value is an important consideration when selecting your paint color. The lower the LRV, the less light will dance and move around the room. Deeper, more saturated colors have a lower LRV.

Test different paint colors in your room over a period of several days to observe how the color shifts at different times of day. Samplize offers peel & stick paint samples in your desired color so that you can test a variety of colors at once!

From deep, saturated blues, greens and browns to bubble pink & lavender, the sky is the limit!

Popular Color Drenching Deep Paint Colors
Popular Color Drenching Light Paint Colors
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Quick Tips & FAQs

  1. Can you use color drenching on textured ceilings?
    • YES! Color drenching a textured ceiling is a great way to disguise or highlight the texture, depending on your color selection.
  2. Should you use variations of the same color?
    • You definitely can include lighter and darker shades of the same color within your space. Variations lend interest to your room. Using a 75% saturation on the ceiling can keep the room from feeling closed in, while a saturation of 25% will provide a tint that blends perfectly.
  3. Which rooms are the best candidates for color drenching?
    • The most common rooms for color drenching include: powder rooms, home offices, living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms.

Inspiration!

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Painting a Brick House in Atlanta – a Painting Success Story & Paint Review

When it comes to painting homes in Fulton, Cherokee, and Forsyth Counties, we’ve painted just about every kind of home using every kind of paint. But recently we had the chance to do a great project in North Atlanta using Romabio Masonry Paints and it turned out really nice. 

A Brief History of Romabio Paint

Romabio is located right here in Atlanta. They were founded in 2011 by Christopher Lewis, Michael Aiken, and Patrizio Betti – each one bringing a serious set of knowledge and experience. Michael had been in real estate for twenty years. Christopher had been studying and working with ancient building techniques and modern alternative energy building materials and systems in Europe. And Partizio’s family had founded one of the first paint manufacturing facilities in Italy – he grew up in the business. Together, the three men had a plan to combine old-world materials with the latest scientific and environmentally friendly advancements to make amazing paints to last for generations.

We’ve been following their progress and testing their products. We were anxious to have a chance to use their masonry paints on this project because they’re eco-friendly, long-lasting, and they look great. 

The House Painting Project in Morningside / Rock Springs

The project was a lovely, million-dollar home in the Morningside / Rock Springs neighborhood of North Atlanta. The house was built in 2007 and made extensive use of old-looking red brick, while the back of the house was siding. It was holding up well, but new owners had purchased it a few years ago wanted to refresh it with a more modern color palate while not losing the character of the home. 

In addition, some light carpentry was needed to firm up the exterior deck and porch flooring – but we handle that kind of work all the time for our customers.

Painting Brick and Masonry in the Atlanta Area

When we’re talking about masonry, we are talking about a wide range of surfaces including river rock/pebbles, cinder block, concrete, brick, and many more. Sometimes stucco is considered masonry, but stucco usually has color pigments mixed into the material itself prior to application. Painting masonry surfaces properly has to take several things into consideration:

  • The kind of masonry (e.g., brick, block, etc.)
  • How long it has been in place
  • Current condition – (e.g., is it cracked, chipped, or flaking)
  • The climate and weather conditions it’s likely to experience
  • Environmental restrictions or limitations

There’s a reason we call our home-town area “Hot-lanta.” In the summer months we have high subtropical heat and humidity. In the winter we can have mild, almost spring-like days followed by freezing snowstorms and then immediately back to mild again. If you see a house with cracked masonry and peeling paint after just a few years, it means that they did not take these important factors into consideration. That’s why local experience is so important.

The Brick House Painting Project Looks Great – See the Results

Since the house was built in 2007, the brick and mortar were in pretty good shape. It also wasn’t so new that we had to worry about efflorescence (concrete salt leaching common to newly-built projects). 

This is what the brick house in Morningside / Rock Springs looked like before.

The home owners wanted to update the look of their home by painting the brick and siding areas in a modern, taupe color. Taupe is a gray-beige color that goes well with a wide variety of accent colors. Where a gray can feel cool, a light taupe can feel warm and welcoming without feeling boring or sterile. Sherwin Williams has a similar color called “Accessible Beige.” It was a great choice. It really made the trim and exterior lighting elements stand out much better. To go with it they chose a darker, complimentary color in the same palate for the window and door trim, eves, and gutters. 

After Picture of the Morningside Rock Springs Atlanta Brick House Painting Project Using Romabio Masonry House Paint
In this After image, you can see that the light fixtures and trim now really pop-out, the house is warm and welcoming, and everything has a fresher, more modern feel.
The contrasting color for window and door trim and eves looks great too.
This is a great picture of the side of the freshly-painted house.

Romabio’s BioDomus I Masonry Paint was an ideal solution. Because their masonry paint is mineral-based, it forms a tight, breathable bond with the underlaying brick and mortar. It also holds color well and resists fading in the hot sun. That means the house looks great now and will continue to look great for many years to come. [insert front and side after images]

Help With Painting Your House or Brick Home in Atlanta

The customers were very happy with the results, and we are too. If you need any help choosing the right paint product or color for your home – whether it is made of siding, wood, brick, or stone – give us a call. And we always give free estimates.

If you want more information about Romabio paint products, you can find it on their website.

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Find the Best Atlanta Painting Contractor

When you’re looking for the best Atlanta painting contractor with the know-how, experience, and reputation to provide to quality work, it’s hard to find any company more qualified than Kenneth W. Axt & Associates. Specializing in high-end residential painting, our family owned business has been going strong for over 40 years. Founded and operated by brothers Ken and David, who are both still involved in the day-to-day tasks of estimating and communicating with clients, we pride ourselves in upholding the core values of fairness, integrity, and honesty. We strive to instill these values across our entire team, from the office to the estimators and color consultants to the crews in the field. No matter the size and scope of the job, you can rely on receiving the same dedication to service and attention to detail from our company. Beyond residential painting, also keep us in mind for carpentry services, Hardie plank install, stucco repair, deck staining, power washing, and more! You might find some painting crews offering cheaper bids and making big promises, but beware that often the cheapest option is not the most trustworthy and reliable. That’s why today, we’d like to talk about a few things to look for when trying to find the best Atlanta painting contractor, and what sets us apart here at Kenneth Axt.

atlanta painting contractor

What to Consider When Hiring an Atlanta Painting Contractor

 

We know you have lots of choices when looking to hire an Atlanta painting contractor, so let’s discuss some of the most important items to consider when you’re ready to get your house painted.

  • Trust a Local, Family Business- When it comes to finding a trustworthy, reliable contractor in any field, you’re best served working with a family run group who truly care about upholding their reputation. With that level of focus, you the customer stand to benefit and get more satisfactory service.
  • Color is Key- Anyone who has spent time going through hundreds of paint swatches knows how difficult it is to make the right choice. With Ken Axt, you benefit from access to our very own color consultant, FREE of charge! When it’s time to repaint, why not seek input from a professional?
  • Avoid Pressure Sales Tactics- We’ll never pester potential clients with repeated calls. Once you’ve got our quote, we’re always here to answer your questions, but we respect your time and ability to make your own decision.
  • Find a Responsive Contractor- Nothing is worse than hiring someone who won’t communicate. Our office staff and crews strive to always be responsive and communicate.
  • Demand Only the Best Quality Products- All the great work ethic and service in the world can’t make up for poor quality products. We only use the best in paint from companies such as Sherwin Williams, and won’t even cut corners on little items like caulk and brushes.
  • Look for Credentials- Only work with contractors who carry proper liability insurance, and who are happy to provide proof of a certificate.
  • Expect a thorough Estimate- That means more than just a bottom line number! Our estimators take the time to carefully inspect potential problem areas, and don’t just plan on painting over those issues. We’ll prepare detailed, on-site estimates same day.
  • Carpentry Counts Too- That’s right, the best painters care about carpentry, and will actually physically touch and inspect potential rotted areas.
  • Warranty? We offer a 10 year warranty because we believe in the quality of our work, and you should expect the same from any contractor!

So now that you know a bit more about what to expect and what makes us different, we hope you’ll put your faith and trust in Kenneth Axt for all your residential painting needs. Contact us today, get a free estimate, and make us your Atlanta painting contractor.

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