As we iron out the details of our home remodel, I’ve been busy planning for added functionality and storage to keep our lives feeling more organized. At the top of this list is a mudroom entrance. We don’t have one in our existing home and with two kids and a dog, a mudroom will allow us to keep our front entry clutter-free (or, let’s be honest, at least reduce the amount of items that seem to have made their home in that space) by providing us with a designated area to stash dance bags, hockey gear, roller blades, dog towels…you get the picture!
I’ve been looking for design inspo that feels timeless and packs a punch, so I’ve been toying with the idea of color-drenching! Because who says functional spaces have to be boring?! Let’s dive in to learn more about color-drenching and why I am leaning towards this bold color trend for our mudroom design!
First off, let’s answer the question: what is color-drenching? Color-drenching involves using a single hue to saturate an entire room. Walls, ceiling, trim, millwork, doors and basically any other surfaces that you’d like to include are covered in the chosen color. It can even extend to items such as lighting, tile, stone, furnishings etc. But you don’t have to paint the entire space top to bottom to achieve the desired effect. Sometimes it’s nice to have a little break in one or two places, like a floor tile or the ceiling. Playing with paint finishes like gloss and matte is also a great way to add depth and interest to a singular color. You may have noticed a trend towards color-drenching in recent years, but it is hardly a new technique. Color-drenching has been used for decades around the world, so although it is having a moment in the spotlight it is also anchored in history making it a timeless approach to interior design.
You may be wondering which rooms work best for color-drenching? It’s usually a good idea to choose a room that has a defined beginning and end. Attempting to color-drench an open-concept space could be tricky. Color-drenching can be very effective in smaller rooms and narrow spaces. By blending walls and ceilings together it can create an illusion of a larger space while simultaneously making it feel cozy. Our mudroom at approximately 13 feet by 5 feet is long and narrow and since it has its own designated area in our home with a defined place to start and stop the color, it makes it the ideal place to use the color-drenching technique.
Since we are trying to preserve much of our existing main floor layout, and, due to the space constraints at the side door, we decided that the best place to add a mudroom entrance is at the back of the house in the new addition. Granted it will likely be me and the dog who use it the most but I’m OK with that. The new mudroom will be closed off from the rest of the house except for a powder room. I don’t want to worry about constantly keeping it looking neat, so walls and a door separating it from the family room will allow us to hide the clutter!
When choosing a colour, I’m going to keep in mind what my space is going to be used for. A light airy color may work well drenched in a dining room, but in my case it is a high traffic area and since we live in Toronto it will experience all four seasons! So I’ll need a paint color that can be forgiving and mask the mess! My kids like hunter green, and I’ve always been a fan of oxblood red or aubergine. It’s too early to say which way the color pendulum will swing…who knows, maybe a smokey blue or charcoal?
I’m leaning towards a moody vibe as a practical choice so I’ll also want to make sure it’s well lit. In addition to ceiling lights, I’m going to opt for a glass door to make sure we take advantage of natural sunlight and our Eastern exposure. I also need to take into consideration the adjoining powder room and make my selections based on how these two spaces will intersect.
