20 Rooms That Make a Strong Case for Monochromatic Color Schemes
The epitome of cool, easy decorating.
When you have a favorite color, decorating a room (or even a whole home), is infinitely easier. Why force yourself to branch out when a room dipped in a single color is visually captivating and very, very chic? Sure, variation is important, but you can inject personality and intrigue with textural contrast and tonal nuances. And aside from looking stylish, going monochrome makes it infinitely easier to come up with a color scheme, thus making the entire design process much less stressful. To give you a taste of the trend's beguiling effect, we rounded up nineteen monochromatic rooms, from neutral to vibrant, minimalist to maximalist, and everything in between. So keep reading for designer spaces that'll inspire you to commit to a monochromatic color scheme and never look back.
Clay Tones
French & French Interiors gave this adobe revival home a fitting monochromatic color scheme of terra cotta, deep brown, cinnamon red, and clay for a rich and earthy atmosphere.
Soft Blue
Everything in this soothing sitting room designed by Barry Dixon is cast in a heavenly glow, thanks to the soft sky blue paint color. It brings out the blues in the chrome, glass, and mirrored accents, while also cooling off the wood frames of the armchairs.
Leather Yellow
Every day is sunny in this bedroom designed by Anik Pearson. Babouche by Farrow & Ball, a yellow paint color that's both intense and mellow at once, is largely to thank.
Cream Variations
Designed by Studio Diaa, this open-concept room is light and airy. Whitewashed oak wood flooring pairs with white pine tongue & groove walls and sheer curtains for a minimalist and monochromatic base.
Bubblegum and Mauve
In the Amsterdam home of actor Carice van Houten, designer Nicole Dohmen of Atelier ND was tasked with incorporating pink—and lots of it. She introduced a ruddy mauve tone and blonde wood flooring with matching chair frames to bring in just a touch of contrast.
Moody Nuetrals
If you think crisp, all-white interiors look too stark but still like the look and feel of light neutrals, opt for warm oat-y creams or layers of soft, smokey grays. The results are edgy and industrial yet gentle and understated. Antique furnishings and classic moldings will also ensure that it feels timeless instead of overtly modern, as exemplified by this space designed by Osklo Studio.
Mint Green and Teal
Mint green and teal steal the show in Sean Scherer's antique-filled living room. "We have six months of winter up here," he says, of his Upstate New York home, and "bright colors are a way to warm up your spirit." This color scheme does the trick.
Chocolate Brown
Chocolate brown takes the cake in this dining room designed CeCe Barfield Thompson. High gloss walls in Benjamin Moore's Van Buren Brown and a coordinating Schumacher fabric set a sophisticated scene.
Pinks, Creams, and a Touch of Red
While some monochromatic color schemes mean dipping everything in the exact same color, it can also be achieved by using varying tones within the same color family. For example, in this living room nook designed by Janie Molster, we see splashes of magenta and bubblegum pink in the carpet, a background of high gloss salmon on the wall, and bold lipstick red stripes in the settee. The creamy white details throughout create both contrast and consistency.
Periwinkle Squared
Periwinkle, everything. In this space designed by Crosby Studio, the calming, powdery blue hue stains every inch, from the curtains to the trims, ceilings, furniture, and counters. There's something undeniable modern about using one specific color, and a pastel or neon shade delivers a great sense of bold quirkiness that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Black With Splashes of Brown and Gold
Contrary to popular belief, painting your walls an inky black hue won't necessarily make it feel smaller. Indeed, it usually has the opposite effect, making it feel larger. Here, the soft black paint makes it feel special and intimate in ways you'd never be able to achieve with a lighter hue (this specific shade is Farrow & Ball Railings No. 31). The charcoal bedding and velvet pillows along with the black painted picture frame, door, and bed frame contribute to the black-out effect while the bronze accents and wooden furniture brings in just a touch of contrast. The eclectic non-black pieces also assert a more lived-in, homey feel.
Cheerful Yellow and Mellow Gray
From the cheery yellow stripes on the ceiling to the marigold coverlet and the buttercream and amber throw pillows, this room designed by Juan Carretero is a successful experiment in tonal decorating with the sunniest color of the rainbow. And while it's the sunniest, it isn't necessarily the easiest to match with in interiors. When in doubt, pair it with gray. Here, the gray touches cool things down without taking away from the all-yellow bliss.
Bright White and Silver
All white interiors have infinite iterations, from the bohemian, texture-rich end of the spectrum to classic, coastal spins on the trend. And then there's this ultra-modern take by Studio Razavi, which punctuates white pieces with icy metallic accents.
Pale Pink and Cream
A light, delicate pink that provides just a touch of oomph looks undeniably stylish when paired with more modern, streamlined, and geometric pieces. In this kitchen designed by GRT Architects, the clean linear cabinetry and island complement the tonal palette in unexpected ways. It feels fresh and modern while the pink color makes it feel open and bright.
White, Blue, and Everything In Between
In this bedroom designed by Alisa Bloom, the rich, liquidy sheen of a lacquer-like finish bounces light around a dark room. Bloom used Fine Paints of Europe’s Delft Blue 4003 in Hollandlac Brilliant to illuminate this bedroom, while the painting on the wall along with the trimming on the bedding and the wallpaper on the ceiling bring in more shades of blue.
Black and White Spectrum
Bold graphic black and white stripes create a fun house effect in this dining nook, which is extenuated by the trippy zebra decor adorning the tilting table top. The gray furniture lightens the intensity of the graphic black and white strips while the gilt mirror introduces just a touch of warmth.
Warm Light Brown Neutrals
These light walls create the perfect backdrop with various shades of warm caramels and creams throughout the space. The architectural elements, like the sconces, corner fan, built-in sectional, ceiling, and coffee table, bring nature-inspired personality to the monochrome living room.
All White With a Pop
With light blond stained hardwood floors and a bright white painted framework, the chrome chair upholstered in a vibrant print is a welcome accent. Leanne Ford Interiors is the master of all-white decorating with unexpected pops that really shake things up.
Soft Blue-Gray
Enveloped in a soothing soft blue, this bedroom promises rest and relaxation (plus style). Even the floors are stained in a blue-gray tone to enhance the walls, bedding, and side chair. This is the perfect monochromatic color scheme for an ethereal, dreamy quality. The linen bedding and makeshift side table accent chair contribute to that easy, undone elegance.
Brown, Yellow, and Cream
Pale yellow walls on the upper half of the wall complement the geometric mustard and white tiles framing the bathtub. The terra cotta herringbone floor tiles are a nice transition. They feel subtle and "accidental," yet match nicely—perfect for a lived in country chic vibe.
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