“I don’t love bright colour.  I know lots of people love colour in their space but it’s just not for me.  How can I make my space look great without big, bold colour? I don’t want it to look boring.”

Colour can do a lot for a space and we often tell clients to think – colour, pattern, texture and shine as the 4 key elements in a space to keep it visually interesting. But not everyone loves colours and that’s OK.  You can definitely have a chic pace with little to no colour but be sure to really play up the other 3 elements (pattern, texture and shine).  You will also want to play with varying shades of your chosen hue – it’s called ‘monochromatic’ decor.

Monochromatic decorating consists of only one color. At first, this may sound like monochromatic is another word for boring, but it’s quite the contrary. Decorating in a monochromatic color scheme relies on using various tones, textures, and patterns to build a beautiful space. It requires you to be more creative and use the basics
of great design.

What’s really great about monochromatic is that it usually results in a very calming and soothing space.  So for someone with a hectic and fast paced work schedule, a monochromatic palette to come home to everyday could be very beneficial. Monochromatic decor tends to look and feel very high-end and luxurious with a touch of glam and elegance.

Here are some examples of what you can use as a guide for monochromatic or tone-on-tone decorating.

So this living room is a great example of monochromatic with warm grey tones.  there is some contrast but it’s not very high but there are a number of warm grey tones – the walls, drapes, art, pillows, carpet and they are all different and they look incredible together. There is a lot of pattern in this space – the pillows, the ottomans, the rug and even the walls.  The pillows ad the biggest punch due to the darker warm grey tone and the pattern.  We also see a lot of shine with the glass accents like the lamps, decor pieces and the coffee table.  The small gold accents really add the glam and elegance to this room. This room is timeless, chic and soothing.

This bedroom is another example of monochromatic decorating. Again what you will notice is the low contrast with the warm grey tones and the white tones.  There is a lot of layers which add volume and a level of richness.  We have lots of soft textures in this room – wood, and lots of textiles. A classic palette, gorgeous bedding and a relaxing bedroom. Neutrals have never been so far from dull. This bedroom has an understated elegance that is full of lovely features from the distressed beams in a white wash finish and the over sized mirror with antique details.

Another bedroom with lot of layering and mixing of patterns in a cool blueish-grey colour palette.  The dark wood accents add some depth and contrast to the space as well.  This bedroom feels like an upscale hotel room. The grey-blue palette is clean and sophisticated, focusing on luxurious textures such as the headboard and the wood accents in furniture like the bench at the foot of the bed add interest.

What you will notice in monochromatic decor is that the tones we see most often are neutrals, mainly grey, taupe and beige – they are easily to work with, there are a lot of tones and they are soothing and with the right mix of art, textures and accessories you get instant luxury. You can certainly have a tone on tone space in a deeper or bolder colour but those deeper richer tones are probably best used as a touch of contrast or an accent.

What really keeps monochromatic decorating from being boring is the combination of texture, pattern and shine but also the layering. Layering pillows of different textures and tone on a sofa or bed really adds depth and luxury to a room. But you can add depth with art and accessories, too. We also love layering lighting – so have different types of lighting in one room.

So to keep your space from being dull and boring, find a main colour you like and use that as your base.  Be sure to add some soft contrast so add some lighter tone pieces (in white or off white) and some darker pieces (a dark wood accent or a darker shade of your chosen colour).  Be sure to have lots of varied texture (so soft and hard), lots of layers using texture and/or some pattern – plus a bit of shine really brings instant elegance – glass lamps or a glass coffee table are easy choices.

Keep your home decor calm and carry on….