Going monochromatic doesn’t mean your room will lack variety or flair.
Color is one of the most effective ways to express yourself and your personality, so why would you want to go with a monochromatic decorating scheme? Wouldn’t that be safe, drab and—the worst sin of all—boring? Actually, going monochromatic doesn’t mean your room will lack variety or flair. Done right, a monochromatic décor can be sophisticated, soothing, and quite distinctive.
Monochromatic color schemes allow you to achieve an interior décor that is cohesive and easy on the eyes. A major advantage of this type of palette is that you’re less likely to make mistakes: no worries about whether your complementary or split-complementary color plan is too jarring to the eye. If you have an open floor plan, staying within the parameters of a monochromatic color scheme can give you a nice flow from space to space.
Build Interest With Texture and Pattern
The most successful monochromatic schemes typically involve the use of a neutral color that’s rendered in various different values—that is, a range of lightness and darkness. But keep in mind that color is only one aspect of your decorating scheme. Texture, sheen, and pattern also are effective ways to add visual interest and sophistication to a room, and they can be particularly effective in a monochromatic color scheme.
If you’ve built your room around a taupe scheme, for instance, pattern can help you use the color in unique and eye-catching ways. A paisley print on your throw pillows, featuring closely aligned colors, will add a nice decorative flourish to your sofa. A floral or geometric pattern on an area rug, rendered in a moderate shift from your chosen color, is a beautiful way to pull your color scheme together.
Use a pattern on the wall to add interest within your chosen color scheme. Wallpaper will allow you to introduce pattern, texture, or contrasting sheens to a single feature wall or even to the entire room. Similarly, you can create a painted wall treatment that adds pizzazz to your monochrome scheme. For example, a tone-on-tone striped effect with subtle shifts in color and sheen can add just the touch of sophistication you’re looking for.
Texture is another important element of a monochromatic color scheme. You can use texture in various elements of the room—for instance, a plush area rug, a woven window treatment, multidimensional wall tiles, a faux-brick wall finish, or carefully chosen accessories (more on those below).
Accessorize Like a Pro
Accessories are a great way to make your monochromatic décor more distinctive. A glass and chrome accent table, a tall floor vase in a unique material such as galvanized metal or concrete, a piece of rough-hewn pottery, or multimedia wall art will add an element of texture. In a monochromatic color scheme, your accessories are a way to add some color—for instance, with some greenery or blooms in your vases or a multicolored art piece hanging above the fireplace.
Finally, light is a way to make your monochromatic décor quite literally shine. Distinctive light fixtures and lamps add a nice element to the room, and you can use track lighting to highlight a specific area or decorative element. Natural lighting is another great element to feature in a monochromatic room. Make sure your window treatments can be easily lifted or drawn to the side to add a light and airy feeling to the surroundings.
