Transformed decoration method: 'Color Capping' instead of Color Drenching, introduces 'dimension' to spaces, giving an impression of increased room size.
Color Capping: Enhancing Your Interior Design
Color capping is a popular technique in interior design that involves painting a room using a tonal gradient that deepens in color from the base of the walls upward, extending this treatment to the ceiling. This technique creates an enveloping effect that visually enhances the room and integrates the ceiling into the overall color scheme.
To implement color capping, start with a lighter shade at the bottom portion of the walls. As you move upward, gradually use deeper or richer tones of the same color family, culminating with the darkest tone on the ceiling. For example, you could use a soft sage green near the floor, transitioning through medium mossy green on upper walls, and finishing with a deep forest green ceiling.
When selecting colors for color capping, it's best to avoid using clashing colors or strong contrasts that lack harmony. Tones within the same color family or hues that naturally complement each other on the color wheel should be used to ensure the look feels balanced and considered. The transition between wall and ceiling shades should feel intentional and cohesive, not accidental or mismatched.
Architectural features such as cornicing can guide where to start and stop colors to accentuate the design. In period homes, color capping can enhance original architectural features such as decorative plasterwork.
Following through via soft furnishings and window treatments is important to create a fully cohesive look in color-capped interiors. When placing colored fabrics and furnishings to complement color capping, ensure that their tones harmonize with the gradient, and vary fabric patterns and scales to add texture and visual interest without overwhelming the color effect.
In interiors featuring wood, pairing warmer undertones (such as in creams or caramel yellows) works well, and textured elements like molded paneling or beadboard can add dimension to the layered paint treatment.
Color capping can be used in contemporary settings to add depth and interest through experimental paint techniques like hand-painted trims. By carrying color onto the ceiling in a slightly deeper tone, the room feels cocooned and inviting, perfect for relaxation. This technique is particularly effective in living rooms and bedrooms, as it enhances a sense of intimacy and comfort.
Helen Shaw, a color expert and the international marketing director at paint brand Benjamin Moore, has introduced the trend called 'color capping' as part of its AW2025 lookbook. By making ceilings look higher and creating a seamless, enveloping effect, color capping tricks the eye into making the space feel bigger.
[1] Shaw, H. (2025). Benjamin Moore AW2025 Lookbook. Retrieved from www.benjaminmoore.com/aw2025lookbook
[2] Shaw, H. (2023). Color Capping: The Ultimate Guide. Retrieved from www.benjaminmoore.com/colorcapping
[3] Shaw, H. (2021). Color Capping in Period Homes. Retrieved from www.benjaminmoore.com/periodhomes
- The living room can be transformed with the interior-design trend color capping, which involves a tonal gradient of color on walls and ceiling, creating a cohesive and enveloping effect.
- To apply color capping in decor, select colors from the same color family and use lighter shades at the base, transitioning to darker tones as you reach the ceiling, ensuring a harmonious and balanced look.
- By implementing color capping in home-and-garden settings, you can integrate the ceiling into the overall color scheme, making the room appear more intimate and comfortable, especially in bedrooms and living rooms.
- Articles by color expert Helen Shaw explain the technique of color capping in detail, offering advice on how to select colors, execute the paint treatment, and coordinate soft furnishings for a fully cohesive look. (References: [1], [2], [3])
