Monochrome refers to the presence of a singular colour. We usually associate black and white hues as monochrome but when it comes to monochromatic interior style, there’s more to it. The idea behind monochromatic interiors is that one colour is the star of the show and the rest of the room is styled in different shades of the same hue. This style makes use of the modern minimalistic look and elevates it even more with the use of one colour in different shades.
The Star of The Show
Before you start decorating your house in the monochromatic style, you need to choose a base colour. Whether you are decorating only one room in this style or several rooms, you will need a base colour. This will be the primary colour that will be the focal point in the room. Only after the base colour is decided can you put up items that are different shades of the primary colour.
Add Other Elements.
Monochrome does not mean that you cannot experiment with patterns and textures. In fact, you will need a lot of patterns and textures to change things up in the room. While using different shades of the same colour gives the room some depth, a different pattern will change things up. Patterns are an added design element to the room. On the other hand, textures will change the feel of the room. Rough, smooth or shiny textures don’t just give you something new to look at but also have a different feel to them. These two elements will help break things up a little, add a little drama to the room and will allow you to play around with different accessories or decorative pieces.
Ways To Adopt The Monochromatic Style
Here are a few more ideas to adopt this style for your home.
- For a more minimalistic look, choose neutral colours as your base. Beige, cream, white or grey would be perfect for that minimalist look.
- Metals are your best friends. While wooden furniture acts as the perfect neutral base, metal furniture and accessories are also an excellent choice for the monochromatic style. Lighting, small furniture pieces such as coffee tables or side tables, mirrors and other decor items in metal would complete the look.
- Natural elements such as wood, stone, rattan or plants are a must-have for this interior decoration style. They add a bit of warmth to the room as well as break the colour pattern a little.
Decorating Different Rooms
While the essence of decorating your home in the monochromatic style is the use of singular colours throughout, you don’t necessarily need to stick to that rule. There are ways to incorporate this style without going overboard.
A Stylish Living Room
The living room is usually the focal point of any home. How you decorate this room makes all the difference. If you like keeping things a little simple, then we recommend incorporating the monochromatic look by using an earthy colour. Beige is usually considered the perfect colour for a neutral look. It also gives off the perfect warm winter vibes. Create a room that is entirely beige, by using a beige sofa, light-coloured wooden coffee table and side tables. Add a little depth to the room by incorporating darker shades of brown through accessories such as cushion covers and armchairs.
If you’re feeling a bit bold, experiment with a colour like peach or orange. However, maintain the balance by adding white or ivory elements in small amounts to the room.
A Subtle Reading Corner
If you have a reading corner in your home or a space where you just like to sit and have a little me time, you can decorate it in a monochromatic style. The presence of a singular colour all around you can be very soothing for the eyes. Although for a reading corner, we would recommend the use of a complementary colour such as white, ivory, cream or beige is a must.
If you want the area to look bright and inviting, go green. A green armchair or accent chair coupled with green cabinets or shelves, some plants and a neutral-coloured side table is all you need. On the other hand, you can use bright colours such as red but have to tone down the surroundings with lighter shades of red such as coral, pastel red, vermillion and other shades.
A Simple Bedroom
With bedrooms, you can go with the classic monochrome style. Monochrome is mostly associated with the colours black and white, and the bedroom is the ideal place to use these colours. Crisp white bed sheets paired with grey pillows and cushions, a black and white rug, black metal side tables and more. You can transform your bedroom into a black-and-white filter by just using accessories in the colours white, black and shades of black.
Create a gradient look in your bedroom with blue. Different shades of blue can create a pretty look without much effort on your part. If your bedroom walls are painted blue, that’s just an extra bonus. You can work with white walls too. All you need is a blue sheet set, a few cushions in a lighter or darker blue and a blue throw blanket for the bed. To add some dimension to the room, furniture pieces such as side tables and a dressing table can be in their natural wood colour. To finish the look add a blue accent chair or a blue storage ottoman in the room.
A Little Ordinary & A Dash of Extraordinary
People often forget that the bathroom can also be styled and decorated along with the rest of the rooms in the house. You don’t have to go with simple generic tiles, cabinets and lights. We have styling suggestions for lavish bathroom owners and standard bathroom owners.
Sometimes it is all or nothing. Yellow is one of those colours that can either make or break a look. For a monochromatic interior style yellow and gold are perfect for a lavish bathroom. These colours scream luxury and can really brighten up a room. Metal light attachments, gold bathroom fittings, metal cabinets and luxury towel sets in off-white colour will be perfect for a fancy bathroom.
For standard bathrooms, black and white is a popular choice yet again. Black metal bathroom fittings coupled with white cabinets and white lighting is all you really need.
Kitchen & Dining Area
When it comes to the kitchen, the easiest way to add colour is through the cabinets and appliances you use. If you want to stick to a very basic monochromatic look, grey as the base colour for the kitchen is an excellent choice. Grey cabinets look clean and sophisticated and most appliances that you buy will be easily available in this colour as well. Pair the grey cabinets with a white benchtop to balance things out.
For colour enthusiasts, a colour like pink should do the trick. Pastel pink, to be more specific, gives a very soft look to the kitchen. Metal colours and light wood colours would pair perfectly with a pastel pink kitchen and dining room.
On the other hand, you can go for really deep and warm colours such as terracotta and rust. Along with giving a modern rustic look to the room, these colours bring warmth to an area of the house where your family will spend a significant amount of time. Cane wicker dining sets with a deep shade of terracotta running through would be ideal for this setup. Pair these with rattan lamp shades, rattan mirrors, coral or rust wall art and a sideboard in the same colour range.
It’s All About The Gradient
The monochromatic style is not that hard to create as long as you have a base colour in mind. Use a statement piece in the base colour of your choice as the focal point of your room and add lighter and darker shades around the room to create the perfect gradient. In the end, you will have a cohesive-looking room that will be a treat to the eyes.
