Monochromatic: A Minimalistic Background for Your Vibrant Life | JC Licht

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Monochromatic: A Minimalistic Background for Your Vibrant Life

  • 5 min read

Monochromatic: A Minimalistic Background for Your Vibrant Life | JC Licht

Designing the interior space in your home with just one color? Yes, you can do it! It just requires careful coordination and the know-how to choose the perfect color palettes for each room. Monochromatic color schemes harness the principle of using only one color — from your walls to your window treatments to your home furnishings. But don’t worry! If monochromatic has you thinking of using the exact same color for all these things, we want you to know this is a common misconception that many homeowners have. In reality, monochromatic color schemes employ one base color that serves as a foundation, while various shades, tints, and tones of that same color offer contrast across your walls, trim, furnishings, and other décor, which creates harmony throughout your home.

Beige living room with curtains matched with ColorLux

A monochromatic color scheme in your home can provide a minimalistic background for your vibrant lifestyle. If you have precious antiques or a bright and interesting art collection, using one color and its derivatives can provide a sophisticated backdrop that will allow your cherished pieces to shine. It’s also a great way to hide certain design styles around your home. For example, you can elongate kitchen cabinets that do not reach the ceiling by painting with similar colors, hiding the gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. With just one color reverberating across your space, you eliminate any potential color clashes without sacrificing style. You can even mix up textures of different pieces and window treatments to add more personality to your rooms.

Pro tip: Select at least two options off your desired base color, one lighter and one darker, to create contrast throughout your monochromatic room.

Achieve monochromatic color schemes by using premiumBenjamin Moore paint on your walls with a coordinating window treatment fromColor Lux by Comfortex Window Fashions. Stop by any ofJC Licht’s 48 locations throughout the Greater Chicagoland areato learn how monochromatic color schemes can transform your space.

From the Windows to the Walls and the Spaces in Between

When applying a monochromatic color scheme in your home, you don’t have to plan every detail. Since the central pillar of a monochromatic scheme is unity, you just need to select colors along the spectrum of your base color to create the intended effect. From the paint on your walls to the window treatments down to your throw pillows, your base color must remain the backbone of each choice. With over 3,500 paint colors, Benjamin Moore has paint for every hue you could think of with the finish to match. But your monochromatic room won’t be complete until you install Color Lux window treatments to bring it all together.

Color Lux Blue Haze cellular shades color matched to the walls in a living room at JC Licht in Chicago

Pro tip: Don’t use white trim around windows because it breaks the flow to the outside.

The Color Lux Collection by Comfortex Window Fashionsallows you to match your window treatments to any Benjamin Moore paint color, wallpaper, or other home décor item, allowing your monochromatic dreams to come to life. With over 800 colors to choose from, you can bet that Color Lux has the color to match the base you’ve chosen.

Find Benjamin Moore paint and Color Lux window treatments that complement each other by visiting yourlocal JC Licht store or requesting a color consultation online.

How to Pull Off Monochromatic Color Schemes (with color combinations!)

Not sure if you’re ready to make the monochromatic color commitment? Let us break it down for you.

Step 1: Focus on a single color family.

Monochromatic color schemes rely on the art of layering different shades and tints of the same color to add depth and dimension to a space. And don’t forget about the trim. If you choose a bold or bright color for your walls, the trim should be a shade of that color. If you painted all the trim white against a darker wall color, you’d create distinct boundaries that will make your room feel small and enclosed. A shade of the wall color on the trim can elongate the walls, so this is an excellent option if you have low ceilings. The same can be true of your window coverings. Long drapes in a room with low ceilings can make the room feel taller, or roller shades can complete a more contemporary space. The Color Lux window treatment solutions have personalized options in every color for all the rooms in your home.

White bathroom with drapes created with ColorLux technology from JC Licht in Chicago

Step 2: Consider the lighting and undertones of your favorite colors.

Every color has an undertone and may appear differently based on the room’s type and amount of lighting. Each Benjamin Moore color comes with an LRV or light reflectance value. If the value is higher, the color will appear brighter when exposed to light. Using too many shades with a high LRV in a monochromatic colored room can create a washed out look. Alternately, you can offset colors with a deeper saturation with a broad spectrum of lighter hues. For example,Gray Cashmere 2138-60 features green undertones, so you’ll want to choose colors likeMisted Green 2138-50 andMohegan Sage 2138-30 to complete your monochromatic color scheme for that color.

We recommend getting a Benjamin Moore paint sample from your local JC Licht store and applying it to your wall so you can see how the lighting changes throughout the day and how it affects the appearance of the paint color.

Step 3: Choose your Color Combinations

If you’re feeling lost or don’t know where to begin, white shades are the most versatile color option for the puzzled homeowner. If you’re looking for neutral, fresh tones, you can also explore green hues like the combination ofTimothy Straw 2149-40,Split Pea 2146-30, andGuilford Green HC-116.

Even though you’re working with one color palette, don’t be afraid to go bold. Bright, vibrant colors like pink can show some personality! Think of colors likeFondant AF-255,Light Quartz 2011-70,Flush Pink 2081-70, andCrushed Berries 2076-30.

Even colors like black can thrive in a room that features a monochromatic color scheme. Get the black look by pairingSilver Spring 2120-50,Temptation 1609, andBlack Satin 2131-10.

Whatever your color desires, Benjamin Moore paints have both light and dark tones for your home, and Color Lux has the complementary window treatments to accompany those colors.

Step 4: Add personality through textures and shades.

Using just one color doesn’t mean your room has to be boring. You can play with patterns, shades, and textures throughout your space to mix things up. Adding visual interest through textures can give your room depth and dimension without straying from your base color too much. You can even use a darker accent wall on one side and patterned drapes on the other (along with unique and exciting décor pieces) to complete the look.

Green living room with matching drapes from ColorLux at JC Licht in Chicago

To explore custom drapes designed to complement your monochromatic color scheme, JC Licht can help you find the perfect Color Lux window treatments for your home. Speaking of textures, Color Lux offers a wide range of window treatment designs so you can incorporate the unique honeycomb shape of cellular shades or feature the distinct lines found in roman shades. You can even add a valence for a subtle contrast. With the perfect color to complement your Benjamin Moore wall paint, browse the complete Color Lux collection to give your monochromatic space the ideal finish.

Pulling off the monochromatic color scheme in your home shouldn’t be intimidating. Start from one base color, and everything will fall into place.Visit us at JC Licht to find all the painting supplies and Benjamin Moore colors you need and find your perfect Color Lux window treatments. Even if all you have is a rug and you love the color, the JC Licht Color Consultants can help you complete the room around that rug. Talk about great service!

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