The Power of One: 6 Key Steps to a Stunning Monochromatic Living Room

I’m sure you must have heard me mention monochrome a lot of times either in my YouTube videos or any of my blog posts. Oftentimes people tend to link monochrome with white and black, in fact, I was part of the bandwagon that used to hashtag black and white pictures I post on Instagram as monochrome which is not totally wrong but also not limited to white and black. A monochromatic scheme is a selection of a single hue and then using the tints and shades in the same space to create a beautiful piece. The combined result must, however,  be smooth and easy on the eye even for harsh and solid colours. 

Strict Monochrome designs are something you hardly come across, people usually want to have a splash of colours in their space, but arguably it's said to be the simplest way to go when you have a hard time selecting colours but it's also tough selecting the best tones to match your monochrome style.

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So, How do we create a monochromatic design without making a mess of your space? Follow these simple tips or guide to design your first monochrome design.

1. Selecting a colour: selection is a very important aspect that you must think through because once it's done, you can't change it at the snap of your finger if it doesn't look great. If you get it wrong it will cost you time and money to fix. Don't think about colour selection too much, we know that one way or another everyone has a favourite colour or colour they are comfortable with or colours they are drawn to. Whether your colour is pink or blue or even red, the lightest tint can be used on the wall to define and structure the space for other shades and tints to be layered.                              
2. The Next thing to do is start small: if you are creating a monochrome space for the first time you need to start small, take a small space and try it out say Start with your dining area, small bathroom or the kitchen and then when you get comfortable with the small spaces that you have designed and you have an 80% success rate, you can then move on to your bedroom and your personal spaces before you try your living room or a friends house or a clients house.                                                   
3. The importance of texture in monochrome designs cannot be overemphasized: Texture is the surface quality of material, this is an element of interior design that makes a space visually appealing. Just like colours, textures can determine how a room feels, by the softness or hardness of the items in the space. In designing a monochrome space, because there's no variety of colour, the texture is the only thing that differentiates surfaces and it's the different textures that spice up your monochrome space. The aim is to create visual interest even if every item in the room is the same colour. texture can be visual or tactile.     
   
4.  Add a contrasting tone: when we design a monochrome space it does not necessarily have to be the same shade of colour all through especially if it’s your first shot at it. You can add a little contrasting colour or item. For example, instead of going for a plain nice blue fur rug, pick a rug that has blue and a little splash of other easy colours.  The contrast makes things pop or liven up your space, although this is a rule that goes against the strict monochrome design but nothing is cast on stone, as long as your space is beautiful and comfortable.   
5. You also need to play with shapes: this is also a form of contrast. If you are designing hush colours you definitely need to add some exceptional items to make it unique. Sometimes, it's harder to design and make an impression with cold colours like grey, this is where all the sharp corners, the circles and pentagon looking centre table ,furniture and decor pieces begin to matter because they will aid to tell a story in the space. The shapes should create some visual curiosity and interest in the space.   
   
6.  And lastly, cosider what mood you want to create: I always insist that you work with the colour you love warm colours will create a different feel and emotion from cold colours.  The good thing is no matter what your favourite hue is; red, green, pink or yellow or whatever you can create a beautiful space with the colour you love the only thing you may need to work on is the intensity of the hue. The intensity can totally change the ambience of the space, just as we talked about colour psychology the tint and shade of colour most of the time means and represents different emotions.   A colour wheel will assist you in selecting colours for your monochromatic interior design.

Eunicon Interior is one of the best interior design companies in Nigeria and we are passionate about creating beautiful spaces, check out our YouTube channel for interior design tips or reach out to us to schedule an online interior design consultation or request for an in-person visit if you are in Nigeria.

I hope you enjoyed reading this piece, I'd like to know how you pulled-off your first monochrome living room design,so drop me a comment just below and lets enjoy our experiences.