Monochromatic color schemes: making just one color look interesting

Monochromatic color schemes use only one color from the color wheel. Interest is generated by using different values of the color from light to dark. There are other design techniques that can be employed to create visual appeal. These photographs feature a gold monochromatic scheme, and as you can see there is nothing boring about this room setting.

These photographs were taken at the JW Showroom located in the Marketplace Design Center Philadelphia, PA. In this vignette the JW Showroom is highlighting furniture and accessories from the Nancy Corzine product lines. The Marketplace is a compendium of showrooms for Architects, Interior Designers, and their Clients. It’s a local resource where the pages of Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Dwell, and other fine Interior Design magazines come to life. Many of the showrooms are to the trade only. If you would like to shop the Marketplace, an appointment can be scheduled through Hearth & Hedgerow Ltd. 

This room uses varying shades of gold to engage the eye, and also brings an array of textures and dimensions into play. The assorted textures absorb and reflect different amounts of light. The range of light and texture create a design that is just as captivating as a vivid color scheme. This gold room is rich and luminescent, but through the use of one color is also a relaxing and harmonious space. 

Dimension is created by using tone on tone stripes in mixed widths. The upholstered chair stripes are both wide and narrow. By mitering a skinny stripe on the accent pillow an optical perspective of squares is formed. The stitching on the leather ottoman top divides the rectangle into a series of triangles. The stripes and damask are smooth and shiny. The velvet on the sofa is soft but crinkled, which splinters the light producing a variety of shades from one solid colored fabric. The leather on the ottoman is matte and smooth, but the ottoman frame is a metallic finish. 

The pair of lamps on the sofa table are clear glass, spattered with a sparkling, gold, metallic inside. The cocktail table combines a gold leaf frame with a glass top, both elements are radiating light into the room. This setting is an excellent example of what can be done to design an interesting room using just one color.

For more information on using the color wheel and color theory in Interior Design review this article.