Embracing a new aesthetic, 'Color Capping' is the latest decorating trend that introduces additional depth to space, potentially making a room appear larger. A shift away from color drenching.
In the world of interior design, the color capping technique is making waves, offering a unique way to enhance the aesthetics of your rooms. This innovative approach involves applying a distinct "cap" of paint to the upper portion of walls or molding, creating a visual boundary and adding a touch of elegance to your space.
To successfully implement color capping, you should first select appropriate colors. Typically, this involves a base color and one or more accent or cap colors to create contrast or highlight architectural details. The key is to opt for tones within the same color family or hues that naturally complement each other on the color wheel.
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you master the color capping technique:
- Prepare the room by cleaning and ensuring surfaces are smooth and dust-free before painting.
- Choose complementary or contrasting colors with a clear plan for where the cap color will be applied (e.g., top of walls, trim, crown molding).
- Use painter’s tape to create sharp lines for the color cap to prevent bleeding and ensure clean edges.
- Apply the base paint first and allow it to dry completely.
- Carefully paint the capped area with the chosen accent color.
- Remove tape cleanly after the paint dries to reveal sharp edges.
When it comes to color choice, balancing warm and cool tones is crucial, depending on the desired mood. Medium intensity and value colors can work well to isolate undertones and create appealing contrasts. Using professional-grade paint and experienced techniques for cleaning and application significantly improves the final result.
In rooms with high ceilings, painting above the picture rail and around the molding in a slightly deeper shade can help make ceilings look higher. Spacing should be guided by architectural features such as cornicing, and one can stop just short of the ceiling with one color and save the third for the painted ceiling.
Color capping can also be effective in contemporary settings, allowing for experimental paint techniques like hand-painted trims. In period homes, color capping can enhance original architectural features, such as decorative plasterwork.
Benjamin Moore has introduced a new trend called 'color capping' as part of its AW2025 lookbook. To color cap a room, one chooses three shades of a single color with similar undertones and paints the ceiling in the deepest shade, the cornicing in a mid-tone, and the walls in a lighter tone. This creates a layered, polished look with a subtle ombre effect.
To achieve a fully cohesive look, it's important to follow through via soft furnishings and window treatments. Color capping works best in living rooms and bedrooms, enhancing a sense of intimacy and comfort, and making the room feel cocooned and inviting.
When considering color capping, be aware of the colors designers warn will date the fastest in 2025. Helen Shaw, a color expert and the international marketing director at paint brand Benjamin Moore, advises that this technique can be a great way to make a space feel timeless and stylish.
In summary, the color capping technique offers a simple yet effective way to add depth and dimension to your rooms, creating a harmonious and balanced look. With careful color selection and execution, you can transform your spaces into inviting, stylish, and timeless sanctuaries.
- In the realm of interior design, the latest trend from Benjamin Moore, called 'color capping', involves selecting three shades of a single color with similar undertones and applying the deepest shade to the ceiling, the mid-tone to the cornicing, and a lighter tone to the walls, creating a subtle ombre effect in living rooms and bedrooms.
- The color capping technique can be employed to make a room feel timeless and stylish, as warned by color expert Helen Shaw, who is the international marketing director at paint brand Benjamin Moore.
- Color capping works best in setting the tone for intimate and comfortable spaces such as living rooms and bedrooms, making them feel cocooned and inviting.
- When using the color capping technique, it is crucial to opt for tones within the same color family or hues that naturally complement each other on the color wheel, creating a harmonious and balanced look in the living room decor and overall home-and-garden lifestyle.
