Looking for an easy and impactful home office transformation? A paint effect is the perfect solution. Here, we show you how to ‘double drench’ – a design technique that floods a room with colour, covering every surface from the walls and the ceiling to the furniture in two (or more) shades.
In this article, we focus on walls and furniture, showing you how to create an easy split-wall paint effect and how to complete the look by painting your furniture to match.
Going for a green colour scheme in the home office is ideal because calming greens are said to help with concentration. Dulux Colour of the Year 2027 Soulful Sage™, teamed with a complementary darker green, makes the perfect combination. Follow these simple steps and experiment with a creative wall painting technique that will give your workspace the wow factor.
It pays to spend a little time preparing for any DIY project to make sure you have everything you need. Protect the floor with a dust sheet, put on your apron and get creative!
Tools:
Wall paint in two colours – enough for the space you’re painting
Furniture paint (check what your furniture is made of and make sure you source the right product). Browse our paints for metal and wood
2 x paint rollers (plus an extension poll if you need one)
Paint tray
2 x smaller paint brushes for details
Mixing sticks
Measuring tape
String, scissors, chalk and pencil
Masking tape (optional)
Before you get started, plan your project. Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you pick up a paintbrush:
North- and South-facing rooms have a different quality of light, so take the position of your room into account when you’re selecting paint colours. Dulux Colour of the Year 2027 Soulful Sage™ can lift any room and works well with the sunlight, so it makes a good choice in any space.
Buy colour testers and create paint swatches on paper so you can see what any colour will look like in situ, and which colours will go together. Dulux colour stories give you instant ideas for colour combinations that work.
Make sure you buy the right product for the job – whether walls, ceiling, woodwork or furniture. Dulux has products for every DIY paint project.
For a double-drench effect, decide where you want the colour change to be and which colours you want at the top and the bottom. There’s no fixed rule – it’s your chance to get creative.
If the walls are in a bad condition, it’s always a good idea to wash them with sugar soap, rinse and leave to dry before you start painting. If they’re in a reasonable state, give them a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth and leave to dry.
Start painting the top of your wall with your first chosen colour – using an extension poll on your roller if necessary. Extend the paint just beyond the point where you want to change colour. Leave to dry.
Once the top section is dry, take a measurement from the floor up at several places across the wall, marking where you want your second colour to start. Then, take a piece of string (the length of your wall) and cover it with chalk. Fix this to both ends of the wall (with tape or a drawing pin) at the colour change marks and ‘ping’ the string to make a light chalk guideline on the wall. Remove the string.
Taking a paintbrush, carefully start to paint the outline of the bottom section of wall in your second colour, following the chalk guideline. Once you’ve completed the edges, you can fill in the central section with a roller. Leave to dry and paint a second coat if necessary.
As well as painting the woodwork with your chosen paint colours, you can extend the drench effect by painting everything from your furniture to your lamps in the same colours. Make sure you use the right paint for each surface and have a bit of fun. Here, the tall lamp – painted darker at the top and lighter at the bottom – echoes the colour change on the wall, while the picture frame – painted only in the lighter Soulful Sage™ – creates an eye-catching contrast.
All you need to add? Your own personal style.
Discover more innovative ideas for using Dulux 2027 Colour of the Yearour 2027 colour stories
The colour drench paint technique takes approximately 4-6 hours to complete, spread across a weekend due to drying time between coats. You'll need time to prepare (30 minutes), paint the top section and let it dry (2-3 hours), create the guideline (15 minutes), paint the bottom section (1-2 hours), and extend the technique to furniture if desired (1-2 hours). Always allow each section to fully dry before moving to the next step.
You'll need: wall paint in two colours, furniture paint (metal/wood specific), 2 paint rollers with extension pole, paint tray, 2 detail brushes, measuring tape, string and chalk for guidelines, mixing sticks, and dust sheets for floor protection. Optional: masking tape for extra precision. Choose the right paint finish for each surface - walls, ceiling, woodwork, or furniture require different products.
Yes, but plan your colour combination carefully. Dulux recommends using Soulful Sage™ with a complementary darker green for home offices since green aids concentration. Test colours with paint swatches in your actual room lighting - North and South-facing rooms have different light qualities. Use Dulux colour stories for instant colour combinations that work, or order colour testers to see how colours look in your space before committing.
Colour drenching is a beginner-friendly DIY project that doesn't require professional help. The key is good preparation and planning. Clean walls with sugar soap if needed, use chalk string for straight guidelines (no special tools required), and take your time with edges using a brush before filling with a roller. The technique is forgiving - any small imperfections add to the handmade charm.
Use the chalk string technique for perfectly straight lines: measure from the floor up at several points across your wall, mark where you want the colour change, then stretch chalk-covered string between these points and "ping" it to create a light guideline. Paint carefully along this line with a brush first, then fill in with a roller. This traditional method is more reliable than tape and prevents paint bleeding.
Dulux Colour of the Year 2027
How to brighten your home with Dulux Colour of the Year 2027 Soulful Sage™, healing greens and on-trend paint colours
Transform your home with healing greens
Discover why it’s #GottaBeGreen for 2027, plus easy makeover ideas with Soulful Sage™.
1 living room; 4 on-trend schemes with green
Explore the versatility of Soulful Sage™ and create a living room look you’ll love.
Find the Right Product