Fair Value - Summary of the Fair Value Write-downs to Assets Carried at nonrecurring Fair Values (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Loans:
Loans	$ (51)	$ 110,258	$ 69,881	$ 110,258
Real Estate:
Real estate, net	25,935	10,124	30,061	10,124
Fair value, measurements, nonrecurring
Loans:
Loans	37,957	0	107,908	0
Real Estate:
Real estate, net	0	10,124	0	10,124
Real estate held for sale	25,935	0	30,061	0
Total	25,935	10,124	30,061	10,124
Fair value, measurements, nonrecurring \| Loans and preferred equity held for investment, net
Loans:
Loans	5,117	0	38,493	0
Fair value, measurements, nonrecurring \| Loans held for sale
Loans:
Loans	$ 32,840	$ 0	$ 69,415	$ 0

Real Estate Held-For-Sale, Impairment

No definition available.

Name:	clnc_RealEstateHeldForSaleImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	clnc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226348&loc=d3e2420-110228

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetImpairmentChargesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The charge against earnings in the period to reduce the carrying amount of real property to fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanAndLeaseLossesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of credit loss expense (reversal of expense) for financing receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(11))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLossesExpensed
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=clnc_LoansAndPreferredEquityHeldForInvestmentNetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=clnc_LoansHeldforsaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: