Fair Value, Measurement With Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Deconsolidation

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Equity in Earnings

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Securitization Trusts Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	clnc_NumberofSecuritizationTrustsSold
Namespace Prefix:	clnc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in income from asset measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of sale of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSales
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of settlement of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of transfers of financial instrument classified as an asset out of level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetTransfersOutOfLevel3
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in income from liability measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityGainLossIncludedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized gain (loss) on investment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.3(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealizedInvestmentGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=clnc_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiarySecuritizationTrustMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis=clnc_MortgagesObligationsIssuedbySecuritizationTrustsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=clnc_MortgageLoansHeldInSecuritizationTrustsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=clnc_PEInvestmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Fair Value - Changes in Fair Value of Financial Assets Measured on a Recurring Basis (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2019 securitization_trust	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Additional information about financial assets
Realized gain in earnings		$ 0	$ 2,724	$ 0	$ 2,772
Primary beneficiary, securitization trust
Additional information about financial assets
Number of securitization trusts sold \| securitization_trust	1
Level 3 \| Mortgage obligations issued by securitization trusts
Additional information about financial assets
Unrealized gain (loss) in earnings				(27,800)
Level 3 \| Mortgage loans held in securitization trusts
Additional information about financial assets
Unrealized gain (loss) in earnings				(13,800)
Recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Investments in unconsolidated ventures - PE Investments
Additional information about financial assets
Beginning balance				8,858	160,851	$ 160,851
Contributions/purchases				0		151
Distributions/paydowns				(2,558)		(18,407)
Deconsolidation of securitization trust				0		0
Equity in earnings				669		0
Sale of investments				0		(48,930)
Transfers out of Level 3						(84,807)
Unrealized gain (loss) in earnings				0		0
Realized gain in earnings						0
Ending balance		6,969		6,969		8,858
Recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Mortgage loans held in securitization trusts
Additional information about financial assets
Beginning balance				1,872,970	$ 3,116,978	3,116,978
Contributions/purchases				0		0
Distributions/paydowns				(19,817)		(55,288)
Deconsolidation of securitization trust				0		(1,239,627)
Equity in earnings				0		0
Sale of investments				0		(39,848)
Transfers out of Level 3				0		0
Unrealized gain (loss) in earnings				(13,763)		87,983
Realized gain in earnings				0		2,772
Ending balance		$ 1,839,390		$ 1,839,390		$ 1,872,970