Colours of Interior Design

from United Colours of Design - Red Edition

Lizy J. Campbell (Canada)

BY NEHA SAWHNEY

RED: Do’s and Don’ts for Decorating + Best Red Paint Colours

Many of my clients tell me that they LOVE red but don’t know how to incorporate it in their homes except for painting a wall red or doing an accent wall with exposed red brick look. Back in the day, people used red only in their kitchen or dining space but over the years this colour has evolved and can be seen as an accent in a room, to showcase the main door, main and accent furniture pieces, furnishings, almost anything you can think of. The key is to pair this rich, bold and glamorous colour with other complimenting ones and to balance it by using a sense of scale and proportion.

LOVE RED? Here's how to use it with style

DO - Choose the right complementing colours

Red is one of the warm colours on the wheel, so it works really well when paired with cooler colours like blue, green and white. In this living room, the cool palette of blues and whites create a perfect contrast for bold red velvet chairs. Vases with pink and red buds repeat the warm hue creating a nice balance of colours.

DO - Make a bold impression with wallpaper

Using red wallpaper with a bold pattern is something your friends and guest won’t ever be able to forget, just like this powder room. The key is to keep everything else simple and neutral, white shade sconces, chrome mirror, white window and fixtures.

DO - Create the kitchen of your dreams

A rustic red island is all this kitchen needs to make a statement and to start a conversation. White cabinets and walls, simple white pendant lights and dark floors all help in bringing the attention to this beautiful island and you will never fall short of compliments.

DO - Decorate with red

Start with smaller décor objects if you want to introduce red in your home. Ruby red pillows and a shiny crimson table lamp combined with soothing tones of dusty pink and navy blue creates a bright, happy and inviting look.

DON’T - Overuse

By now you probably know that red has to be used in right amount and paired with complimenting colours to get that WOW look. If you feel there’s too much red in one space, consider taking a step back. You could add more neutral and earthy tones to mute the bright hue.

DON’T - Playing safe

Once you have decided to use red in your rooms, be sure to be bold, confident and ready to experiment. Take your time, plan the pieces and decide if you want bigger items in red or just a splash in the décor. Be as bold as the colour itself, think out of the box and take risks.