How to Use Red in the Home

Red is the symbolic colour of love, romance and passion. To get into the Valentine's Day mood, Shaynna Blaze shows us how to incorporate the colour red into the home.

Without a doubt, red makes a statement in any interior scheme. It’s a very energetic colour and is often used to bring warmth and life to a room. High-octane orange-tinted tones make you feel energised and alive, while subtler purplish shades such as burgundy and maroon can create a cosy mood and inject a regal touch to a room. 

In the bedroom

Red is a sensual colour that exudes richness and luxury, so it’s a great one to use in bedrooms. If you think it’s too overwhelming to paint all walls red, then I suggest painting just two adjoining walls in a dark red colour, such as Taubmans Madeira Red (as featured in the photo below). 

To balance out the red, decorate the room with furniture and flooring in aged walnut or oak timbers and bone coloured linens. To give an Asian inspired look, use oriental printed wallpaper and fabrics. 

For a more subtle look in the bedroom, incorporate red into your accessories such as cushions and ornaments, for just a pop of colour, while keeping the wall paint colour and furnishings neutral. This will evoke the passion associated with the colour red without the intensity of the tone on your walls.

 In the kitchen

Red cabinets or a splashback are likely to date, and expensive to replace, so a more subtle way to use red in the kitchen is to feature small red kitchen appliances that can add some spark to an all white or neutral kitchen. They won’t break the bank when you decide to change the look.

Credit: Kitchen-Design-Ideas.org

If however you really want to make a statement, then you could feature one large appliance in red, such as a freestanding stove, and make it the focal point of the room. 

Exterior features 

A bold red front door creates an inviting entrance and is an easy way to upgrade the look of your home. It creates a focal point and will give your home strong street presence. If you’re planning to sell your home, this is one simple trick that can really help your home stand out.

Red and white

Reds work well when contrasted with white. Using a colour like Taubmans Endure Burning Bush (pictured above) alongside a crisp white gives freshness to what could be a heavy interior. The deep colour of the walls makes it important to keep the rest of the room’s colours within the warm side of the colour wheel so as not to fight for attention. Neutrals such as oatmeal, cream and brown will help tame red’s feisty nature.

Red, white and blue

The nautical combination of red, white and blue is a great one for beach houses or if you want to create a beachside, relaxed and casual feel at home. Keep most of the interior scheme white with natural finishes such as sisal rugs and timber furniture and inject blue and red in accessories such as
scatter cushions, artwork and accessories.