Color Roundup: Using Red in Interior Design

Good morning everyone.  Before I start with today’s color, I just want to say that I hope everyone is doing well.  Since Sandy, we have been without power but I am so happy that my family is safe and sound.  We had very little damage to our property – some fallen trees and some missing fence sections – but all of that is very fixable.  My stepson had terrible flooding in his house and now he’s replacing sheetrock, flooring, re-doing wiring – and he had to throw out his sofa, cherished pictures and diplomas and other furnishings and belongings. Many here on Long Island are without power and many are without their homes and many have lost loved ones – so I am thankful that we came out of this relatively unscathed.  I pray for the people who sustained the worst of this storm. We donated to the Red Cross – I hope that many of you did.  Much is needed.

So…on to the color red.

When you use red in interior design, you can really make a statement.  I’ve seen it used badly, of course, but when used correctly it’s dramatic and beautiful. In small doses, it give any room a lift and when used en masse – it makes a bold staement.

Do have a spare $30M? This could be yours!

When you envelope a room in red, it warms you up immediately.  This beautiful room – which is owned by George Soros’ daughter, Andrea – is for sale right now for a mere $29,500,00.  Can you imagine this room just done in white or just light panelling?  It would be very cold and bland.  The way the color red is used here gives the space more human dimensions – the room doesn’t seem as vast and large. It helps to cozy the room up.

An all red room from Martha Stewart

The black accents in this room keep this space from being “too much red.”  Layering in red adds a generous amount of warmth to a room – so don’t be afriad to use this color.  Temper it with black frames, paler shades of red for fabrics – and add some gold to the mix.

Red is a great color for a dining room

The color red enlivens the appetite so it’s a great color to use in a kitchen or dining room.  The lacquered finish as used above  by designer Brian McCarthy also gives the color depth and it prevents the space from seeming too dark and imposing.

Sorry for the short post today. We have to turn off the generator to save gas!  Be back soon to finish this post!