A color wheel will tell you that red and purple should not be combined. Red and Blue make purple, which means red is purple's mother. Purple and red make magenta, which is a monotone cousin to purple.
The hallmark of interior design is the use of contrasting colors or monotone colors to create an interesting space. That means red and blue or purple and magenta will create a harmonious interior that is pleasing to the eye.
Red and purple are unsettling because they're related, but aren't equal. Red dominates purple, as many mothers tend to do. Of course, there are ways you can liberate purple from its domineering mother. Try using red accents against a purple palette or combine lavender with a bright red for more contrast.
Using purple as an accent against red is more difficult, but can be done by applying the principles of monotone color mixing. Make sure accented purples stand out through texture and select placement rather by color.
Although mixing red and purple presents a design challenge, no one ever said that decorating is only fun when it's easy!
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I really like this color combination. I'm trying to do it in my kitchen. Weird for a kitching, I know, but I moved into a "semi-furnished" apartment, and the color scheme in the kitchen is red: red garbage can, red dish towels, red dish drying rack. I added a little purple lamp in an empty corner of the counter and am looking for a purple tea pot.
The only way I see this combo working in an actual living space is with a lot of light and a neutral to offset the colors' intensity. #1 and #4 work the best, IMO. #3 looks like a bordello.
Too scary a combo for me. Reminds me of the Red Hat Society.
#2 is my favorite. It makes want to drink a glass a red wine... and then solve a mystery.
makes me* want
I painted my bathroom a lilac purple, and am using red bathmats, soap dispensers and other vases. I am also using black and white as offset colors, and bought an awesome Houndstooth patterned shower curtain! I love it!!
Aw these colors bring back such fond memories of eating the grape and cherry flavor Kool Aid mix right from the pouch!
@jenkies, I was also thinking Red Hat Society!
My bedroom's primary color is indigo, even though the walls are pale grey and the curtains are white. The duvet is the Marimekko Saarni in indigo from C&B, and it's enough that you walk in the room and think 'indigo'. But deep red is my accent color, and it works surprisingly well. Red sheets on the bed, red betta, red computer housing, little red storage boxes occasionally. It's a lovely room, and it'll be a shame to move out of the apartment.
Makes me think of one of the sequels to Flowers in the Attic which had a little girl who loved red and purple together.
These are like two great tastes that don't taste great together.
Makes me feel like I'm looking at a screen/monitor that has lost the yellow/green.
I really like this, especially the first picture. It's very odd, but somehow works. I might try adding some purple into my red bedroom!
Yeah! Number 2 is the best. Totally intense, rock n' roll, glamorous.
Yup, totally Red Hat ladies, especially #3 and #5.
I absolutely love #1. The muted colors and subtle patterns make the palette so fresh.
Love the Daybed as well as the Library. Does force me to think beyond my industrial gray palette.
FAB
Purple and red is my favorite color combination, but I never see it used in people's homes. I'm moving into an apartment with exposed brick and am thinking about painting the remaining walls a muted purple color, kind of like a mauvey lavender. Would love any suggestions about how to approach such a color scheme and what other colors I should use or avoid with those. These rooms pictured here are a bit saturated/dark for me, although the second one is charming.
Red and purple together look opulent and exotic to me, especially used with gold, black, dark brown wood, and a little white. I rarely use dramatic, pretty purple because it fights my favorite bright colors.
Red and purple together look toxic to me, especially since I hate reddish purples. XD