GIF Magic: RED Hot Color Edition
I admit I read this post with a slight eyeroll at first. I mean, red as the new “trending” color? THE red color that has been a part of human interiors for, like, ever? But then I looked around my interiors — and save for a few books spines and a couple of splashes in a rug — I have no red in my apartment. What’s the big deal, you ask? So what if you don’t have a specific color in your home?
But see, red is different. It’s special. It’s got the ability to make your heart beat faster, make a room feel warmer and sure as hell makes a bold statement, no matter the size of the item. To solidify this point — and to add more inspiration to the proof this post already provided — I’ve used the magic of GIF to take the red statement pieces out of these rooms…so you can see the power that scarlet style can have in a space.
I purposely did not choose rooms that had red walls — these rooms all use a deep, strong red color on freestanding objects big and small. You can see how red adds life, heat and spice into these spaces. And you can observe how red influences the way a room affects you, emotionally and physically. Could it be just the color your rooms have been craving?
The bedroom in Ariene and Daren’s Charlotte house shows off the power of red perfectly. Even in a bedroom with so much already going on — bold blue walls, standout lighting, pattern and more — the room doesn’t really “pop” until the red couch is introduced. Ariene found their red velvet love seat on Craigslist, but you can get a similar look with this sofa from Overstock.
This cozy Dutch living room is still beautiful without the red; a natural color palette has a soothing, monochromatic vibe without the crimson hue. But when the red shows up in the form of side chairs and soft accessories, you can see how the living room lights up, almost literally. The red furnishings echo the red in the stained glass, making the whole room feel cohesive. The chairs in this room are Leolux, but you can find something similar at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
I think the dark and dramatic dining area in Anna’s Chicago apartment is great evidence that rich ruby red hues can stand on their own, even when partnered with dark colors like black. In fact, red, black and white is a classic combination. Anna got her red bench from IKEA. It doesn’t seem to be available anymore, but this bench looks similar and could easily be painted any crimson shade you want.
There’s A LOT going on in Adrianne’s small San Francisco studio. It’s only 400 square feet, but she’s filled it with vintage accessories, patterns, textures and more. No one would blame her if she kept the color palette on the neutral side. But you can see that the splashes of red throughout her small space don’t make it feel overwhelming; red enlivens this rental! The round pillow on the sofa is from Urban Outfitters and the cardinal-colored dresser is a vintage find. She got the vintage kilim throw blanket from Fab.com, but you can find something similar at Anthropologie.
Maggie’s South Carolina house is another example of a home with a lot of decor in play. In this room, black and white patterns mix with art and strong green accessories. But you can see how the room gets an excitement explosion when red is introduced. You can find a similar red throw pillow to add to your space. This IKEA coffee table is a similar shape and could easily be painted red.
This Australian home’s living room is proof you can add red to a very simple, subtle space without overwhelming. The homeowners bought the sofa pictured above 10 years ago, but this Joybird sofa in red could be a great similar option.
Another home in Australia, this loft’s kitchen features bursts of cheery cherry red, proving pretty much any room can get spiced up with this color. Get your own red SMEG from West Elm.