The hottest of the warm shades, red meets the eye head on. As the first colour the human eye perceives, it always appears nearer than it is. It symbolises dynamism and confidence, inextricably linked to power. It also lends meaning to the passions, being a colour carnality and romance. Red is the amphetamine of the colour wheel, it stimulates, raises heart rates and can make us impatient. But it can invigorate us too, imbuing spaces with a defiant optimism and warm energy.
When used in a subtle way, red has the ability to bring colour and personality to a space without becoming overpowering. Red home decor accessories are the ideal way to begin introducing the colour to your home without an overload. Red vases, scatter cushions or rugs, accent chairs or artworks are a great way of slowly including this shade within your home.
Red spaces feel hotter than others and so will increase our perception of heat. Red also signals danger, but it’s not all bad news. The right space red will provide warmth and excitement. Small injections of red aid concentration and a red trim on the wall by your desk can be a really effective way of motivating alertness.
For reasons of its strength and intensity, red is an exceptional minor player. Using earthier, slightly blackened reds like burgundy or merlot as accents can look wonderful when paired with pinks, tans, taupes and black. If a space feels empty and clinical, an accent of red will fill the void, drawing the eye towards its warmth and energy. Dirty reds look perfect among baby blues, ramping up the sophistication of a space and allowing it to feel more saturated.
It is always about how you pair the red that makes it work in a space as well as the shade you choose. When using such a bold colour, always consider its counterpart to help balance and bring calmness to your home because even though red is such a vibrant shade, it should still be used in a harmonised way.
