Interior Design
Behind the Colour Red
Nothing commands energy, power and even luck, like red. Discover this colour’s roots in design, spiritual thought and nature
Perhaps more than any other element in design, colour can inspire intense debate and passionate feelings among designers and homeowners alike. In this series on the meaning of colour, we’ll be looking at colour from a wide range of perspectives – the world of design, psychology, philosophy and nature. If you’ve ever wondered why you feel the way you do about the color on your walls, you’ve come to the right place.
The colour red in feng shui
In feng shui, this bright, bold hue is considered a lucky colour, symbolising happiness and strength. As the place where energy, known as chi in feng shui, enters your home, the front door is an especially auspicious place – perfect for highlighting with a lick of lucky red.
Feng Shui 101: The Basics of Getting Your Home in Harmony
In feng shui, this bright, bold hue is considered a lucky colour, symbolising happiness and strength. As the place where energy, known as chi in feng shui, enters your home, the front door is an especially auspicious place – perfect for highlighting with a lick of lucky red.
Feng Shui 101: The Basics of Getting Your Home in Harmony
The colour red in nature
From breathtaking sunsets and crackling flames to blazing fall foliage, red in the natural world is the colour of drama. And considering that red in nature is sometimes used to attract (think of a perfectly ripe apple) and sometimes to warn (red-hot chili peppers, poisonous mushrooms), it makes sense that people tend to have a strong reaction to it. Whether you love it or hate it in your home, you probably have an opinion on the matter.
Nature’s Colour Wisdom: Lessons on Red From the Great Outdoors
From breathtaking sunsets and crackling flames to blazing fall foliage, red in the natural world is the colour of drama. And considering that red in nature is sometimes used to attract (think of a perfectly ripe apple) and sometimes to warn (red-hot chili peppers, poisonous mushrooms), it makes sense that people tend to have a strong reaction to it. Whether you love it or hate it in your home, you probably have an opinion on the matter.
Nature’s Colour Wisdom: Lessons on Red From the Great Outdoors
The colour red and the chakras
If you’re into yoga or meditation, you may have heard of the chakras; they’re considered centres of energy in the body and are aligned with the spine.
The word chakra comes from the sanskrit word for wheel or disc –and you can visualise each chakra as a swirling wheel of energy where your physical body and consciousness meet. The chakras start at the base of the spine and go up to the crown of the head, with the lower chakras being more closely related to our physical bodies and the upper chakras more to our spirit.
The first chakra, the root chakra, is at the base of the spine, the pelvic floor and the first three vertebrae. It’s associated with the colour red and represents your foundation. When this chakra is balanced, you have a feeling of being grounded and of innate safety and trust.
If you’re into yoga or meditation, you may have heard of the chakras; they’re considered centres of energy in the body and are aligned with the spine.
The word chakra comes from the sanskrit word for wheel or disc –and you can visualise each chakra as a swirling wheel of energy where your physical body and consciousness meet. The chakras start at the base of the spine and go up to the crown of the head, with the lower chakras being more closely related to our physical bodies and the upper chakras more to our spirit.
The first chakra, the root chakra, is at the base of the spine, the pelvic floor and the first three vertebrae. It’s associated with the colour red and represents your foundation. When this chakra is balanced, you have a feeling of being grounded and of innate safety and trust.
The colour red in design
Red is a primary colour, but the full range of reds stretches from pale pink to deep mulberry. If you want to incorporate red into your decor, the most vivid medium reds are best in smaller doses, while the lighter and darker ends of the red spectrum tend to feel more comfortable across a larger area. To keep the overall look harmonious, carefully consider what other colours are in play in your space. Red feels rich and mellow when surrounded by neutrals, as in the space shown here, and comes alive when paired with blues.
Red is a primary colour, but the full range of reds stretches from pale pink to deep mulberry. If you want to incorporate red into your decor, the most vivid medium reds are best in smaller doses, while the lighter and darker ends of the red spectrum tend to feel more comfortable across a larger area. To keep the overall look harmonious, carefully consider what other colours are in play in your space. Red feels rich and mellow when surrounded by neutrals, as in the space shown here, and comes alive when paired with blues.
Using red at home
Red makes a bold backdrop for artwork and collections, so it could be a wonderful choice for that gallery wall you’ve been planning. It also works well with the other warm hues (orange and yellow) in social spaces like the living and dining rooms. The farther away you reach on the colour wheel –for instance, pairing red with turquoise – the more dramatic and bold the colour scheme will feel.
In smaller doses, red can bring that perfect pop of colour to an all-neutral or black and white design.
Opposites Attract: Complementary Colour Combos
Red makes a bold backdrop for artwork and collections, so it could be a wonderful choice for that gallery wall you’ve been planning. It also works well with the other warm hues (orange and yellow) in social spaces like the living and dining rooms. The farther away you reach on the colour wheel –for instance, pairing red with turquoise – the more dramatic and bold the colour scheme will feel.
In smaller doses, red can bring that perfect pop of colour to an all-neutral or black and white design.
Opposites Attract: Complementary Colour Combos
The colour red and you
Above all, colour is personal. So when it comes down to it, what’s most important is to consider how you are responding to the colours around you. For example, common wisdom may hold that red is too energetic for a bedroom, but perhaps it just feels cosy and enveloping to you. Trust yourself, and go with what feels right.
Work wonders with red in the bedroom
Above all, colour is personal. So when it comes down to it, what’s most important is to consider how you are responding to the colours around you. For example, common wisdom may hold that red is too energetic for a bedroom, but perhaps it just feels cosy and enveloping to you. Trust yourself, and go with what feels right.
Work wonders with red in the bedroom
Exploring further
Whether all of this talk of colour has you inspired to go out and paint your walls or you’re just curious to learn more, consider trying one of these explorations to deepen your colour awareness:
TELL US
Have you used red in your home? Share your photos with us in teh Comments section.
MORE
10 Reasons to Add Red Dining Chairs to Your Table
Whether all of this talk of colour has you inspired to go out and paint your walls or you’re just curious to learn more, consider trying one of these explorations to deepen your colour awareness:
- Take a walk outdoors (in nature or in your city) with your camera, and snap pictures of all the red things you see
- Browse a gorgeous design store in your area and pay attention to how red is used in the fabrics and furnishings
- Visit a paint store and bring home some red paint swatches
- Go on a colour hunt in an art museum or gallery, searching for works that use red
TELL US
Have you used red in your home? Share your photos with us in teh Comments section.
MORE
10 Reasons to Add Red Dining Chairs to Your Table
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It’s no wonder that red, the colour of fire and blood, is also known as the colour of passion, action and anger. Strong and powerful, red has even been shown in a study to increase the speed and strength of reactions. Clear red (like a ripe tomato) can feel vibrant and energetic, while a deeper red (like oxblood) has a more serious connotation.