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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Colour Focus - Seeing Red!

Here we are, a few sunsets from Labour Day!!! Summer has been a hive of activity for Housewears, swarming with B's - basements, bathrooms, and bedrooms! Fall promises to be even busier, but fear not, dear readers, we'll just have to take you with us on some of the special projects we're working on! This week, we're focusing on the hottest trend, the ravishing power of red!


Red=Drama. Love, war, heat, courage, patriotism, anger, passion...it's all in there, an emotional entourage in one intense little colour. Historically, when times were tough and economic constraints were prevalent, colour brightened the horizon. Hence, fall's colour forecast is red hot!

Pantone reveals a pink-red hue appropriately named 'American Beauty' as the colour of the season. Fresh, vivid and flattering, this red looks glamourous and adds punch to black, white, and any neutral.

Photo courtesy of Newlyweddiaries.
Analysis of the psychology of colour reveals red is a colour of excitement, ambition, and activity. A red environment invigorates the senses, and the dining room usually comes to mind for this bold hue, as red is said to stimulate the appetite. In Feng Shui, the Chinese believe red is a colour of luck, and a red door implies an entry to happiness. The doors above and below are true bliss!

Shoe designer Bruno Frisoni's office via Domino Magazine. Red is ideal for a high activity space like a home office.

Photo from Metropolitan Home via SimpleNest.
Often, a hit or two of red is enough to evoke huge impact, as in this room with this stunning red chandelier!

Valentino's Collection Fall 2009

Katie Holmes likes accents of red, and I love oversized, but this looks a bit challenging to carry!photo via FabSugar

Eva Longoria looks regal with her red Verdura earrings at the 2009 SAG awards.


Your stylish red investment for this season may be as simple as OPI's rich new Espana nail colour collection. Above is a rich berry red called 'Manicurist of Seville'.

Donna Karan debuts her fierce looks at Fall Fashion Week 2009/2010....be on the lookout for the accents in red- gloves, scarves, bold collars, belts, and tights!

This baroque-inspired ad from Christian Louboutin shows off sexy red platform slingbacks for Fall/Winter 2010. Photo by Peter Lippmann.



In Feng Shui, a room decorated with elements of red symbolizes wealth and luxury, but too much red can create anger and agitation. How can you effectively add the drama of red to your rooms? A little goes a long way, and if you're thinking of paint, keep in mind red is energizing and stimulating, so a red room should be an area of activity, not a space for relaxing. Before you paint an entire room red, consider some alternatives.


Great red wallpaper hung on feature wall, such as Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis wallpaper in Cinnabar Gloss.

Neisha Crosland's Dotted Ovals wallpaper in Raspberry would be stunning in a bathroom!

Add high drama with a piece of red furniture, like this Red Lola table from Arteriors Home.

Reupholster a cozy chair or add some pillows in Chagall cut velvet fabric from Designer Fabrics.

Add these Hermes plates to a plain white table setting....instant drama and luxury!

And now, a collection of rooms with red for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!

Photo courtesy Decorpad. Red is low cost but high impact in this bedroom.

A fabulous colour-blocked red wall is softened by a large grouping of prints - design by Ashley Wittaker, photo via odietamoblog.

Jonathan Adler's Brit room.

Black,white,and red bedroom from Stephen Shubel.

Red bedroom from Domino, May 2008. Love the red frames and red bolsters!!!

This red office by Sarah Richardson looks inviting and ready for business!

A cheery red kitchen by Sarah Richardson. photo courtesy the Globe and Mail.

Romo drapery fabric. Photo by UKTV.

Interior by Jamie Drake.Photo by Joseph De Leo.

Housewears created a neutral room with accents of red and plum for a busy family.

Photo courtesy Desire to Inspire.


Red dining room via Desire to Inspire.

Candice Olsen's design of a basement lounge, in red, gray, brown, black and white, via
Decorpad.

House Beautiful featured this persimmon red foyer. Photo via Sproost.


Photographer James Merrell's home office, via Cococozy.

Room by M Design Interiors via Cococozy.

photo courtesy glitterinared
These glossy red walls magnify the beauty of the chandelier.

Living room via kabmurungraya

Bathroom from Design Sponge.

Add some drama to your life... red shoes, a red bag, a red wall and some red accessories....this fall is about pumping up the excitement in your life with red!
We're hooked on the colour Red! Check out what others are hooked on this Friday here!


5 comments:

  1. Great post about red :-) I really like the red bathroom with the crystal chandelier. I think I would have painted the ceiling red too, for serious drama!!

    The wainscoting in James Merrell's office is beautiful.

    Kelly @ DesignTies

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  2. Jillian, what a gorgeous and thorough post! I am seeing red everywhere this season and I think I just saw red on the cover of Elle was it? Anyway, I knew it was big since it was in all the high-end shops this weekend when I went clothes shopping (looking)! I tried on a sweater in that Pantone pink colour!

    It is so nice to meet another Canadian blogger. There are so few of us. I have been doing it for 3 years and often felt like the only Canadian decor blogger out there. It is wonderful.

    I will add you to my links next time I update (soon) them and will come back to catch up on your posts!!!!!

    So nice to meet you and what an amazing post. xo Terri

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  3. What a great collection of energizing (but not headache-inducing) spaces! You've really showed a wonderful variety of options for using this shade.

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  4. I love red in decorating, more as an accent rather than a dominent colour - although even as an accent, it does tend to dominate! But I still love it.

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  5. Many people would shy away from using red, thinking that it's too strong to use in the interior. But actually, as long as it's balanced, it's actually an amazing color to use in the house.

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