Surely you have been listening for years that red is considered the hue of aggression, passion, and intensity.

Whether it’s a crimson, ruby, cherry, or apple hue, keeping this in mind, you may not think of this color as the ideal hue to decorate your place.

In fact, it is known as an energizing and powerful color that many people avoid at their home.

But if you are a red lover and you want to bring it to your home decor, you can create a striking, elegant effect when you use it well. 

In this example, I will use a living room as a canvas, but the same principles can be applied to any space in your home.

Take a look at these five designs and get my best five tips to integrate red correctly.

THE CLASSIC COLOR PALETTE # 1

In a traditional color palette of red, white, and blue. Red is incorporated evenly throughout the space, on walls, furniture, and decorative accents, for a balanced look.

Blue and white accents balance the intensity of red on the walls and decor to create a color palette that feels classic and not overly aggressive.

STYLIST TIP: If you opt for red walls, lean toward a classic design scheme with a red, white, and blue color palette.

This will help to give a coherent appearance to space and attenuate the aggressive effect of this color.

THE ACCENTS IN RED # 2

In this design, it is relegated to decorative furniture.

Incorporating bold reds with an accent chair, sofa, or even a rug for a warm pop of color it’s easier than going full steam with red walls.

These dark tone chairs are the perfect contrast to the zebra print rug and gold accents. The room looks exquisite and formal without feeling over the top.

STYLIST TIP: Balance your accents with hints of greenery.

Red is directly in front of the green on the color wheel, so a few splashes of green will help dim these shades.

The green palette attenuates the appearance of red but does not lessen the overall impact.

THE NEUTRAL TAKE # 3

For a modern version, I have chosen to present a faded brick on the walls balanced by black and white decor.

Red walls and accent chairs provide the only color in the room, so the look doesn’t feel too stuffy.

Incorporating black-and-white patterns throughout the room also helps fade the red and provide equally bold focal points in the space, so the walls don’t get out of balance.

STYLIST TIP:  Be considerate of the shades you choose. As you may already know not all reds are alike!

A dark tone will feel more elegant and sophisticated, while a bright one could make your space too shocking or intense.

I love this shade of clay, which feels a bit unexpected and is the perfect backdrop for a neutral decor scheme.

THE SUBTLE POP # 4

If you want to go slow with the color consider incorporating it into the decor.

The rug, curtain trims, pillows, and art all have a touch of red color but skipping the overwhelming part.

This is an excellent approach if you want to bring some of this fiery shade home but in a less annoying way.

STYLIST TIP: You don’t need to go overboard with it to infuse your space with the brilliance and energy of color.

Try adding some pops with multiple accents that will help you enhance and highlight each other without feeling too intense.

THE BOLD APPROACH #5

Without a doubt, the boldest move you can make is to balance red with red.

I choose a sofa in the same shade of the walls, which actually makes the combination feel less aggressive.

STYLIST TIP: Balance the color with neutral accents and natural materials to keep the look from feeling too aggressive.

Jute rug and traditional art are the perfect contrast to all this fiery red.

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