There is no escaping the effects of color since it is all around us. In this series on color, I will review the effect the color of choice has on mood and feeling of a room.  I will start with red as it happens to be the name of my company – REDinterior.com.  (for me the name is an acronym forRebeccaElisabethDesign.)

 blood red, blush, brick, burgundy, carmine, cinnabar,
 crimson, Indian red, maroon, rose, rouge,
ruby, russet,  scarlet, tomato, Venetian red, vermilion

Red is associated with high energy, strength, and romance.  If you want to draw attention to something use red, it is the most powerful color you can use in a room.  Red is a great accent color creating drama and excitement in a space promoting activity and alertness. Too much red however, can overwhelm a space, creating feelings of aggression and impulsiveness.  Red can be both traditional and contemporary depending on its hue.  A warm red leans toward orange while a cold red leans toward purple. So choose the hue (warm or cold) of your red and how much you use wisely in order to create the desired feeling for your space.

What shade of red do you like best?

• burgundy, the color of a fine wine, is a great color to add sophisticated color for a powder room
• carmine is a color that you will find in many Persian rugs and is a great grounding color
• vermilion is a wonderful accent color with a youth flair
• while green is the complimentary color to red it is often associated with Christmas so be cautious using this color combination
• consider toning down red by providing contrast of cool blues and grays
• red and white provide a dramatic combination that must be done right to look good