Pagoda, Bonaparte, Scotch Bonnet, Red Coral, Roadster Red, and my favourite, Rapture…all paint colours by Benjamin Moore that define the Allure of red.  Of course, these rich tones require a special base paint, and more than two applications of colour are required.  In fact, up to five, maybe even ten coats need to be applied for true colour depth, but no matter…Wow!

In one on-going project the client has been working up the courage to paint a bookcase red.    While the rest of the large-scale room of golden tones only accents with red, I think the room needs the room-divider bookcase to be a beacon of colour—maybe, pagoda red.  In another on-going project the client has a dining/living room all in warm earth tones.  Surrounding a dark-stained trestle table could be a set of chairs painted a vibrant colour—maybe, “bonaparte”.  In these cases, decorating the room with red is a matter of attitude.  However, decorating a room that is red is a different matter.  It’s about understanding the negative space—everything that isn’t red.  Painting all of the surfaces of a room in any colour establishes that colour as the “neutral” tone in the room.  Looking for visual relief, the eye will be attracted to whatever is not the primary colour.  Even beige can be dramatic in an all red room.  Right now, I’m working on a Chinese-themed room in “red coral”.  The room measures 10’ x 10’ with old pine floors.  The window mouldings are within three inches of the ceiling, so there are no ceiling mouldings.  The walls and ceiling will be “red coral” in a matte finish, so the negative space will be the window view, the art, the furniture, and the pine floor.  During the day, views of the shoreline may be the primary attraction, but after dusk, a span of built-in floor-to-ceiling bookcases painted red coral will be the dramatic focus.  The bookcases will be built in a “U” shape.  At the centre of the bookcase expanse will be a 55” square painting of a red Chinese vase.  Underneath the painting will be the sofa, upholstered in cozy taupe chenille featuring a woven Asian floral of brick red, aqua, and brown.  Across from the sofa will be a Chinese chest of drawers painted a deeper shade of red.  On one side of the chest will sit a matching chair to the sofa and on the other side of the chest will be a Chippendale chair upholstered in a red on taupe toile.  In the centre of the room will be a glass and brass coffee table, offering a splendid view of the red, aqua, and sage Persian rug canvassing the pine floor.  There’s red everywhere in the room, but after the initial wow effect, the contrasting colours establish the visual highlights in the room.  In the end, the blanket red becomes a soothing cozy neutral.