Tag Archives: red

The Colors of Valentine’s Day

13 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’ve written before about red and white as colors in your home. Red at Christmas and white in a blog on how to brighten up winter. For Valentine’s Day, I’m adding pink to red and white … so we now have the three colors of this holiday and how they enhance the feelings of love and romance to our space.

RED – When we think of red, we think of bold feelings. Red is the color of passion and action. It can be maddening, angry and crazy… the term “seeing red” means we are really not in our right mind! That’s why it’s a great color for the holiday. Young love, first love, sexual love; when we feel those thoughts we have red on the brain.  On the other hand, when love is in trouble, red pops up again…  blood lust, jealousy and hate are all red related colors. It’s great to use for dramatic effect in a dining room, powder room or bedroom.  Here are my favorite names of paint colors in the red family taken from Benjamin Moore Paints: Drop Dead Gorgeous. My Valentine. Red Lipstick.  If that doesn’t get your heart beating, what does?

PINK – Ahh, pink, the color of blushing, of sunsets, of innocence. Pink is often overlooked as too sappy, to feminine or too pretty to use in a room. But there are many great shades of this color that work in surprising ways. Try adding pink to your palette and to your accents, especially in plaids and stripes. It’s bright, cheerful and so easy to mix with other colors like blues, browns and black. Here are three awesome pinks from the Benjamin Moore collection:  Unspoken Love. Engagement. Sailors Delight. From a hint of blush to fuchsia, painting a room pink just makes a statement!

WHITE – I guess for most people, there is just plain white. We can easily miss out on all the subtle aspects this color can bring to our world. A harsh white can be glaring and cold. If it’s too soft it can be lost or too tinted with beige can look tired and old. But used properly, white is by far the most interesting color for Valentine’s Day. What says more than a dozen white roses? Perfectly nclassic, white is a statement of timeless love. White is for weddings, for that clean minimal look, for celebrating summer. I love an all white room, like an Art Deco movie set: white piano, white carpet, white lacquer tables! How about these from the Benjamin Moore spectrum? White Down. Alabaster. Milky Way.

Add red, pink and white to your home and celebrate your Valentine’s Day colors, whether you are a couple, single or just a fool for love!

Using Red In Your Holiday Decor

17 Monday Nov 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The color red plays an important part in our lives. Red moves us, it’s dramatic and unforgettable. It’s a celebration, passionate and fun. During December, no color in the spectrum is more on display. Santa’s suit, poinsettas, even Rudoplh’s nose. It’s not the color for everyone and needs to be used sparingly, but this season red can be just the right wow factor you are looking for.

Four ways to incorporate red in your design … if you dare!

holiday photo

Sit down on it – I recently had a few yards of the most intense red silk left over from a project. It wasn’t the kind of fabric you could just leave in the closet. I purchased an architectural mid-century wood framed chair at the local consignment store and recovered the seat with this bold shiny red. Living in front of a window, where the sun dances on it, just one piece like this can suddenly become the focal point. But that’s red for you. It loves the attention.

Express yourself – There must be over 100 different shades of red in the paint store. Even the names jump out at you: Confederate Red, Sultan’s Palace, Chili Pepper. Painting an accent wall in one of these can really make a statement .One of my personal favorites is Benjamin Moore Vermilion. It’s a great hue that works well with khaki tans, cool whites and even lime greens, for that knock you off your feet room.

Eat it up – A punch of color is always appropriate on the dining table and red is the perfect compliment here. Whether it’s a mix and match with your fine bone china or layering colored plates, any table will be exciting with a little red thrown in. For the holidays, I love a crisp white tablecloth with red and green stripe napkins. Red is the color of food and I know my appetite is awakened by names like Raspberry, Rhubarb, Cherry and Tomato. When it comes to table decor, you are only limited by your imagination.

Lean on it – Probably the easiest way to make a change to your room is with pillows. They are easy to find and can be as personal as you like. Here is where red can really do its thing. Add brightly colored throw pillows to your sofa or bed. Mix up patterns and shapes. Plaids are really trending right now. My family Scottish plaid is red and yellow. It’s mellow yet royal and looks stunning against off whites and warm browns. Whether you choose linen or leather, red accent pillows update any decor. And the best part is they can be found for very little money, making it easy to change out seasonally.

So whether you are the ravishing red, salsa red or blushing rose type, add a little intensity to your life this holiday. Embrace your personal shade and let it shine. And tell us in the comments section below, what red gets you going?