Dark red is a powerful and emotive color, capable of reflecting a vast spectrum of moods and intents. And while it is very bold, it's a relatively painless color to work into a home: dark interior palettes seem to provide a sweet spot with just the right amount of room for error and experimentation. This post looks at three homes with very different styles, unified by their red color themes: the first home features stunning industrial decor, the second home focuses on invoking a specific emotional and visual atmosphere, and the third home derives a strong identity from its rich layered textures and eclectic furniture.
Chalkboard paint offers a convenient place to write notes and reminders and, as demonstrated here, a place to display impromptu artwork.
Notice how the floor lamp and the pendant chandelier both feature red cords – sometimes the smallest accents can make all the difference when decorating around a focal point as fabulous as that sideboard.
Low lighting, comfortable wood tones, and a brilliant red sideboard give the formal dining space a far warmer and more passionate personality that stands in contrast to the streamlined living room space.
Tiny hints of red reflect the contrasting warm theme of the dining room.
Open, bright, and spacious. Ample sunlight highlights the blue undertones to the gray decor theme.
This home gains its dramatic aesthetic from the combination and contrast of textures used throughout. The living room emphasizes clean lines and glossy materials like polished steel, softened only by fabrics in cool gray tones. Strong vertical lines draw the eye toward the bold red accent piece in the dining room – a lovely focal point against the creative feature wall. The difference in color temperature between the two rooms creates a sense of visual drama that hooks the viewer right from the first glance.
Here's a few illustrations that deconstruct the layout of the home to make it even easier to see how the entire home is affected by the addition of a single central fireplace, from the main living areas to the mezzanine private spaces upstairs.
Natural light filters in through a long narrow window positioned near the ceiling, its high angle creating dramatic shadows on the textural concrete and wood surfaces.
A pendant light and lantern cast a warm glow in this atmospheric bathroom.
Around the corner, the bedroom has its own private space prepared beneath a gorgeous skylight. The red rug beneath the bed continues the subtle red color theme used throughout the rest of the home.
It also houses a small office that enjoys the same lovely view.
Above the open living room atrium, a convenient balcony level overlooks the atrium below - the perfect spot for getting cozy with a good book!
Let's start with this stylish modern apartment with a strong industrial theme, designed for a young couple with creative modern tastes. The open layout living room features a laidback 'converted warehouse' vibe, enhanced by an eclectic choice of furniture and accessories drawn from a great variety of eras and styles. It doesn't shy away from using strong red accents and accessories – especially to draw attention to the overall industrial theme.
Wrapping into the kitchen and providing a convenient niche for the stove and hood, the designer ensured the fireplace goes beyond connecting the fireplace visually but functionally as well.
A peek around the side of the modern fireplace reveals a concrete dining table extended from the kitchen the area.
Dark red accents add spice and color the smooth concrete surfaces. Red is a color traditionally associated with life and vitality and enhances the reflective home concept in general.
Historically the heart of any Belarusian home, the interior spaces seem to revolve around the central fireplace as a nod to the sustaining role that stoves provided when they were still used for all the home's cooking, heating, and drying.
This stunning atmospheric home was a project to identify, analyze, and reimagine the definition of Belarusian style, drawing on many traditional features and adapting them to an ultra-modern aesthetic. The concrete exterior certainly demonstrates a gorgeous minimalistic style that could be nothing but contemporary but you'll also notice a few traditional Belarus traditions like the shutters and the shalevka (thin wood planking) magnificently transformed to suit today's tastes.
Bamboo and concrete dining pendant lights (by Bentu Design) perfectly tie together the concrete table and the wood-paneled cabinetry.
Lightweight chairs in painted red metal and white balance the heaviness of the table and throw a cheerful spin on the arrangement. Also note the amazing newspaper print backsplash to the left – this would be a fun DIY project to recreate at home with old newspapers and a cut sheet of clear acrylic.
The industrial dining table, perhaps the centerpiece of the room, is an updated take on the iconic workbenches designed by French machinist P. Hure in the late 1800s through 1940s.
With the help of a white folding screen, residents can separate the living and dining areas for a more formal or intimate dining experience.
Check out those awesome light switches to the left! Follow the red cords in the next photos to see how they route so cleanly and attractively from light to light across the ceiling.
An efficient office occupies a compact spot in the corner. Geometric pendant lights illuminate the warm wood paneled alcove, stylishly furnished with the Chair One with four-star base by Konstantin Grcic.
Exposed brick and knotty wood floors play an important role in establishing a warm and welcoming vibe in the main social areas considering the cool tones of the concrete used elsewhere.
Some of the distinctive accessories featured here include typographical prints to the left, a vintage Adnet mirror to the right, and the contemporary and very industrial Dear Ingo chandelier by Ron Gilad.