What colors red goes with: 6 most successful options

This bright and self-sufficient color is one of the most complex in the interior palette. It is very important to choose the right proportions, textures on which it will open up, and, of course, companions. In this article, we will look at what colors go best with red, and show how it looks in different interiors.

The best companions for red — in our video

What colors goes with red in the interior

Peculiarities
Best Companions
— Achromats
— Beige
— Blue
— Green
— Orange
— Brown
How to apply in the interior

Peculiarities

In the interior, red is treated with caution. This is understandable: it is quite aggressive, causes various associations (including not the most positive ones — for example, with blood), actively affects both the psyche and physiology. It invigorates, stimulates the brain and causes appetite, it can even speed up the heartbeat. That is why it is necessary to use it in the design of residential spaces carefully and dosed.

The secret of a harmonious red interior is in the right shades and materials. A variety of tones allows you to choose both very bright options and quite calm ones. The interior will look beautiful:

Salmon, Dubbari, Porcelain Rose, Geranium, Chile Orange, Yellow Sienna, Coral — with orange or pink undertones.
Poppy, scarlet, red-hot lava, crimson, carmine, massaca, cinnabar — bright and rich shades.
Indian, raspberry, pomegranate, wine, cut, cardinal, chestnut, terracotta, crushed berries, wild ginger, bossa nova, lingonberry — darker muted tones with a touch of brown or purple.

When working with any bright colors, there is one golden rule: the richer the tone, the less it should be in the palette. So, for example, scarlet or carmine is better to take as accents. It can be a decor, a pattern on textiles or a small piece of furniture. But deep wine or diluted salmon can be used for large furniture (sofa, kitchen set, upholstered bed) or accent wall decoration.

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What colors go with red?

Consider what colors red is best combined in the interior. There are both neutral and more intense options.

Achromats

The achromatic spectrum includes white, black and gray. Most often in the interior they are present together, so it is logical to combine them into one item. The main feature of achromats is coloristic versatility. They are equally well combined with any paints, but at the same time they have a different effect.

White visually enlarges the room, fills it with light and air. Light surfaces seem larger, especially when combined with a glossy texture and good lighting.
Black, on the contrary, visually hides the space, adds a sense of intimacy, but at the same time, in large quantities it can crush. Dark walls will appear lower and shorter, furniture will appear more compact, but at the same time graphic.
Grey — one of the best base colors. Thanks to the variety of options, you can create both a light airy mood and a more serious, elegant one. The tone of gray is selected based on the effect that it should have in space, and other elements of the palette. So, for example, if you combine it with terracotta, it is better to take the same warm nuance. And with an almost purple cutter or cool wine, shades with the appropriate temperature will look good: steel, pigeon’s wing, silver, graphite.

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Beige

Like gray, beige is a versatile base color that can fit into any palette.

It is calm, light, does not irritate the eyes and pacifies, creates a feeling of comfort in the room. It looks great with any tones of red: from coral to dark lingonberry. Beige in this case is best taken as the basis of the palette: for decoration, large furniture, carpets and curtains. But saturated shades are used for accents that will enliven the neutral base — she needs this so that the interior does not look too flat and boring. Beige can be either dense and quite thick (for example, coffee with milk or biscuit), or completely light, almost white (creamy, champagne, powdery). The choice of shade in this case depends on the size and illumination of the room, as well as on the general mood of the palette.

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Blue

Among the more saturated colors, a classic pair is formed with blue. Any of its variations will do: from dark, almost black or purple, to blue.

Blue is combined with scarlet tones according to the principle of contrast: it is fire and water, heat and cold, energy and tranquility. That is why together they give a harmonious and balanced combination. But here it is important not to make a mistake with proportions and hierarchy. If you distribute both shades in equal proportions and with the same level of saturation, they may conflict. It is better to choose one as the main one, and the second will complement it. Or use the 60/30/10 rule: take a neutral tone as a basis (for example, light gray or cream), blue as an additional one, and red as the brightest accent. If you don’t like the blue itself or seem too melancholy, you can replace it with the closest analogues: deep purple, sky blue, aquamarine, fashionable shade of periwinkle.

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Green

Green, although it belongs to the bright part of the palette, in any combination looks harmonious due to its naturalness.

Any combinations with it can be peeped in the surrounding nature: for example, strawberry or strawberry bushes, a pomegranate tree with large fruits, olives and wine, greenery in the garden and only blossoming roses. It is these pictures that should be taken as the basis for the interior palette, inspired by those images that are close to you. At the same time, as in the case of blue, you need to maintain a balance and not “push foreheads” of two active colors. As for shades, light pastel variations (for example, salmon and pistachio, mint and coral) and, conversely, darker deep tones (olive and burgundy, grassy and terracotta, etc.) look good together. In order not to overload the interior with bright colors, it is better to dilute this pair with achromats or light beige. Also, brown will fit into the natural palette, especially through the texture of the tree.

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Orange

One of the popular options for combining Itten’s color wheel is neighboring shades.

So, for example, for scarlet it will be orange. On the one hand, the combination is very bold, as both elements are very bright, energetic and active. On the other hand, if you use these colors as accents and dilute with calmer tones (beige, white, creamy, light gray), you get a very cozy and sunny interior that fills you with vigor and always gives a good mood. And in order not to overload the room with variegation, choose complex, diluted, slightly muted tones of red and orange.

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Brown

These two colors are quite close to each other: some shades of brown have a reddish undertone — and vice versa.

Therefore, together they always look organic. Often they are used in classic interiors, where there is a lot of natural wood of different species and heavy velvety fabrics. Such a space looks solid, reliable, timeless. But this couple has two problems: the interior can turn out to be too gloomy or too “dense”, overloaded. To avoid this, the red-brown combination must be diluted with lighter and more airy colors. It can be pure white, pearl gray, creamy, powdery, ivory, straw.

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How to apply in the interior

In addition to what colors to combine red with, you need to understand how to use it in different rooms.

A few tips:

It is safest to use this bright active tone in non-residential rooms. Especially organic red looks in the interior cuisine: its rich «edible» shades will cause appetite and create the right mood. It is best to use it in furniture (for example, choose a pomegranate or lingonberry set, complement a wooden table with bright chairs, etc.), it can also be textiles or decor. The original version is an ala refrigerator or an apron as an accent.
AT bathroom and in hallway any experiments with color are possible: in these areas we do not spend as much time as in the bedroom or in the hall, so you can safely add colors. For example, choose terracotta or raspberry tiles for the bathroom, make bright facades near the cabinets in the hallway, or paint one accent wall in carmine. The main thing is to provide enough artificial lighting so that complex shades do not get lost and do not seem too gloomy.
AT living room red will create a festive and energetic mood. If you like to gather with family and friends, you can safely add it to the palette. A spectacular and catchy accent will turn out if you choose this color for the sofa. It will immediately attract the eye, but there will not be an overabundance of brightness if such furniture is supplemented with a neutral finish. Another, more modest option is an accent chair, a coffee table, or, for example, a painted radiator.
But in bedroom and in children’s with reddish tones it is worth being careful. Where we relax and sleep, additional stimulation for the psyche is not needed. In the bedroom, the color can be used as a subtle accent or choose a muted dark shade to create an intimate atmosphere. In the nursery, it should be at a minimum, as a local inclusion that enlivens a calmer palette. The psyche of babies is already mobile, so excessive variegation in the room can prevent the child from concentrating on studying and relaxing.