Every month this year our collage-artist-laureate Mel Kolstad is creating a new assemblage that helps us to celebrate the houses that we’re in. (That’s a house pendant she also created – click on it to go to her etsy.com shop.) An open thread to go with this month’s red-headed muse: Do you use the color red in your house? Where is it working well? Tips for other readers?
Joann Leonard says
The front door, of course! Throw cushions, I’m just making some in Luna Doodad pattern, color, Scorch..sort of a burnt orangey red.
Karen says
I like red, and in my kitchen redo which is soon to happen, I will use a red stencil design on my walls for the back splash and paint another wall red by the stove. I am putting up a big framed poster of a cambell’s soup can on the wall as well. I have a red electric teapot and silicone potholders. I plan on sewing some cloth potholders in red and black. I will be painting my pantry door red, and the backyard door as well. There are six doors/doorways in my kitchen. I really need a grand central station sign in there!
judy h. says
The front door of our brick 1950 raised ranch is painted red. That’s it. I think since I’m not a red lover and red is one of the colors that the worst on me, I just haven’t been able to embrace it in decorating.
Now then, our last home a 1952 ranch had a cool yellow and black tiled bathroom. On a whim, I accessorized that bathroom with cherry red window shade, towels and rugs. I hung vintage bath prints of the wall and put them in skinny cherry red frames.
I remembering agonizing over what to do with that bathroom and red seemed to be the only thing that would work.
bepsf says
I painted the walls of my kitchen RL Rodeo Red 10 years ago – Loved it ever since – so the teapot and a few other kitchen accessories/tools are red.
It’s time to repaint and I’m thinking of BM’s Vermillion…
Oh, and I also have a monumental and fairly rare coral red 1960’s Bitossi lamp in my blue bedroom…
…and the wing chair in the den which is upholstered in a Black Watch plaid has bright red welts!
Kevin says
So, my 1957 Miami International style condo (11th floor–top) in Springfield Illinois has been decked out in browns and turquoise…and yes, RED is a major accent color…rug tiles, pillows, accent pieces etc. I formerly owned a bright red sofa, but have moved on to a more neutral mid-century styled one.
Red is my favorite color actually and it goes SO well with turq/brown combo…at least it does in my opinion.
Amy Moore says
Red is the new neutral! Goes with everything: black, turquoise, yellow, green, orange, hot pink, grey, you name it!
how I use it:
1. Lipstick Red Glossy painted front doors
2. Red, navy, yellow and black Calder prints
3. My fake croc Red Guess purse with jeans & sparkly Dorothy red flip flops
4. Red toenail polish with super shiny overcoat of course
5. Red fleece throw on my black leather sofas
6. Brilliant Marilyn Monroe red with turquoise, everywhere, anytime! Most wake up your eyes combo available. Happy.
7. a favorite Benjamin Moore paint combo with RED:
Million Dollar Red (2003-10)
Old Pickup Blue (2054-50)
Spring Dust (2150-40)
8. ‘Red Rocket’ Crape Myrtles in a row behind my turquoise iridescent every changing glass tiled pool wall
9. Red knobs on my Wolf range
10. Red plastic outdoor IKEA Urban chairs outside! Gorgeous, simple, retro. (really more like a deep orange-can’t get them anymore. So sad.)
11. Shiny red IKEA locker shelf in a kid’s room.
12. Red Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail juice, every day! Addicted to it. Must have.
13. Red raspberries, frozen, with powdered sugar. For dinner.
14. My watercolor still life with RED tomatoes and purple eggplant.
15. Red = fame/reputation in Feng Shui and should be featured in the center rear of your home, relative to the front entry door.
SaraTinkelman says
I’ve been carefully amassing a collection of the now-defunct Descoware enameled cast iron cookware. Made in Belgium during the post-war era through the 1970’s (when it was acquired by Le Creuset), this was the gourmet’s wedding gift par excellence. The most popular color, and my own favorite as well, was called Flame, a rich firey red that never fails to cheer me whenever I stroll through my tiny 1952 kitchen. Beyond the window valence I plan to make, the only decoration my kitchen needs (or has room for) are my Descoware pieces. They fill the room with life and help to compensate for the lilliputian work space I must learn to appreciate. Vibrant, lovely stuff!
Retro Junkie says
I love red. I painted my kitchen lower cabinets a very cherry red and the upper ones white. The counters are white ceramic tile. I have wall paper with both colors, I took the wallpaper with me to the paint store and they matched the paint to the paper. Then the kitchen runs into the dining room and living room which I painted a soft aqua. When I was planning this I would get strange looks from people listening, but now that they have seen it they are amazed at how good it looks! I love it!!!