The Palette’s Power Suit: Energize With Red

Designer Bill Blass once said, “When in doubt, wear red.”

In this case what’s true in fashion is true in design. Red is a color whose impact should not be overlooked. I once owned a stunning red suit that I would pull out of my closet when I had to face a difficult client or an important presentation. “Somebody better look out,” my sons would say. “Mom’s wearing her power suit.”

Red is that kind of color. According to color psychologists, red attracts attention and makes people excited and energetic.

“Red is the ultimate cure for sadness,” Blass said. Doesn’t that sound like reason enough to consider bringing one or more shades of red into your home?

It never hurts to start with your front door, where red makes an inviting but confident statement. If this door could talk, it would say, “I like myself!”

Paint: Heritage Red, Benjamin Moore

When to Paint Your Door Bright Red


Every time I see this room, I want to watch Charade, my favorite movie in the whole world. It pairs Cary Grant (be still, my heart) and Audrey Hepburn. And doesn’t she look fabulous against red? As you will see, the thing about red is that it is as classic and multifaceted as Hepburn herself. There is simply not a design style that red doesn’t work with.


Red’s versatility is easy to see as the color travels comfortably through a wide range of styles, from this contemporary living room with Lucite and leather …


… to this slightly grand, traditional sitting room with silk curtains and fringed pillows …

Paint: Burnt Peanut Red, Benjamin Moore


… to this bohemian great room with its exuberant, unmatched mix of scarlet, ruby and Chinese red. This versatile color brings high style and richness to any space it occupies.


This glossy, contemporary kitchen makes me think “power suit”! It radiates all the elegance and panache of black but irresistibly espouses the energy and vitality of red. Shazam!


In this traditional living room with a hint of country, red simply makes me feel happy. The soft blue wall color is a great choice, because it keeps the red from being too jarring and adds a level of sophistication.


Whereas red is often an energizing color, in this rustic study it makes me feel ensconced and comfortable, because it was used with low-contrast colors like tans and browns. I could easily fall asleep reading a good book in this cozy room.


Red takes rustic and cozy to new heights in this iteration that marries neutral colors and natural elements with formal curtains, crystal droplets and Regency chairs. I could so live in this room!


Have you noticed, by the way, the seemingly endless array of red hues in these featured rooms? From tomato, persimmon and fire engine to cranberry, rose and ruby, the faces of red are legion. And note that they all go with green — without suggesting Christmas.

Cabinet paint: Cerise, Sherwin-Williams


This single touch of red transforms a midcentury living area from ho-hum to “Let me in!”


This custom-mixed brick-toned red lives happily in the kitchen, where color psychologists claim it stimulates the appetite.


Are you in love with red and all of its incomparable potential yet? Whether you started big, with a red accent wall, or small, with a throw over a chair, tell us how the introduction of red has transformed your room.

More: Kitchen Color: 15 Ravishing Red Backsplashes

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