It’s Valentine’s week and I always get caught up in the exuberant romanticism of Cupid’s holiday. What could be better than a day focused on spending time with the ones you love celebrating with delectable food, bubbly champagne and decadent dark chocolate covered strawberries? Typically I gravitate to all things pink…from baby girl pale pink roses and sparkling rose in crystal glasses to deep fuchsia fuzzy cashmere sweaters worn with black pants for a date night out. Red is not a color I tend to use often in my work nor have I had many clients specifically request it; however, I wanted this year to be different. I spent some time perusing some of my favorite inspiration images with ruby accents and found beauty in this bold hue. Here are a few of my favorites incorporating daring color in large splashes and small flashes.

Red chinoiserie bamboo chairs add a pop of color to otherwise neutral rooms. Left Image: Interior Design by Alessandra Branca (one of my color heroes!). Right Image: Pinterest.

A study in contrasts. Some expect that a piece of red furniture in a bright room especially one as large as a sofa will dominate what the eye sees and be too overwhelming. However, the living room on the left designed by Mark D. Sikes still feels light and bright even with the bold crimson sofa. This is also true with the library designed by Mona Ross Berman on the right. The black high gloss painted bookcases tone down the dominant red upholstery and soften the room. Notice how they both use animal print pillows to accessorize? So chic!

I’m always inspired by the work of these three. From left to right: Carolyne Roehm, Sarah Richardson and Alexa Hampton.

What a gorgeous nook! Waking up here with a cup of tea would certainly kickstart my day. Image from House Beautiful.

And lastly, if painting a bedroom crimson or wallpapering a powder room with cardinal colored chinoiserie panels seems too bold, you can easily incorporate the saturated color in a small scale by framing a small piece of Scalamandre’s classic Zebra wallpaper and hanging it like artwork or styling a cherry painted chest with traditional blue and white ginger jars or even black small accessories.

Images from left to right: Pinterest