The return of red

From Habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2019

Rich, deep red is a vintage set to mature

One of the hippest colours of the decade, millennial pink, has bought along a friend – burgundy red. They are a perfect partnering, but needn’t be consigned to the bedroom or she-den. Suddenly, burgundy isn’t old-fashioned any more, appearing on walls and on furnishings. It goes hand-in-glove with the move towards rich, cocooning interiors that make us sigh with the decadence of it all.

Cool red with rice whites or with brooding charcoals to stop it looking too overpowering. Or try it in a related colour scheme with bruised purples for a dramatic look.

Burgundy and pink cry out for floral companions. Background in Resene Double Rice Cake, vase and tealight holder in Resene Sauvignon and A4 drawdown paint swatches, from top left, in Resene Pohutukawa, Resene Sauvignon and Resene Sakura (below left).

Right: Walls in Resene Pohutukawa and Resene Dust Storm (circle), floor in Resene Double Rice Cake, bedside table in Resene Sakura, tealight candle in Resene Sauvignon and vase in Resene Pohutukawa.

A matte finish, such as Resene SpaceCote Flat, adds to the rich depths of a colour like this. If you want to go glossy, a truer cherry red would be best.

Some call it burgundy but in this room (top), Resene Pohutukawa has the mood and look of a mellow vintage wine. A part circle is painted onto the wall in Resene Dust Storm to act as a headboard; like the setting sun, or a rising moon. The combination of wine red and soft pink might be feminine but, in this case, it’s also very sophisticated. A floor in the antique white Resene Double Rice Cake balances the richness of the wall colours. The circular motif of the headboard is echoed in an off-set artwork, the Edison-style light, and velvet cushion.

Left: Desk in Resene Sakura, chair in Resene Sauvignon and pencil pot in Resene Pohutukawa.  Right: Vase in Resene Pohutukawa and tealight holder in Resene Sauvignon.

Colours to use with deep red:

Strong, true red goes casual with a global vibe

Pick a theme and let red dominate the room. Here, the boldness of the colour is balanced by natural textures for an exotic Pasifika look... by way of Morocco.

No longer consigned to feature walls from the 1990s, modern reds can be layered for a dramatic but inviting and cosy look – this room has Resene Dynamite on the lower wall and Resene Poppy on the upper wall.

Blue is used to cool the room with a stencilled floor and side table. A stylish rattan chair adds lightness and simplicity, without sacrificing style and elegance. The lighter accessories such as the cotton stems, cream flowers and cream bowl, as well as a wine box and other wooden accessories, accentuate the natural elements.

With all of these factors combined, this is a perfect look for the casual lifestyle of a bach or any home with an easy flow to the outdoors.

Left: Stencil in Resene Wishing Well and Resene Time After Time, A4 drawdown paint swatches in (from left) Resene Poppy, Resene Moccasin, Resene Wishing Well and Resene Dynamite.  Right: Wall in Resene Dynamite (top) and Resene Poppy (lower), floor in Resene Wishing Well with Resene Time After Time stencil, table in Resene Wishing Well, vases in Resene Moccasin (on shelf) and Resene Raging Bull (on floor), wine box in Resene Colorwood Natural wood stain and bowl in Resene Elderflower.

Other colours to try with bold, new reds:

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