What Colors Go With Red – 9 Interior Design Ideas

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The color red can be described with so many adjectives: warm, bold, vibrant, energetic, strong, and many more.

It is one color that can always makes a statement, depending on how you use it.

So, if you intend to use red in your interior design, it’s best you know how to use it; you should know the colors that complement it.

Anything besides this might take away all the appeal a red interior design would offer your indoor space.

Now, you might be wondering, “what colors go with red?”

The information in the rest of this article answers this question. This post also offers some interior designs you can create with red.

Colors That Complement Red (Colors That Go With Red)

Generally, red is complementary to green.

But besides green, you might be able to pair most shades of red with shades of blue, white, black, grey, and cream.

Now, let us consider complementary colors for specific shades of red:

Primary red works well with white, green, yellow, tawny, black, and blue.
Reddish-brown goes well with blue, green, purple, dark-brown, and pink.
Cherry-red works with beige, pale-yellow, gray, azure blue, light orange, and sand.
Tomato-red combines with sand, cream, cyan, grey, and mint green.
Raspberry-red works with black, taffy, and white.

Some Guideline for Using Red in Your Interior Décor

In coming up with interior design ideas, never forget that red is dominant.

Hence, it should be combined with minimal amounts of other dominant colors.

Since the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) are the most dominant, yellow and blue should not be your foremost pairing options for red.

You could opt for neutral colors and/or tertiary colors. More times than not, these should express red better than primary and secondary colors.

When opting for a tertiary color, avoid the paler tones because they may clash. Instead, go for the more intense shades.

9 Interior Design Ideas

1. Grey Space With Red Chairs

As you may have deduced from the information above, red works well with all shades of grey.

So, if you have grey walls or your home is predominantly grey, you can introduce a red chair or couch into the mix.

If you need any extra colors, white, black, or silver would be perfect.

2. White, Black, Muted Blue, and in Comes Red

For a space that is mostly a combination of black and white, you can readily insert some red through something like an armchair or a table.

But that is not all you can do in that space.

You can also add muted blue to complement the warmth and intensity of red.

However, the volume of muted blue you use must not exceed that of the red.

One way to insert the muted blue is to introduce something like a rug, a beanie bag, or a duvet.

3. White Background With Scarlet Red and Teal Fittings

A combination of scarlet red and teal in a room with white walls offers a balance of warmth and coolness in a neutral space.

Ultimately, you get some intensity, some coziness, and some clarity.

You can introduce red into your space with some patterned rugs and patterned throw pillows.

Then the teal could come in as armchairs and plain or lightly patterned throw pillows. This space can also tolerate having a houseplant in the mix.

4. White Ceiling, White + Crimson Red Walls, and Many Other Colors

Painting your walls all red might be too intense. Plus, if one day you get bored of that one color, it can seem overwhelming.

But if you wainscot the walls with white paneling, things would be different.

The white of the paneling will soften the crimson red, balancing the overall appeal.

You know what else would go well with the white + red walls?

Multicolored patterns. This can come in the form of colorful wall prints and patterned throw pillows.

You may also choose to get chairs with polychrome prints.

5. White and Yellow With Red

Remember we said yellow is a dominant color, so it should not be your primary pairing with red?

Well, we have an instance in which you can use yellow with red.

If you throw enough white in the mix, the combo of red and yellow will turn out warm and bright.

You may choose to go all out with both dominant colors while ensuring some parity in the volume for each.

Alternatively, you could use more red and white with hints of yellow. The yellow could come in through plain-yellow throw pillows and a flower vase.

6. Red on a White and Brown Template

Red does quite well with various mixes of neutral colors. In this case, you can add a hint of red to your white-and-brown room.

The white and brown combo can come from the flooring, the walls, the ceiling, or a flower vase.

It can also come from the lighting or the window blind. Then you could have a red chair to add that hint of vibrancy.

The overall appearance will be minimalist. But there will be that slight hint of intensity from the red.

7. Red on White With a Hint of Turquoise Blue in the Bathroom

This idea might just have your bathroom looking like that in a beach house.

So, the walls are white, the ceiling is white, and the mirror has a light wooden frame.

But then you accentuate these neutral colors with an all-red cabinet.

To add an extra dimension to this décor, you could add traces of turquoise blue: a small plant container, a foot mat, or even a towel.

8. Red, White, Grey, and Various Blue Shades

This combination makes it possible for you to have multiple colors that remain stylish, simple, and easy on the eye.

White and grey will always go well with red.

So, you could do a white wall with grey flooring. Then bring in the red as a single chair in front of the white wall.

You can use two shades of blue or even three, with the stronger shades having more volume than the paler ones.

So, you could have a Yale-blue wall with a baby-blue shelf in front of it.

If you decide to have a third shade of blue, it could come in as a powder blue vase standing on the baby blue shelf.

red backgroun and a mix of brown and blue

9. Mahogany Red, Teak, and Grey

This combination spells out some degree of seriousness.

It is more suited for places like offices and studies.

Here is how it goes: the floor should be made of teak wood while the walls are dim grey.

Then you introduce a mahogany-red sofa for some boldness and warmth.

The sofa may be solid red or lightly patterned. If there is any pattern, a grey one would be perfect.

You can add some more grey if you so desire. This could come as a grey mat and some grey marble balls.

Adding a small wooden or mahogany-red table to the mix will also help tie it all together.