How Best to Use the Color Red in the Home
By Bill Primavera
As a teenager just beginning to form preferences in style and substance, I told anyone who asked to know my favorite color that it was green because it was the color of nature. But that was a lie.
Actually, I was drawn like a magnet to the color red but didn’t want to admit it for some reason. Did it seem too radical or daring for a young man of 16? I can’t say, but given the first opportunity to choose a color for my immediate surroundings – my bedroom – I chose a flaming red.
My mother, who waited until I was in my thirties to finally tell me that she always knew I was “different,” let me have my way. Her liberal permission backfired when she listed that house for sale and every prospect who came by exclaimed “Wow!” when opening my bedroom door. As a realtor now, I know that neutral colors are best when it comes to preparing a house for sale and that flaming red bedroom just may have impeded the sale.
It never occurred to me as a teenager that something deeply psychological might have been going on with me at the time. Perhaps it was a quest for excitement which the color red is said to induce. But that excitement might tend to be on the side of aggravation for some people. Consider that a matador’s cape, which taunts bulls, is always red. On the other hand, consider again that bulls, along with all other cattle, are color blind and the color red has nothing to do with their charge. It is therefore probably most exciting for the bullfight spectators.
There are other famous instances where red has been used for effect. Remember the dress Scarlett O’Hara decked herself out in after the scandal of being caught in Ashley Wilkes’ amorous embrace? What about the walls of every bordello ever depicted in film? The power tie, the power suit for women (think Nancy Reagan), they’re always red, right?
Whether it’s lipstick or brick, the allure of red is undeniable. But as learned by my teenage bedroom, the color – as bold and captivating as it might be – needs to be used carefully. Red isn’t always the best choice for an entire room.
According to environmental psychologist Sally Augustin, “Red can be a useful color to include in a home. People are drawn to red so painting the wall at the end of a long hallway red is a good idea. But it’s not such a desirable color to use in places where thoughtful work will be done.”
Benjamin Moore advisories tell us that “Nothing perks up a room like decorating with red, but many are afraid to introduce this powerful color into their home.” However, there are many creative ways in which you can spice up your décor with red’s ebullient energy without feeling overwhelmed. One way could be to create a focal point or define a space with one red accent wall. Playful touches of red can be applied in unexpected places such as stair risers, the interior of a bookcase or china cabinet or the legs of a table.
When I owned an 18th century home, I painted the floor of one room red and the effect was transforming. Of course, I have always recommended the use of red, preferably Benjamin Moore’s burgundy, for the front door.
Based on research studies by Andrew Elliot, a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, the use of red has distracting effects that reach into the subconscious levels of our minds.
“Their studies showed that when people see something red, even briefly, before they begin some sort of competency evaluation, such as an IQ test, they do not perform as well on the test and actually avoid challenging tasks.”
“On the bright side – and opposite spectrum – Elliot and his team have found that red backgrounds increase the attractiveness and desirability of a person standing in front of it,” said Augustin, which explains the common association of sexual attraction with the color. “So even though your bedroom walls are a pastel blue or green, red sheets may be in order.”
Red sheets? My response to that is while red sheets might induce sexual attraction, for me personally they would hardly accommodate a good night’s sleep.
Bill Primavera, while a publicist and journalist, is also a Realtor® associated with William Raveis Real Estate and Founder of Primavera Public Relations, Inc. (www.PrimaveraPR.com). To engage the services of The Home Guru to market your home for sale, call 914-522-2076.
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