HOPKINS ASSOCIATES FOR MEREDITH CORP./Universal Press Syndicate
One way to make a room stand out, according to True Value, is to paint it a deep colour like "Ruby Slippers." Set off with white linens and sheer draperies framing the bed, the effect is romantic.Elaine Markoutsas, Universal Press Syndicate
THINGS ARE heating up in the bedroom. And that's got a lot of people seeing red.
Red is spicing up bedding, walls and furniture in dramatic fashion. This may be a jolt to those who can imagine only soothing hues to lull us into sweet dreams.
When it comes to red, there's no middle ground. Pick up any book on the edgy colour and you'll read how red arouses, energises, empowers. And don't discount the warm and cosy effect that red can have in other rooms of the house as well as the bedroom.
Colour specialist Leatrice Eiseman says people don't just like red -- they love it. Eiseman is executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute, which provides colour specifications for virtually every product made in the US.
But it's not just that red moves us emotionally. In her book, "Colours for Your Every Mood" (Capitol Books, $20), Eiseman writes that red evokes a physiological reaction with "increased frequency of eye blinking and rise in blood pressure, respiration, heartbeat and pulse." Since red is believed to promote passion, the obvious response, she says, could cause a run on red paint for the bedroom.
RED IS HOT IN BEDROOM DESIGN
"But in reality, most people are too timid to paint the bedroom red," Eiseman says. Still, that's not stopping paint manufacturers from suggesting a colour that's hardly shy.
True Value Paint advertises that ruby can create a dramatic backdrop for a Victorian-inspired metal bed dressed with white curtains billowing from a wall bracket above it. The manufacturer points out that such a choice adds mystery and adventure to any room and offers paint tips for working with deep, strong hues.
Because of its warm nature, red especially suits north-facing rooms, adding a glow that candles and soft lighting can only enhance.
Actually, red is a chameleon. The shade you choose makes a big difference, giving a room character that ranges from rustic to exotic. Too bright won't delight -- especially in the bedroom. But a deeper crimson approaching the hue of a merlot is an elegant choice.
Libraries or studies often are painted in rich shades of red, which enhance wood bookcases and make the room toasty and inviting. A rusted red also is appealing, with a degree of familiarity like that of a weathered barn in a country landscape. Raspberry, which has a little more pink in it, is perkier and every bit as sophisticated, especially when set off with white.
ADD JOLTING TOUCHES SUCH AS A CRIMSON BEDSIDE LAMP OR VASE
For some dynamic personalities, red is a replacement for the more safe neutrals. In 1985, the legendary fashion doyen Diana Vreeland, former editor of Vogue, wrote about the colour in her autobiography.
"Red is the great clarifier -- bright, cleansing and revealing," Vreeland wrote. "It makes all other colours look beautiful."
With lipstick red as her signature colour, Vreeland said that she couldn't imagine ever getting bored with it. "It would be like getting bored with the person you love," she said.
There is, of course, a sexiness about red. It's the colour associated with Valentines and such typical love symbols as bouquets of roses, chocolates in red boxes and silky lingerie.
Bringing red into the bedroom may be a simple matter of introducing accessories such as a red vase or a container brimming with red blooms roses, tulips or anemones. A red picture frame or a box to hold jewellery may be a punchy note, but still an accent that is easy to handle.
You might introduce a jolt of red in a bedside lamp. One fetching example from Donghia Studio has an Italian hand-blown translucent glass base striped in red and smoke. Or add a sizzling solid or patterned red shade to a delicate lamp that lights a vanity.
Graduate to the bed, where a claret throw in chenille or velvet will layer in a luxurious touch. Focus on the bedding, where you'll find an array of styles, in solids to patterns including florals, stripes, ginghams and plaids.
Combining solid red with patterned sheets that have red on a white or cream ground is striking, especially when the scale is kicked up a notch.
You might even consider dashes of red in furniture. A walk through most department stores is bound to turn up a red chair, table or even armoire. Donghia Studio shows the impact of a coral red upholstered armchair with upholstered bed to match. Dressed with crisp creamy linens broken up with a white-on-red bedcover and teamed with ebony dressers, the red makes all elements pop.
If you're not sure about investing a bundle in upholstery, try painting furniture. A makeover for Quick and Easy Decorating, a special-interest publication of Better Homes and Gardens, featured a handsome panelled headboard painted in a high-gloss raspberry red.
In fact, the headboard was an ingenious and affordable idea that starts with a US$75 door from Home Depot. Turned on its side, set against a daffodil yellow wall and teamed with a strawberry-printed duvet cover and matching window valance in a yellow ground, it measures wow on the design Richter scale.
"We started with the fabric," says editor Beth Eslinger. "We felt that red would give the design some splash."
Unless you're a true aficionado, a red-on-red look may be overwhelming. Tempering red with another colour makes it more palatable. Just remember that a little red goes a long way.
"In small doses, red is so much more liveable," Eslinger says. "It can be rich, sexy and cosy."
Whether you choose to make red the centre of attention or tap into its fiery nature to add a dash of panache to your bedroom, you may find that a glint of red, like the sun's rays, may be just the tonic for your body and spirit.
SOURCES:
Garnet Hill, www.garnethill.com.
Neiman Marcus By Mail, www.neimanmarcus.com.
Pottery Barn, www.potterybarn.com.
True Value Paint, www.truevalue.com.
Yves Delorme, www.yvesdelorme.com.
