Not going to comment on the red thing because red is my least favorite color, but can you put pics up of the room? Might help.

Not in my living room, but in my classroom this year, I covered all my bulletin boards in red (and most of my walls are bulletin boards). I'm not normally a huge fan of red, but I really like it. Just a warning though - the red really changed the lighting. The room took on a very rosy glow and since it is in a basement, became much darker. I used to do yellow and the difference was striking. A visiting teacher was aghast at the red walls and said she had heard red walls made the kids hyper. I haven't noticed that (in fact, this is the calmest group I've had).

We have a brick red / terra cotta in our family room.

Sherwin Williams:

Red Bay #6321

Positive Red #6871

Heartthrob #6866

And here's a link to a pin board with red living rooms -- either as the wall color -- or as accessories ..... just for inspiration! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Pinterest -- pin board with red living rooms

I think you will either love it or hate it. I had the master bedroom of our secondary home painted in a beautiful color named watermelon slice. The color was so pretty and I thought it was just what I wanted but wow it was over the top. I actually would feel extremely anxious in the room and couldn't wait to turn the lights out at night. I think I would paint an accent wall first to see if you can live with the vibrancy of the color.

I'm not sure I'd like red with dark brown trim...might be too dark and oppressive. I agree with Holly.....do an accent wall first.

In order to have a red room, you need to known your own self, to be happy when you walk into a room which will make you smile, sing and dance, the room needs to be of the right proportions, the right height, have the right color furnishings, accessories and reminders of happy times and a soft color trim to take off the edge. Bright white is too sharp and bold.

I had Glidden burnt sienna in a great room/DR combination a few years ago and it is not the color shown on their site now, but was more Chinese brownish red, (not reddish brown). I had brown leather, beige leather and a couple Scottish plaid (sienna/beige and blue) chairs, a Persian rug with lots of reds and blues, beige trim and beige ceiling. I did use blue plates in the DR on the walls and in the china cabinet. I used flowers in muted tones depending on the season. I had a blue/white umbrella stand and blue/white garden seat. I placed a big piece of textured silk fabric of olives, browns, blues, oranges, browns and reds across a large canvas hanging over the sofa and used a lot of brass 'stuff' in the room.

So, yes, I had red, I had brown and I had beige and blue, but the ceilings were tall and it was a voluminous room. It was a very eclectic blend and it made me happy as well as most who saw it although the painter thought I had lost my mind and kept offering to return it to its former beige.

Once he saw it finished and decorated, he wanted to bring potential customers to see it. That paint was beautiful. It looked like a baked-on Tuscany color. The room was a happy room.

Well, mine is still in progress--don't have much furniture, but making some decisions: fortunately, two room openings, and lots of windows on the walls you don't see. Decisions made so far are two bergeres upholstered in Quadrille Conga line--a red/magenta leopard kind of print with lots of white.. White silk panels on the windows. Floors are light, and I have an ivory ground with rose Pakistani rug. (The carpet in the picture is just temporary to keep the noise level down.) Walls are a bit of a problem--still can't quite figure out what pictures will work, and how to frame them. Don't want to do some anonymous print thing, but I'll figure it out later. In any case, the room, interestingly, looks more fabulous during the day than at night--I'll need to have more lamps and lighting.

We previously owned a condo that our daughter lived in while attending college. The living room was very large and very red. The picture below has her left over college furniture, is a bit blurry and the red was not as bright as it looks on the left side of the photo. Unless they were lying to us, everyone that saw it loved it. We sold the place a couple years ago but we could see driving past it one night that the new owners kept it red.
I am not sure how good red will look with brown woodwork but maybe you could increase the scope of your project by painting the trim too.

I'm not a 'red' person and I had to live with red carpeting at work for many, many years. It was tough to take. I'd go to the floor above me where they used blue carpet and would physically sigh at the relief in intensity. And that was just a carpet.

I've seen successful dining rooms with white wainscoting done with red walls, but there the color is broken up enough with windows, furniture, and art to keep it from being overwhelming. I'm not so sure you'd have as much relief in a living room.

But then again, it's your house, and you do what makes you happy. If you want it, go for it. Just be sure you talk to the paint store about the base they use....if not dark enough, it can take 6 or 7 coats to get good coverage in red....if you're looking for red, you certainly don't want to end up with pink....

[Traditional Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Bashford & Dale Interior Design

[Eclectic Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2104) by Atlanta Interior Designers & Decorators Christy Dillard Kratzer

[Eclectic Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2104) by Scarsdale Interior Designers & Decorators B Fein Interiors LLC

I'll jump back in with this comment: because my house with the red living room is a second house used infrequently, and will be home base for family gatherings/parties, I felt more free to do something radical. I would not have gone in that direction if I had to live with it 365 days a year.

I love red and think the pictures posted have been truly fabulous. Vedazu, that color looks raspberry on my ipad and is marvelous---please post finished pictures of the room when you are finished! The room Patricia describes sounds like a perfect use of red, and those pictures Annie posted are also wonderful. The combination of red and brown is a sophisticated and comfortable look. The first photo of AnnieD's is a yummy coral that I absolutely COVET.

Anele, my dining room is "still" red, and although I have considered reprinting it coral i can't quite give up the red. And my home office is red also. And IMO those theories on how colors make people feel are pretty ridiculous considering that no two people respond to colors in the same way.

Office:

This is an older Christmas picture of the dining room (set for breakfast) when we still had a brass chandelier. The lights were dimmed so this is as dark as the room got for meals. There is a large Palladian window approx 9' x 9' and in addition to the chandelier there are dimming can lights around the perimeter of the ceiling, so it never has to be too dark. The color is BM Chili Pepper with a glaze.

My red room was more the look and color of Annie's first picture. My sofa was a brown leather tuxedo. I had a rug of similar colors to KSWLs office picture (which is beautiful), very high ceilings and soft beige trim. I did not want the harsh garish look of white against the brownish red and though I liked the ivory white, I felt I needed to lean in toward the beige color. I really still think it was the prettiest room I ever did. I know that red lost its favor with some over the years, but I still love it, and plan to return to red if my husband's health improves.

Annie--WOW! That first pic of the red living room is Fabulous! WOW!

I personally am not a fan of red rooms, but I also really love that first pic Annie posted! Annie, do you happen to know the paint color? Just curious.

According to the Houzz web site, it's BM Moroccan Red. However, it looks quite different in other pictures.
{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: BM best selling red colors

Moroccan red BM looked like Pepto on my walls. I almost stated that here earlier, but was afraid of the backlash but after seeing this picture, it reminds me of what they looked like. That was the pain that I used as a primer and set out to Glidden where I found the burnt siesta which looks like the color in Annie's first picture. Perhaps it was the combination of the primer and the paint but the color in Annie's first picture with the tux sofa was the color I got with one coat of MR/BM and 1-2 coats (one good, one kinda good coat) of the Glidden burnt siesta.

Also, I would like to add that on occasion I have found that my paint does not turn out the color it does on the chart or the sample, and I believe it sometimes has to do with the person mixing the paint. I wish I would be more persistent in forcing a redo until I get the color it should be.

This post was edited by patricia43 on Sun, Apr 13, 14 at 23:14

Tibb, pics might help, or they might give you nightmares.

But before I do, many disclaimers:

-the wall color is horrible
-the bookcases are getting one more shelf to extend them higher; whatever curtains I get (or if I keep the ones you see) are going to be raised (and hemmed so as not to puddle) to be in line with said bookcases, and curtain rods replaced with something heavier. (Would also like to bulk up the curtains and extend them on each side more.)
-carpet is going to stay for a long time due to $, and will probably be replaced with more carpeting (a textured but not berber one) due to the narrowness of the room
-there will be a mirror hanging over the piano once I get the room painted; eventually going to get at least one light there
-I love my coffee table, but am sadly aware that a round or square one would be SO MUCH BETTER in terms of balancing the long, narrow feel of the room
-it is impossible to move the furniture in any other position. This is the absolute best it can be. Very awkward room.

The FP itself (not the decor . . .I have plans for that, though) will stay as-is; I just put whatever I had there since I have so few decorative items (except for the little griffin mantel lamps . . .got those to go with the castle-esque/dungeon feel and I love them, but I'll add little shades to them)

This chair was one of the more expensive items in the room, believe it or not, even though it needs new upholstery. (My friend asked me if I found it in a garbage dump. Sigh.) I loved the lines, the legs . . .the table you see is one of two. They each flank the sunroom,that you can sort of see into in this pic. The bouillotte lamps are going on them. Also, mirrors on each wall.

I absolutely will not paint the trim. As you can see, this is an old house (from the 20s), a wannabe Tudor. The trim is part of the deal. I originally picked brown to work with the FP, which I've hated. Terrible choice!

I do have ugly recessed lighting (contractor put shower-like covers on them . . .ugh), but I only use it when it's sunny outside. The room is dark, so it's my pretend sunlight. When it's raining or nighttime, the dimmers are used or the can lights are off.

Will start another post since this one is getting so long . . .

Daisy, I love that you tried something new in the classroom. When I taught, I always tried to make my classroom like a house . . .hated the institutional lighting so I'd bring in my own table lamps, haha! Yours sounds lovely, and that is fantastic about the calm group.

Homersmom, what a soothing color. And it seems your beautiful dog is enjoying it, too!

Teacats, thank you for the inspiration and names!

Holly-Kay, you're right. That's what scares me. I used to have a red rug that made me feel tense, but I think it's also the fact that the lighting was too harsh in that room. And, the rug had no pattern.

Joanie, yes, oppressive is what I feel like with the brown, but not because it's dark. It's because it's ALL BROWN. (Drives me crazy . . .should have listened to my husband for once, haha.) To me, red + brown is a classic combo . . .I always think dark woods look very rich with red.

Patricia, exactly-- the right combination is key. From my "studies" of red rooms, it seems they have to have many openings/windows or areas in which there is little uncovered wall spaces (bookcases, for example). Or, as suggested, wainscoting or paneling to break up the blocks of red.

As you can see from my pics, I have only 9 ft ceilings, and it's long and narrow (11 X 22, I think, but narrows significantly where the FP is). It's dark, so why fight it? The PO had a light color (yellowish) and it looked so sad next to the dark trim . . .like it was trying hard to be happy but the heavy trim wouldn't let it. I agree that stark white looks bad with red . . .unfortunately, I have stark white blinds that I'd love to change but can't now. Ditto for my slipcovers.

Your room sounds gorgeous. You wouldn't happen to have any pics? I'd love to see. I hope your DH gets well soon. I will keep him and the rest of your family in my thoughts.

Vedazu, the picture you shared and your plans for the room are stunning. I am very excited to see the completed room. And yes, lamps are just so important to making the color work!

Badgergal, what a lovely room. It is quite a testament when people keep the color!

Annie, I agree very much. The room can't have just walls-- must be broken up. You are right, too; some people can't take red. Only one person in my family (well, of the people who can express it) lean more towards blues. But, she is a huge fan of Les Mis (I remember talking to you about her reading the book), so she likes the idea of red/black. Everyone in the family so far has mentioned that it sounds like it will be cozy.

Kswl, I have always admired your red rooms. They are simply gorgeous and inspiring. I am glad to know you have no desire to repaint!

Eroz, your room is beautiful. I agree, it is both sophisticated and warm. Thank you for sharing!

NSM, that looks like pink! Not exactly horrible, but very different. Patricia-- it sounds like this is accurate. Frustrating!

Oh, yes, I can definitely see red in that living room. Just make sure to try it on several walls and lights before committing.
I've always had a red front door but after the first one, which was fire engine red, trying to reduplicate in BM paint, I ended up with an almost lipstick pinkish red (it was ok after a year in the sun), a barn reddish brown (not really red), and now more or less the right one (Heritage Red?).

BTW, Annie's second room is supposedly also Moroccan Red.

Oooh, that red in eroz's LR is beautiful. A calm red, versus a headache inducing red.

Benjamin Moore Dinner Party Red is a very nice red.

Anele, I love your pics and I think that red will be wonderful in your room and with that trim and fireplace. I love red and with I had a place for it in our new home. Too me red is sophisticated! We had our formal dining room and formal powder room both in red. I will still items in red in our new home, but sadly not a painted room of red.

Moroccan red was. THE perfect red in our dining room. Remember, you must get adequate samples. We used a dark charcoal gray primer and just 2 coats of paint. It was a good quality BM paint and covered great. About 6 years ago Moroccan red was the red color that pottery barn showcased in their collaboration with BM. That is how I was introduced to the color. To me it is a "faded" red if that makes sense. Not a bright, at you red.

Please share pictures when you are sampling and finished!!!

Your room is lovely now! I have enjoyed your progress over the year! I love your wood pieces and covet your chair! Although I like the flesh color you have now( my living room use to be a similar color when I had white sofas so that might be why I like it:) ) I think red will make the room a dramatic and unique beauty! here is a fav. living room of mine. It too is narrow with wood trim.

Nosoccermom, I love red doors. So inviting. Glad you found the right one!

Tibbrix, I agree. Lovely! TY for the suggestion.

Mommyto4boys (by the way, I have 5 girls!), thank you so much for your words. I am not so enthusiastic about posting pictures of my home because what I want it to be and the reality of what it is are so far apart. That's the reality of an almost non-existent budget! Thank you, too, for the tips about proper prep. I have the paint (w/o color), so once I pick the actual shade I'll ask the SW people to guide me on what to use as a primer/base coat. I will check out Moroccan Red in person. Maybe it will work with my lighting.

Roarah, you are always so kind. That room is really lovely! The trim is amazing, ditto for the fireplace!

My original plan (well, for awhile) was light walls and red accents. But, I think the floor is what kills it all. If I could just get the HWs refinished (well, maybe replaced), then I would bring in color and pattern via a Persian. I saw one on CL the other day (muted reds . . .so pretty) and was about to get it, but there is just no way (that I can conceive of), to not chop up the room with area rugs.

Thanks again!

I feel like red is something you have to embrace whole-heatedly. There is no need to tone it down by adding white- it looks better with more deep colors. Add patterns through pillows to bring more depth to walls.

A bold red will look great in your room. Remember, red was a pretty traditional color in old homes. You'll just be bringing back some of the old charm.

And keep that trim original!!!

Oh my Anele, seeing your room convinces me that the red will be lovely. Where in the world did you find your lovely tables that the will hold your bouillottes? They are beautiful. I have serious table envy. I think the lamps will look great style wise on your wonderful tables!

Aww, thank you, Holly-Kay! Your words brighten my day!!

Believe it or not, I got the tables in Craigslist, $100 for the pair. The woman was in a hurry to get rid of them due to a move that was happening within the next few days (to a farm, so she didn't think they'd work there). She did not list them as antique/vintage or anything . . .I stumbled upon them when I just entered "tables" as my keyword. I never have or will find anything else like them for that price.

I recently needed another table (got a dark wood sort of tea cart-type table, since I needed more room for kid books), and when my mom saw it, she said it looked cheap in comparison, and I should instead get a third one like the other two. I had to laugh (and cry) about that! The new cart/table was close in price to what I paid for both of the fancy ones, too!

Anele--$100?!!!!! Aren't you a lucky girl! I want!

Oh my heavens Anele, that was the deal of the century. I am so excited to see your lamps on those wonderful tables! Now all you need are the shades.

Selcier, I missed your comment before! Yes, I agree about the trim-- I will never paint it! Good point about red being a traditional color. I also agree re: white, esp. since I don't have white trim. I am thinking my accents would be black and gold-ish.

Vedazu, first and last time I am lucky!

Holly-Kay, have you had any luck with your shades? I have not been able to go shopping in person. Not sure if silk or parchment would work better, but I think the parchment may look more like tole . . .

Anele, I posted re the lamp shades on the other post. The ones I ordered are fabric/silk in black. I agree that the parchment shades would be more like tole. The shades were more than the laps but they fit nicely and even the eggshell color looked great on the lamps. If I still want the more tole-like look I will eventually replace them.