Can you share a sample of the paint color?
My Xdil living/dining/kitchen was in a dark red. I watched our grandson in that place while our son and she were at work all day. By the time they got home I was ready to pull out my hair. Had it not been for our darling grandson and how much I enjoyed watching him, I think I would have.

I don't have a color picked yet, beyond my son's request for red.

Red, so hot and energetic. I don't think it's a good color for a bedroom.

My son picked Ralph Lauren Hunting Coat Red for his room which is also on the small size and only had one north facing window. I was worried that it would be too dark so for contrast we painted all the trim bright white. I was amazed at how sharp it looked.

If you look at the link below you'll see that most of the room use white on the trim.

But the painter did warn me ahead of time that red is one of those colors that does not touch up well. He cautioned us to be careful and not brush up against it or to try and wipe any marks off because it would leave a mark - yep he was right.

We kept the red until DS moved out. By that time it had quite a few marks on it and I wanted to turn it into my sewing room. DD and I spent a long weekend repainting the room - Moon yellow, a very subtle, restful cream.

ralph lauren hunting coat red paint

My son wanted a dark red bedroom when he was in high school and I obliged. His room was roughly 11 x 12, had one large west facing window and French doors facing south into a porch, all with roman shades. When the shades were up on the doors and window, the room was not oppressive but you still needed lights on even with bright sunny days. As a teen, though he rarely had the shades up and it was like a cave in there - just what he wanted! It was a long time ago but I think the color may have been B/M Spanish Red but something in that range - for sure DARK. You do need multiple light sources for a wall color that dark - a bright ceiling light will make the room feel positively dreary and the corners will all be dead and in shadow, so lots of lamps and not the kind with solid shades - you need the light to bounce around. In his later college years when he was so rarely at home I couldn't wait to repaint to Wedgewood Gray - in fact I just looked and his room still comes up in a google search of that color.

Do you have a set of bedding or other soft furnishings in mind? Lots of people suggest choosing the paint color last, since there is so much choice in paint but less in fabrics. Deep red could go well with grey and be quite masculine.

Potrero HIll · More Info

Bedroom · More Info

Lake Retreat · More Info

Lake Butler Custom Home · More Info

Studio NOO Design · More Info

Master bedroom · More Info

Asian Influence · More Info

If this is a DIY project, be sure to talk to your paint dealer. Red is very hard to achieve in a deep color unless you use a tinted primer and they mix it in the proper base...I've seen reds that go very translucent and need many coats to achieve their true color.

My brother's room was painted a bright red, akin to SW Real Red when he was in HS. It was quite the color! His room was not large, and it had a closet, a door and a south facing double window. With the window and all the trim and doors painted white, and white bedding and natural wood floors, bed and dresser it was fun and energetic.

I have no issues with a bedroom being painted a deep rich color, and mine own two HS age sons have rooms in ocean blue and forest green, at their selection.

In your situation, however where your son may only use the room a few more years, and not much wall space will be visible anyway, I might be tempted to get rich red bedding and paint the armoire red too, you said it was going to be painted anyway. I think that might be smashing. I admit I do have a thing for red furniture though, I have always loved the Ikea Red Hemnes wardrobe, and the Pottery Barn's Weathered Red Media Cabinet.

Is the furniture dark or light? Red could work with light furniture but might be too gloomy with dark furniture and dark walls. I would be tempted to do a lighting gray or a tan/ kaki color with red accents in bedding, the painted armoire and art.

Every time I see a post of someone contemplating a red room and they end the question with, "it's only paint, I guess I can always repaint it", I want to cringe. This was our living room before we bought the house and painting over it was a nightmare. I understand he wants red, but painting over is easier said than done and I'd really think twice before giving in. It took several coats of both primer and paint to get rid of it.

He's in college and finally requesting a color. What the heck, go for it. With all the furniture, and the size of the room, you are not going to see much of it anyway.

I was thinking of a barn red.

The trick will be to find the right red.

Thanks, all! I'm thinking barn red too.

Lukkiirish, I hear what you're saying. I have a lot of painting experience, so I realize it may be a few days work to cover a deep red. The fact that it's a small room helps a lot!

DH and I helped paint accent walls in primary colors in our sons' preschool. The green and purple took more coats than the red (green was the worst!)

BM Fox Run in a bedroom

I had a red bedroom when I was a teen! Well, I did at night. During the day, the south & west facing windows made it look more like a deep pinkish purple. Make sure you pick the red with the right undertones for your window direction :)

Your son's a big boy now going off to college. It's a strange time in his life to ask him what color he wants his old bedroom painted. If his favorite color is red, rather than paint the room red (which comes with its own issues), get him a red comforter, red pillows, red wall art, red area rug, etc.. If you paint the room red, I think you should have white bedding and very light colored furniture. Some of the above photos look like the inside of a brothel. You don't want to end up with that look I hope.

Apparently I like the look of brothels! I've never been to one; I didn't realise they usually have red walls.

If he's already at college he'll soon be leaving home for good. Paint it his favorite color mom, it's a small thing to do, and then enjoy every lucky minute you get to still have him at home.

He might get the wrong idea and think you plan on him moving back and sticking around.

I've had a red bedroom in two different homes, about the last 12 years.

Benjamin Moore's Raspberry Truffle mixed in Aura Matte.

If you're going to paint a red wall, I strongly, STRONGLY, suggest you use Aura. Because it will cover in the fewest coats.

I don't understand why people think dark colors are difficult to cover.

I've painted many a dark wall and have never, ever primed first. Because you prime to PREP the wall for the new color, new paint. The purpose of priming is NOT to cover up the old color.

Also, if you're using a top tier grade of paint to paint over the dark color, it should cover it easy peasy.

Some shades of white, pale yellow, light blue are notorious for not covering no matter the grade/brand.

Other than that, no one should be scared of painting over a dark wall. Most of the time it's two coats of a top tier paint and business as usual.

I love Aura - I've used it now in most of the house.

We love the Aura paint too. A beautiful red that we have used is Benjamin Moore's Maple Leaf Red.

This shows an accent wall, but I love the color & how it plays with the lighter colors & the rug. It's hard to find boys rooms that aren't over themed.

I painted a spare room that our grandsons use red. I love it! I did the bottom half red and the top half white, and my husband put up a white chair rail around the line. I have Pottery Barn navy blue furniture. I can't find any good pictures right now, but here are a couple when I was first painting.

Before chair rail

With desk and then dresser.

How about wallpaper instead? I'm thinking this Ralph Lauren Yacare Crocodile Red vinyl wallcovering could be quite sophisticated for a young man's room. If you prime the walls with wallcovering primer first, it would easy to strip when you want a change.