11 Quick And Easy Ways To Decorate Your Home With Red

Decorating your home with red isn't always a simple task. It's a bold color that can easily overwhelm a space.

Not ready to dive in all the way?

Try these quick and inexpensive tips to add a pop to see how you like the look.


Red. When it comes to home decor, hands down, it's my favorite color.

There is no substitute.

I'm inexplicably drawn to its bright pop and the drama it adds to a room.

It's deliciously cheerful..and yet, at the same time, it's warm, welcoming and calming. Contrary to what most people think, it's can even be serene. 

It's basically the visual equivalent of dessert.

Update: Speaking of dessert, a number of you have asked about the chicken dishes. They are actually a set of four with different animals.

Very sweet and you can peek at them here...but I digress. 

I'm not exactly sure when the love affair began, I just know that whenever I catch a glimpse, it makes me smile.

However.

I also know that it can be a very bold and sometimes scary move to add it to your home decor. Naturally, I get a lot of questions about how to do this it without going overboard. Or having it look garish or dated.

I get it. Not everyone wants to paint an entire room in a crimson hue.

Nor should they.

How To Add Red To Your Decor

So today, in honor of Valentine's Day, I've rounded up a few easy and inexpensive ways to add red to your home. Small touches that pack a powerful punch without a major commitment. 

Let's start where I started, shall we?

1. ADD A RED WREATH

Well, that's not true, the giant red wall in my kitchen is where I started.

It took five coats and an entire weekend to cover the new sheetrock, a fact my husband reminds me of often, but it was so worth every brush stroke. (Thank you, honey)

It's stunning. But only because it's balanced out by lots of windows and lots of ivory on every other wall.

However, if painting a 12 foot high wall in a deep red tone isn't your jam, a wreath is a great place to start.

I made this one. It was super simple to do, one of the first DIYs I completed in this house way back in 2002. And it still looks just as fabulous today.

Not into the DIY? This pretty one is pretty close.

2. PUT DOWN A RED RUG

If you want a bold accent, but aren't 100% committed to the idea, why not try a red rug, like this one? 

Under a table, under a sofa or under a bed, the scarlet tone will anchor the room and add personality, but since it's way below eye level, and usually partially covered, it's not the first thing that gets noticed. A safe bet.

I've always been a fan of the braided varieties. They come in lots of shapes and sizes and if you find one at a yard sale and it doesn't fit, you can DIY your way there like we did. 

If braided rugs don't float your decorating boat, there are tons of other types of red rugs out there. I'm super smitten with this one. 

Psst- if blue rugs are more your thing, you need to visit my friend KariAnne immediately...

3. HANG SOME RED CURTAINS

Ok, so this one is probably my favorite way to add some red to a room. Window treatments make a dramatic difference in any space. 

Red ones are a game changer.

There are so many choices, florals, checks, panels and valances. From rod pockets to clips, there truly is something for everyone. 

And whether you follow one of my tutorials to make your own or purchase a pair like this, it's a super safe bet, because removing the red requires nothing more than sliding the panels or valances off the rod. 

That's a risk worth taking.

4. TOSS IN A FEW RED PILLOWS

So. If you're just looking for teeny pop, pillows are definitely the way to go. You can pick up a solid red style or something with just a bit.

And you don't even need to buy new pillows. You can just cover your old ones. It's less expensive and they're way easier to store.  

You can layer several, in varying tones and patterns or add just one. It's a great way to test out your red tolerance, if you will. 

5. ADD ONE RED CHAIR OR TWO OR THREE...

Well, it's already clear that I have a weakness for this color, so I couldn't stop at one. But you can. Maybe.

I'm partial to the upholstered look.

My favorite is my skirted kitchen chair. A little ironing DIY transformed this tattered beauty into a showstopper.

It was a nice way to bring some of that red from the wall into the other side of the kitchen.

Totally smitten with the look, I added another one in the living room. I haven't seen anything like either one of these chairs in stores, so if you want one...or two, you can follow the DIYs.

I promise, if I can do it so can you.

Not into all that fluff and frills? You could go with wooden chairs or high back benches. I got mine at Pottery Barn years ago, but this pair is very similar. 

Or you could paint what you have red. Cheap and easy. And it won't take nearly as many coats as my wall. I promise.

6. GET CREATIVE WITH FABRIC

I adore fabric and if you haven't guessed by now, I have a small addiction.


The patterns can instantly warm up a room and define its style. Cottage, farmhouse, modern or traditional.

And it's possible to add it in small doses, besides pillows and drapes, to get that decorative pop.

There are bold, mainly red prints or ones that are just dotted with a bit of the color. 

Adding them to glass cabinets (with my super simple decor hack), skirting a sink or shirring them on shutter doors are a few more stealthy ways to introduce red into a kitchen, family room, bedroom or bath.

7. INTRODUCE A SMALL ACCENT PIECE

Small accent furniture pieces, including tables and shelves are the best way to place some of that red warmth and cozy charm in a room, without committing to a very large, very out there, very expensive, red couch.


I often pick them up at the curb or for a few dollars at yard sales, bring them home and use paint or furniture transfers to make them over.

Sometimes, I even add a little bit of that fabric I love to skirt a table for some additional cottage style flair. It's an inexpensive way to get new custom colored furniture.

And since that kind of find is usually free, and small, if red turns out not to be your cup of tea, you can simply return it to the curb or paint it another color.

8. FRAME SOME ART

Where do you get them?

Some are free online.

You also could purchase one from Etsy or hang up a Paint By Number kit- my latest addiction.

Or heck, make one of your own. Freehand or using an online program like PicMonkey or Canva.

I love this idea since it's a very low cost way to add red, especially if you use a frame you already have on hand.

9. START A COLLECTION

One the best ways to drip a little red into your home decor is by starting a small collection.

It could be plates, picture frames, pitchers, figurines, candlesticks, books or glasses. Whatever makes you smile.

Feature them in a group on a table or fireplace mantel.

Or display them on a bookshelf, in a china hutch or plate rack and they will add color without a major commitment.

10. ADD A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS

This is one of my favorites and it's also, probably, the least expensive way to get some red into your home.

It's also the most temporary.

Pick them up at the grocery store and plop them in a white pitcher or a milk glass vase for contrast and you'll have an elegant accessory in no time.

They'll last about a week, which is more than enough time to decide if their tone is right for you.

11. PAINT JUST ONE WALL

This last idea definitely requires the most commitment, but nothing another coat of paint can't remove.

It's certainly the most dramatic. 


It won't be as dramatic as my 12 foot kitchen wall.

But then again, few things really are.

And that's probably a good thing. 😉

How would you add red?

Happy Decorating!