There’s something unapologetically joyful about red in a room. It’s bold, yes—but also deeply nostalgic, especially when paired with rich wood tones, olive greens, and layers of books and fabric. These rooms feel lived-in, loved, and collected over time. Whether it is a painted bookshelf or a red velvet banquette, the effect is always the same: warmth, personality, and a touch of drama. As Diana Vreeland once said, “Red is the great clarifier—bright and revealing. I can’t imagine becoming bored with red; it would be like becoming bored with the person you love.” The rooms in this roundup channel that same confidence, whether through lacquered walls or paprika-painted cabinetry. Red adds a pulse to a space. It’s alive.
Perhaps the most legendary red interior, Diana Vreeland’s New York apartment, designed by Billy Baldwin in 1957, was a masterclass in monochromatic design. Vreeland described it as “a garden in hell,” featuring red chintz-covered walls, matching upholstery, and an array of red-toned accessories. This space remains a quintessential example of maximalist glamour.
Alice Crawley Notting Hill home
Maximilian Hurd London home via House & Garden. Boz Gagovski photography. On the walls, Farrow & Ball’s ‘Bisque’.
A Hackney family home by Lonika Chande.
A drinks nook in designer Sarah Vanrenen’s home (first image), and a red walk-in bar she created for a client—who had always promised himself he’d have one after seeing a similar design in Sarah’s house.
Other examples of Sarah’s work where red works its magic. Mike Garlic Photography.
“Use red as a punctuation mark, not as a paragraph,” said once designer Mark Hampton.
