JUNE COLOUR OF THE MONTH: Red     

Why is red our colour of the month?
With the 30th Summer Olympics starting in July, all eyes will be on London. Red is such an iconic colour in Britain – think Royal Guards, telephone booths, double-decker buses, mailboxes, the underground symbol and, of course, the Union Jack.

What’s on-trend about red?
Red has been included in nearly every trend forecast for 2012. It’s a colour of beauty, energy and life, and it’s featured in the British and American flags at a time when flag fashion is on the rise. Red has also been featured in many collections at the recent fashion weeks and it’s been a favourite of many celebs on the red carpet.  

Are you a red person?
A red personality is…

• Confident and passionate
• Energetic and extroverted
• Impulsive and unafraid of taking risks

Which red is right for you?
Red comes in many forms, and it’s important to choose the right shade. As a general rule, orange tones of red are perceived as more fiery and fun-loving, while the bluer shades are more elegant and powerful.

Plascon’s 2012 forecast reds…

• Lobster Red (R5-B1-1) – a bright lipstick red
• Red Red Wine – a deeper vintage red

Is red right for your room?
If you want to give a room a bit of energy, then red is the colour to use. It creates an inviting, uplifting, action-oriented atmosphere, stimulating the senses and representing strength, joy and love. It’s energetic qualities make it a particularly great colour to use in kitchens, dining rooms, hallways and entrances, but it also works well as a feature wall in any room that needs a lift. In Chinese culture, it’s the colour of luck and happiness and is often used on the front door.  

Which colours make it work better?

• GREEN – it’s red’s complementary colour, so you can use it to balance red’s strength or tone it down if a room feels too overpowering.
• WHITES AND OFF-WHITES – their peace and tranquility will off-set red’s energy, creating a fun but well-balanced look.
• PINKS AND PURPLES – when combined with red, these colours create an unexpected but beautiful overall effect.
• METALLICS – use them to give red a more contemporary look.
• WHITE AND BLUE – with all things British being so hot right now, one of the trendiest combinations is red, white and blue.  

Tips on using it in your space…

• Use red in any room where you want to create a lift.
• It doesn’t have to be an entire room – you can paint a feature wall, table legs and a chair.
• Create an unexpected splash of red on the backs of kitchen cupboards (especially if they have glass-paneled doors), in the gaps between kitchen cupboards, or between the working surface and the floor.