Add energy and passion to your interior with bold, striking reds!

If you need to add a dramatic focal point to an interior a burst of red is the perfect choice! 

A bold accent piece of furniture in red will add personality and passion to your space. It's fun, instantly eye catching and a great way to grab attention. From hot, vibrant shades to deep, luxurious reds, it's a colour that excites and stirs our emotions.

In Chinese culture, the colour red is associated with happiness, success and good fortune. Red is the colour used for the 'hongbao' or 'lai see' envelopes presented to children at Chinese New Year for good luck. It has also been used for furniture, particularly the lovely lacquered and painted furniture of Shanxi province, for centuries and will bring an element of luxury, vibrancy and warmth into any home.

Red and gold, as seen on this beautiful lacquered cabinet from Shanxi in our current collection of Chinese antiques, is a combination thought to be particularly lucky. Furniture in China often used gold leaf decoration in a technique known as 'miao jin' to decorate against a red lacquer background, and in this case the butterflies that adorn the doors are also symbolic, representing happiness and long life.

The red and gold sideboard below is a typical style from the Dongbei region of northeast China. Again, a bright red lacquer surface is used as a background for decorative paintings in gold. In this case the paintings include geometric patterns on the frames - customary on sideboards from the area - along with birds and flowers on the doors.

Alternatively, if you are feeling a little nervous about using such a bold hue on a wall or large sideboard or cabinet, you can experiment with red accent pieces instead.  Use rugs, chests and side tables with complimenting lamps and soft furnishings and remember that red is a great accent colour for browns and tans.

  Above: Red Square Trunk, Red Lamp with Gold Cranes, Red Silk Tassel, Red Ceramic Stool

Enjoy incorporating red furniture and accent pieces into your home and the feeling of energy and warmth it will bring. We all need colour and excitement in our lives and red is the perfect infusion for the modern interior.