August is super into three things right now. Legos, sea creatures like sharks and rays, and the color red. I was in the middle of fixing his room up (bedding, a new desk) when we had to stop work and let electricians take over the second floor. His bedroom has been rewired now, leaving behind a bunch of holes in the wall and ceiling along with a temp light hanging from wires, so once I fix the damage we’ll be ready to continue on.
August has liked red for a while now. When we were choosing his desk, he wanted red. When I painted a clock for Eleanor, he asked for one like it too, but all in red. I picked up a couple of red table lamps for him (the lighting situation is bad with that bare bulb in the ceiling), and he was pretty happy with the color I chose. So any guesses as to what color he wants his walls to be? Yep.
He just turned five. I let Eleanor choose her wall color when she was about the same age, and she went for a bold dark blue that she still loves. I would hope that the same will be true for the color August picks, but red? That’s not the easiest wall color for a bedroom.
Source: Pottery Barn (old catalog image)
The room above has always been a favorite of mine, so I went off in search of other red room inspiration. I’m going to show these to August to make sure this is the look he wants because he’s doing the same thing that E did, down to requesting matching toys all in the same hue. I think he’s pretty sure and I’ll make it work for him if he is, but oof.
On the Walls
It works in a traditional study with large antique portraits. Somehow I don’t think a life-sized wall decal of Boba Fett would have the same effect in a kids’ room.
Source: John Charles
And red as a backdrop to symmetrical groupings of framed art? I can get behind that.
Sources: Our Fifth House, Pottery Barn
In a Home Library
Red is amazing on built-in bookshelves, especially in lacquer. So glossy. So lovely.
Sources: Ruthie Sommers, Ruthie Sommers in Town & Country, Steven Gambrel, Blaine Johnson of JP Interiors in Chicago Home & Garden, Gil Schafer in Architectural Digest
As a Pattern
Broken up as a wallpaper or fabric pattern, the color isn’t overbearing. (Of course I’m a little hesitant to wallpaper my kids’ rooms after the great wallpaper peeling incident of 2013.)
Sources: Hygge & West, Mel Yates, Veranda, Elle Decor, Mike Diamond’s (Beastie Boys) Home
Accents
And then there’s red incorporated in the way I was hoping August would be happy with. Furniture. Bedding. Accents. Not all over the walls. (Please?)
Sources: Martha Stewart, Country Living, Martha Stewart, Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, Sarah Richardson in Country Living
Nursery/Bedroom Built-ins
If August was in Calvin’s room, I’d paint the built-ins red and call it a day. Kind of like nursery inspired by The Grand Budapest Hotel in the Lake Forest Showhouse that I visited last year.
Source: Steve and Filip Design
We’re going to look at all of these, and hopefully it will help me suss out how to finish decorating my little guy’s room. He has some strong opinions and I want him to be happy with his room. But… red! It’s a lot of look.
Source: Still from The Grand Budapest Hotel
