Ideas for Black, White & Red Living Rooms

Throws and Pillows

• Sprucing up a strong color combination like red, black and white requires bold thinking. If your colors are mostly in solids, then add a red, black and white tartan throw on the back of a couch or chair. If your couch and chair already have checks or stripes, add pillows and throws that are solid colors. Assess your room and decide if you have too much red, too little or just enough. This will help you decide which colors and patterns of pillows to add. Add gray or dusty natural-color pillows for contrast.

Accessories

• If you just have a few large items that are red in a room, add bits of red throughout the rest of the room to blend the color into the larger room. A few silk roses in a black vase, a small red hanging tapestry or a basic red place mat will blend the red throughout the room without being overwhelming.

Accent Wall

• Paint a short wall, or even just a section of wall, in a dark red color. All red walls would make the room feel very small, but using only a small section of wall in your brightest color will blend the color selections together. Placing white furniture or accessories against a red wall will really make the accessories pop.

Wrought Iron or Black Enamel

• If you need to pull the black together in your room, add items made of wrought iron. Wall sconces, lamps, metal and glass tables, wine decanters, candlesticks, fireplace covers and tools can all be made from wrought iron. Another option to bring out the black accessories is to go with high-gloss black in your picture frames, wall hangings, mirror edging and accessories. Black enamel has a very Oriental feel to it, and you can decorate the room in a Chinese motif by adding enamel and silk screening panels in front of the television or stereo area.

Accent with Gold

• If the red, white and black living room is too stark, accent with gold. Gold complements most colors and will mellow a bold room. A gold rug in the corner, gold on the fireplace surround, gold wall plates and gold bowls can soften your bright room while adding a bit of class. You're not restricted to just gold either. Brass objects, such as lamps, will match your red, white and black decor as well.

Contrast

• Because black and white go with any color, you can get away with adding a fourth accent color to the room. In this case, the color isn't as important as the intensity or strength. Because red is such a strong color, you need to match the intensity of your red with your contrast color. If your red is a jewel tone, go with emerald or sapphire contrast colors. Use a color wheel and pick colors on the same circle and opposite the shade of red that you're matching.