Ideas for Gray Black Furniture & Red Walls

Gray-black Furniture

• Black furniture and red paint set each other off, creating an environment that can run the gamut from sleek sophistication to antique chic. Black accent tables and shelves act as a backdrop for colorful accent pieces and make their own subtle statement in front of red walls. Black and gray are widely available in metal furnishings, making the palette an option for anything from an office to a dining room. If you’re considering selecting gray main pieces, such as the chairs around a dining table or the couch in a living room set, try furnishings with a cool gray or a gray with a blue undertone in a room with red walls, suggests the Apartment Therapy website.

Red Walls

• If a completely red room sounds like too much for you, add red focal points such as an accent wall, trim or archway. Your red needn’t be a true red. Reds are warmed or cooled through the inclusion of undertones of purple or orange to develop a range of shades -- from maroon and burgundy to brick reds and reddish-oranges. Remember that the amount of natural and artificial light available and the finish on the paint will affect your perception of the color once it’s on the walls. A glossy paint will reflect more light, while a flat may seem darker, deeper and richer.

Add Neutrals

• Neutrals such as white furnishings and trim help increase the brightness in the room, balancing out the darkness of deep reds to keep them from becoming overwhelming. Standing alongside red-painted areas, white walls will make the color pop. Wood flooring and wood furnishings can perform a similar balancing act, warming the space if the color palette leaves your room feeling too cold.

Finishing Touches

• If you feel the space needs a uniting feature, textiles may be that special touch you need to bring the red and gray or black together. You might want to limit your use of texture and pattern in a room that already includes a strong display of color; however, a bold red will look good alongside an equally bold complementary color. Try brilliant yellows, deep greens or blues in artwork and accent pieces to match the visual power of your walls, and bring the red of the walls into other pieces within the room.