Tips on Accenting Cranberry-Red Walls

White or Neutral Trim

• A room painted with white walls might have cranberry-red trim as an accent. If your walls are bright red, reverse this and make the trim white, which allows both the wall color and trim to stand out. Incorporating floorboards, crown molding and a chair rail painted in white -- or another neutral color, like beige or cream -- visually breaks up the red expanse of the wall. Paint the ceiling the same neutral color as the trim if the room feels too small with four cranberry-red walls and a red ceiling.

Mirrors

• Decorate the cranberry-red walls of a room with mirrors. Mirrors have a dual purpose in the room. They reflect light to brighten the room. The red of the opposite wall will also be reflected by the mirror, doubling their effect. The frames around the mirrors should be carefully chosen to fit into the bright color of the walls. Ornate gilded frames add a touch of elegance to the room, but you can also use carved frames in dark brown or black for a more subdued appearance.

Back to Nature

• Become inspired by the color palette of a bouquet of red flowers. Green and red are complementary colors and pair well together in flowers and in a room. Use a yellowish-green or spruce green color for the trim, floor covering or for decorative accents in a room with cranberry red walls. Hang pictures of trees or plants, featuring large swatches of green coloring in the image to accent the wall color. To accent the walls even more in the pictures, use images of berry bushes with green leaves and red berries to match the red of the wall. Red flowers and green foliage images can also be used for the walls of the room. The red in the picture ties the picture in with the color of the walls and draws attention to the red of the walls.

Added Richness

• Incorporate gilded accent pieces into the room to give the space a feeling of opulence and to keep the cranberry-red walls from making the room feel too cozy. Golden candelabras, chandeliers, picture frames or even gilded furniture act like miniature mirrors around the room to reflect light and add warmth to the room. Silver accent pieces will cool the tone of the room created by having four cranberry red walls. Opt for silver if you find the space too warm.