MannerOfStyle: A Fresh Take On Red

Designer Meg Braff used Alan Campbell's "Ferns Uni" on the club chair and Brunschwig and Fils "Les Touches" on the tufted ottoman.

A great way to energize a room is to throw in a punchy color like red. I like the way that designer Meg Braff used red in this Locust Valley family room in the Winter 2010 issue of Renovation Style magazine. Here are a few rules for achieving a similar look:

Clear Color - Meg used a bright, clear red. Reds that are too dirty or drab give me flashbacks of bad 1990's jewel tones!

Proportions and Scale - Furniture proportions and pattern sizes should be considered when selecting upholstery fabric. For example, the large leaf motif lends itself well to the club chair since the chair and the pattern are of a similar scale. Same thing with the ottoman; the ottoman has the smallest amount of upholstery in the room and therefore the little, tight dot print is an ideal choice.

Keep It Light - Red can feel heavy but not in this room since these patterns are broken up with white resulting in a light and crisp look.

Here are some of my favorite smaller scale red and white patterns. For purchase information, email me at mannerofstyle@gmail.com.