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A Study in Color: Red

I know it's been awhile since the last post in this series, but I haven't finished all the colors I love yet. So this month I am working in red, and sharing the shades that inspire me.

When I think of a color that inspires beauty, heart, and grace it’s red. Red is not always an easy color to add to one’s décor. It can be bold, daring, and often make a splash that takes center stage.

There is another side of red, however, that I think can make a room cheery while adding a bit of life to a space. For the past couple years I have grown red amaryllis flowers by forcing the bulbs in my house. They are huge scarlet blooms in my neutral interior which highlights their beauty. (You can see a splash of their color in the background of the image below).

I love to add reds to a lot of my work. It’s usually a touch of color, and I use it for a traditional folk art look. Red paint was a popular furniture color as well as it’s use in textiles was common. Red can have a large range of shades and hues, from cherry to brick, each bringing a different mood to my work.

At first glance we might think that red is not very common in nature, but, as you think about it, there is plenty of crimson to be found. We see cardinals in our yards, tulips, roses, carnations, poppies (to name a few in the flower family), berries of all kinds, red dirt, red rocks, and the red glow of a setting sun. So don’t be afraid of that red in your stash. You might find it’s just what the project needed.

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