Fiery, vibrant and bold, red is one of the key colours celebrated by Matthew Williamson in his new book – and these carefully curated ideas of his are proof of the versatility of this incredible hue
EASY WIN
With terracotta as a textured neutral base, a rug by Matthew himself, featuring a peacock motif, is handed the spotlight in this room. The piece is a masterclass in contrast: warm yellow, vibrant blue and a highlight of white, combined in one decorative pattern for a show-stopping but entirely accessible approach to using this shade.
POPART
Layering shades that sit close together on the colour wheel – pinks, oranges, peaches – helps a handful of red accents feel right at home in the living room of Matthew’s London home. The simple square red table draws out the deep hue of the painting for a subtle thread that runs through this soothing scheme.
MAX IT OUT
Despite its striking pattern, the red and purple wallpaper of this living room sits firmly in the background while the elegant white of the sofa and artwork takes centre stage. Throwing more colour at red is a maximalist’s approach to toning down the shade, sure – but done carefully, as with the lilac and orange touches here, it’s very effective.
ALL ENCOMPASSING
The all-over red walls in this bedroom demonstrate that red can be warm, cocooning and even cosy – the key is to pick a muted, orange-toned shade and to opt for a textured finish that gives you something other than the colour to look at. Here, that something is a plaster effect that adds depth to the scheme. Red on
