Wine reds for every room and every style

From the Resene decorating blog

Deep, sultry reds are everywhere at the moment. More soothing than their tomato red cousins and softer than brick red, it might be tempting to confine these burgundy shades to cosy retreats, but with the right colour matches they can be uplifting and stimulating.

The other great thing about wine reds is that they bring an intrinsic sense of opulence and luxury, which make them a powerful tool in elevating a space without having to spend a lot.

Wine reds, just like red wines, are a lot more versatile in what they pair with than you might think.

A luxury ruby red panelled headboard

The colour saturations of this ruby red panelled headboard in Resene Salsa creates a dramatic and luxurious backdrop to this glamorous bedroom.

The gold lamp works like an expensive piece of jewellery to bring the rest of the colours and textures together. Rear wall painted in Resene Bon Jour, timber floor in Resene Colorwood Natural and bedside table inn Resene Jaguar. Lamp from Freedom, quilt from H&M Home, rug from The Ivy House. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.

A lounge with wine red walls and cream and black floors

The muted tones of the cream and black touches ensure this wine red wall enhances the overall space instead of overwhelming it.

The floor design is painted in Resene Meringue and Resene Black, with artwork in matching colours, while the wall is Resene Savour. Console table in Resene Black, two small vases in Resene Savour and Resene Black and large vase in Resene Savour. Cushions from Adairs, coffee table from David Shaw, sofa from Soren Liv, brass accents from Simon James. Project by Melle van Sambeek, image by Bryce Carleton.

Choose your vintage

Wine reds can in fact refer to quite a large spectrum of colours from deep plum tones like Resene Rustic Red, to garnet-hued Resene Cab Sav to brighter Resene Shiraz.

The range opens up a lot of choice when it comes to what you pair your reds with in terms of other colours.

When it comes to pairing with neutrals, blue-based reds or plum tones often work well with bright or greyed whites like Resene Double Alabaster or Resene Black White. For deep burgundies like Resene Volcano try off-white Resene Quarter Carrara and for brighter wine reds like Resene Hot Chile, try yellowed Resene Spanish White.

If you want to try for dramatic, unexpected colour pairings try Resene Shiraz with bright Resene Tweet yellow, or add depth with a tonal layer of Resene Madam M. For a less intense but still unexpected combination pair a bright wine red with greige Resene Cobblestone.

At the more maroon or purple end of the wine red spectrum, try darks like Resene Cab Sav with mellow Resene Spanish Green or dusky coral pink Resene Cashmere and dusty blue Resene Nepal.

Resene Merlot is another more muted wine red to try, which looks sophisticated and contemporary with tangy yellowed beige Resene Yuma and pinky Resene Pearl Bush.

A romantic and luxurious bedroom

The use of Resene Pohutukawa in this room creates immediate cosiness and luxury, while the Resene Dust Storm circular headboard keeps it fresh.

Floor painted in Resene Double Rice Cake and table in Resene Sakura. Cushions, cover, light and throw from Adairs, artwork from The Warehouse round cushion, from Shut The Front Door. Project by Vanessa Nouwens, image by Melanie Jenkins.

A bedroom with wine red floors and ethereal walls

This wine red floor in Resene Cab Sav anchors the room, showing off the ethereal wall.

Wall painted in Resene Wax Flower with brushstroke effect in Resene Cab Sav and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Scotch Mist, floor in Resene Cab Sav and vases in Resene Wax Flower and Resene Scotch Mist. Table from Good Form, bedding from Foxtrot Home, cushions from Mulberi. Project by Amber Armitage, image from Flash Studios.

Bring the luxe

Using a matte finish paint such as Resene SpaceCote Flat or a low sheen like Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen gives wine reds an almost suede-like finish that enhances their inherently luxurious nature. To really double down on that effect juxtapose your matte wine red with high-shine surfaces like tiles, metallics or trim painted in a gloss enamel finish using Resene Enamacryl or Resene Super Gloss.

It works particularly well in a classic art deco style, with a black and white checkerboard tiled floor for vintage elegance with a soft, inviting touch. Finish the look with a deep gold metallic lamp, a gilded mirror frame, or even a chandelier for added sophistication.

A luxurious lounge with wine red wallpaper

Wine red wallpaper with touches of metallic gold adds modern luxury to this living room. Resene Wallpaper Collection M35490D is an unexpected pairing with royal blue furniture. Try adding decor accents in brighter Resene Shiraz, and calming things down with a Resene Alabaster floor.

In fact wine reds work well with any black and white, or neutral-dominant colour scheme to add pops that burst of drama and interest. It’s a great way to use them if decorating a whole room in rich red seems too much. Add a block of Resene Red Planet against a Resene Linen wall and behind a similarly toned sofa to showcase the furniture, or add a bold velvet wine red chair against an all Resene Parchment room for a touch of theatre and added warmth.

Wine reds work particularly well in cosy retreats like studies, dens or movie rooms. Used on all walls in a smaller room they can make the walls close in a little, but you can offset that with soft lighting that helps the walls recede, or add in plenty of lighter-hued textures such as art, cushions, throws or other decor pieces to give your eye something to latch on to.

Mixing shades of red in this lounge

Ignore the rule that says you shouldn’t mix different reds. Wine red Resene Dynamite painted on the lower wall is given a bold lift with Resene Poppy above. A vase in Resene Moccasin connects the two. Floor pattern painted in Resene Wishing Well and Resene Time After Time, table in Resene Wishing Well, floor vase in Resene Raging Bull and wine box in Resene Colorwood Natural. Project by Gem Adams, image by Wendy Fenwick. Chair from Indie Home Collective, slippers and books from Paper Plane, artwork, bowl, rug and lamp from Father Rabbit, cotton stems, willow branches and throw from Flux Boutique, cushion from Freedom.

Back to earth

To dial down the natural opulence of wine reds in favour of a more easy-going finish. pair dark reds with oaty-coloured natural fibres like sisal, rope, linen and wood washed in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy or Resene Colorwood Shore Thing from the We Speak Beach collection.

If you like simple beachy Hamptons style try using wine reds in place of forest greens and navy, paired with warm whites like Resene Rice Cake and lots of those wood finishes. For a moodier spin on the nautical theme use them as highlights with blue and white.

You might think the richness of wine reds rules them out of back-to-nature interior styles, but try using dark shades like Resene Cab Sav as you might use a charcoal or deep brown accent colour. It works particularly well with neutral greiges like Resene Napa and creamy Resene Anglaise, then fill your space with plants and wool textures for a finish that is pared back but still offers plenty of comfort.

Take it outside

Wine reds like Resene Fahrenheit or Resene Madam M can be really impactful when used on your house exterior. Pair them with brighter whites like Resene Alabaster for a sharp modernist look or softer, creamier neutrals like Resene Pearl Lusta for a more vintage look.

If the whole house is too much of a commitment, these reds are fantastic used as a bright contrast on your front door. Try a door in Resene Jazz against a house colour in green Resene Avocado with trim in Resene Spanish White. Try brighter Resene Hot Chile with Resene Tea and Resene White Pointer. Or try a door in rich Resene Fahrenheit with trim in Resene Bianca against a house colour in deep Resene Oilskin.

And if all you need is a touch of wine red, why not start with a planter refresh using Resene testpots. As you get more confident you can start to splash more wine reds onto other areas of your home.