A closer look at the viral interior design trend of 2024 – unexpected red!

A closer look at the viral interior design trend of 2024 – unexpected red!

Here at Heugah Interiors we think we’re the luckiest people in the world! That’s because
we get to spend virtually all day, every day looking at pictures of gorgeous homes and
amazing interiors! Whether that’s in the form of new marketing shots from the rug and
accessories brands we stock or scrolling our favourite home accounts on social media,
we can’t get enough of home design. That’s why when an interior design trend went
viral earlier this year – the unexpected red theory – we were right there to see what the
fuss was all about! If you’re new to the concept or you’d love to work unexpected red
into your home, here’s everything you need to know.

What is the ‘unexpected red’ theory?

Unexpected red is an interior design theory that went viral earlier this year on social
media. The Idea is that adding a touch of red to a room – even if red isn’t in the existing
colour scheme – can add a ‘wow factor’ and make the room look more pulled together
and welcoming. The theory was dreamt up by Brooklyn-based designer Taylor
Migliazzo Simon and has since been featured in many design magazines as well as
making a splash on social media.

The theory suggests that adding red to a space, even in small amounts, can create
points of interest, enhance the colour palette and amplify the design. The red can be a
basic accent, like a vase or cushion, or be something more substantial, like a rug, a wall
painted red or a sofa! The theory is strategic and simple, and it integrates some
elements of colour psychology while breaking some of the rules of having set colour
palettes for rooms.

How to add unexpected red to your home

If you’re looking to incorporate the unexpected red theory into one of the rooms in your
home, we’ve gathered some of our top tips (and some red rugs and accessories!) to
help you get started:
1. Start small (and affordable!) If you’re unsure about using bold red in your home,
why not begin with small accents like cushions, a vase, or picture frames? You
can see how it looks and makes you feel without committing to larger pieces and
spending more.

2.Create a focal point…Interior designers are using red to draw attention to a
specific area in a room, like a cosy corner, an accent wall or a piece of art. If you
have an area you love – like a console table, an elegant armchair or statement
window – why not add some unexpected red there?

3. Balance with more neutral shades. If you’re not sure about adding red (it is a bold
colour!) then you can balance it with neutral tones like off white, cream or grey
shades… But we do think it pairs well with a muted powder blue too! Whatever
you choose, the idea is to prevent the red from overwhelming the room.

4. Choose the shade that suits your home. There are so many reds to choose from
– bright cherry red, vivid tomato, muted, earthy red, burgundy that you can select
a shade that complements the room’s existing colour scheme.

5. It’s supposed to be unexpected, so embrace the theory by placing red in unusual
spots. What about painting a windowsill or door frame bright red, placing a
tomato-coloured throw over the back of a chair or popping a red rug under a
console table?

Three red rugs we love this month!

Brink and Campman’s Habitat Festival Dots in Red is an indoor/outdoor rug, which
means you can experiment with the unexpected red theory both in your home and on
the patio!

The Orla Kiely Flower Spot in Pink Red is petite, and the shape adds interest as well as
the colour! We love the idea of using this rug under a cosy armchair to ‘zone’ a living
room into a TV-watching space (where the sofa is) and a reading space (that’s our chair
for reading in, thank you very much!).

GAN Rug’s Kelim Catania ticks the box for two interior trends – a tribal aesthetic and the
unexpected red theory. We love how the cream background and black accents add
balance, which will make it oh-so easy to incorporate into your home!