Unexpected Red Theory
The book, Red: The History of a Color, tells us, “For the most part, painters have always loved red, from the Paleolithic period to the most contemporary.” If 2024 is anything to go by, the same can be said for designers! It’s only March, but when Taylor Migliazzo Simon broadcast her viral “Unexpected Red” concept in January, the internet quickly deemed it one of the most important color theories ever to hit decorators.
Internet renaissance or not, red has been prominently featured in art and design as long as humans have been around. There are red ochre cave paintings dating back 20,000 years from those early artists in Spain. Later, red pigment was very costly and considered even more precious than Egyptian blue. The Ancient Romans used it to cover their victorious gladiators and paint murals in their luxurious Pompeiin villas. Since then, aesthetes have tried everything from poisonous minerals to bugs to fabricate brilliant red hues. From Chinese lacquer, to the works of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, to window treatments in the Branca for de Gournay Atelier in Paris, there is just no beating it for chic.
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✤ The Dos (& more Dos) ✤ of Red
For our part, red is in Casa Branca’s DNA, and when it comes to anchoring a room with a color story, hues of crimson, vermillion, scarlet, carmine, cerise (we could go on…) might just be at the top of our list.Alessandrais well known for injecting powerful pops of energy into interiors, from accent lampshades to whole rooms swathed in red fabric for high drama. Our Dos and Don’ts for embracing the heat:
✤ Find Your Red ✤
Gallery artworks, the perfect vintage piece, yards of Casa Branca mohair velvet? Come see us at our Casa Branca Atelier & Showroom to find your perfect shade.
The paintings of Lebanese-Italian artist, Gilbert Halaby, are now on view at both our Worth Ave Boutique and Atelier & Showroom.
