Red paint colors
Top picks for red
6 editor's picksEditor's picks + the named red every designer roundup features. Each card links to a single-color reference or full brand guide.
More red shades
10 variantsDrill into shade variants — modifier-specific bands (light, deep, muted) and named in-between shades each link to their own hub with cross-brand matches.
Red at every US brand
10 brands · 5 picks each5 picks per brand spread across the LRV range, drawn from each brand's full red lineup. Tap any swatch for its single-color spec; tap the brand title for the brand's complete deck.
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Valspar
Sherwin-Williams
PPG / Glidden
Dunn-Edwards
Farrow & Ball
Magnolia Home
Clare
Top Kompozit red
44 in deckKompozit's deck has 44 colors that match the red band. The 5 below are spread across the LRV range — pick a darkness, hit Amazon for the can.
Red in real rooms
4 roomsCurated picks per room with cross-brand matches at every major US brand.
About red
Red is divisive as a wall color, which is exactly why it works so well in the right room — a dining room, a powder room, or a single accent on cabinetry. The family splits into three practical groups: bright reds (crimson, vermilion), deep wine-toned burgundies, and brick reds that lean warmer and earthier.
The picks below cover all three. Use deep reds in rooms with strong evening light — they bloom in incandescent and warm-LED. Bright reds need either ample daylight or balancing white trim. Pale pink-leaning reds live in the Pink family; warm earth-reds drift toward Orange and Brown.
Red paint — frequently asked questions
What rooms work best with red paint?+
Dining rooms (red is known to make food look more appealing and conversation feel warmer), powder rooms (the small footprint contains the saturation), and libraries or studies. Less common but workable: kitchen cabinetry, front doors, accent walls behind a headboard. Avoid red as a primary bedroom or living-room wall color.
Burgundy vs maroon vs wine — what is the difference?+
Burgundy is the deep wine red named after the French wine region — slightly purple-leaning. Maroon is the CSS-canonical dark red, slightly more brown-leaning. Wine sits between them, leaning purple. All three live in LRV 5–15 territory and read near-black in dim light.
How do I pick a red that won't look dated?+
Lean deep and slightly desaturated. The reds that age poorly are the bright primary reds of the 1990s. Burgundy, oxblood, brick, and mid-tone wines all read sophisticated. Avoid pure CSS-canonical bright red (#FF0000) territory; designers haven't spec'd that hue on a wall in twenty years.
What colors pair well with red walls?+
Creamy off-whites, warm beige trim, brass, and dark walnut or oak. Pure white trim against a deep red can read graphic and harsh; cream softens it. For lighter brick reds and corals, sage green and dusty blue work well as accent colors. Avoid pairing red walls with cool gray flooring — the temperature clash is jarring.