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    Eight offbeat red-and-green home interiors that prove opposites attract

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    Interior designers are finding interesting ways to pair red and green – a combination more typically associated with Christmas – to create quirky colour-block interiors. This lookbook brings together recent examples of how it can be done.

    Set on opposite sides of the colour wheel, red and green are inherently compatible, each helping to offset the other.
    Combining two such bright colours in a residential interior can sound daunting, even without their festive affiliation. But a slew of recent projects show that they can have a place in modern interiors.
    Below, we’ve collated eight home interiors that prove this colour combination isn’t just for Santa, combining subdued green tones with warmer hues ranging from pink to crimson.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring clerestory windows, exposed ceiling beams and kitchen skylights.

    Photo by Yannis DrakoulidisTrikoupi Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects
    Colourful built-in furniture pieces define different areas inside this Athens apartment in the wake of a renovation by local studio Point Supreme Architects, which saw many of the home’s partition walls removed to make the interior feel more sunny and spacious.
    Among them is a stained plywood storage wall that runs along one side of the apartment, providing a dramatic contrast with the oxblood-coloured kitchen cabinets and the glossy Ferrari-red island.
    Find out more about Trikoupi Apartment ›
    Photo by José HeviaCasa Milc, Spain, by Lucas y Hernandez Gil
    Spanish studio Lucas y Hernandez Gil aimed to bring personality back to this 19th-century Madrid apartment, which had been renovated one too many times, with the addition of playful shapes and “warm and friendly” colours.
    Painted a pale sage green from floor to ceiling, the kitchen features a crimson dining table from the studio’s own furniture brand Kresta Design that was brought in to mirror the gently curved walls.
    “The kitchen is designed as a play of opposites between materials and shapes,” co-founder Cristina Domínguez Lucas told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Casa Milc ›
    Photo by Joe FletcherRedwood House, USA, by Studio Terpeluk
    Unexpected colour combinations help balance out the timber-heavy interiors of this Albert Lanier-designed house in San Francisco’s Noe Valley, renovated by local firm Studio Terpeluk.
    A baby pink kitchen and minty green storage unit shine against the Douglas fir flooring and red cedar walls, alongside classic furniture pieces including a red-lacquered version of Carl Hansen’s Wishbone Chair.
    “Color was a recurring theme in the exquisite and eclectic art collection of the owners,” studio founder Brett Terpeluk said. “This went perfectly hand in hand with my interest in mid-century Italian design and its bold use of color.”
    Find out more about Redwood House ›
    Photo by José HeviaRelámpago House, Spain, by H3O
    Zigzagging partitions nod to the history of this lightning-struck home, renovated by Spanish studio H3O and painted in pastel primary colours inspired by the “radical, fun and optimistic spirit” of 1970s pop art.
    Even the floors are finished in a pale green resin, providing a counterpoint to the coral pink and butter yellow of the walls.
    Find out more about Relámpago House ›

    Berlin apartment, Germany, by Gisbert Pöppler
    Berlin studio Gisbert Pöppler has renovated an apartment that occupies a glass pavilion on the roof of a 1930s residential building in the city’s Mitte neighbourhood.
    Custom furnishings and fixtures – including mint-coloured cabinetry and cherry red-lacquered wood panelling – were added to help the home fit its owner like a “tailor-made suit”.
    Find out more about this Berlin apartment ›
    Photo by Félix Dol MaillotUnivers Uchronia, France, by Uchronia
    French studio Uchronia, crowned emerging interior designer of the year at the 2023 Dezeen Awards, is known for its fearless use of colour. And the home of founder Julien Sebban is no exception.
    The Parisian apartment was designed as a homage to the 1970s, with reddish-brown walnut burl surfaces, wavy wainscoting and patterned green tiles that match the poured resin floor.
    Find out more about Univers Uchronia ›
    Photo by French + TyeGraphic House, UK, by Office S&M
    This Edwardian terrace home belongs to a couple of graphic designers, whose love for art deco forms and adventurous colours informed the interior scheme by architecture studio Office S&M.
    “In this project, colours and shapes have been used to help define key moments throughout the house and tell a story about the building’s function and history,” Office S&M co-founder Catrina Stewart told Dezeen.
    Find out more about Graphic House ›
    Photo by Taran WilkhuForest Gate House, UK, by PL Studio
    This London townhouse belonging to a couple and their chihuahua puppy brims with shades of green and blue, while details in various pinkish hues bring a sense of overall “warmth and joy” to the palette.
    “We wanted to create a home that reflected our clients’ personalities and joyful spirit, a home filled with positive energy,” design firm PL Studio told Dezeen.
    “They were not afraid of mixing different shades and colour combinations, so we went for bright, bold and fearless.”
    Find out more about Forest Gate House ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring clerestory windows, exposed ceiling beams and kitchen skylights.

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      Ten living spaces that are punctuated by saturated primary colours

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      Our latest lookbook compiles residential living rooms that have been given an air of playfulness through their use of the three primary colours.

      In design, the primary colours are yellow, blue and red. They usually appear in this context as strong cobalt blues, vivid sunshine yellows and intense fire-engine reds.
      This trio of colours is prevalent throughout design history and can be seen in paintings by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian and suspended mobiles by American sculptor Alexander Calder.
      They are often used when designing products for children due to the visually stimulating nature of their bright, dense hues.
      In interior design, they have a similarly invigorating effect, whether applied directly to structural elements such as walls and columns or found in soft furnishings and accessories.

      They primary colours help to bring energy into living areas both when used in isolation and when appearing in tandem with one another.
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring four-poster beds, split-level living areas and colourful bathrooms.
      Photo by Paolo FuscoRetroscena apartment, Italy, by La Macchina Studio
      Vibrant pops of blue, yellow and red are set against a neutral backdrop of white walls and terrazzo stone floors in the living room of this mid-century one-bedroom apartment in Rome.
      The space represents the distilled interior scheme devised by Italian architecture practice La Macchina Studio that characterises the apartment, which is also home to floor-to-ceiling citrus-toned curtains and bright blue doorways.
      Find out more about Retroscena ›
      Photo by José HeviaHouse in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
      A monochromatic red colour scheme dominates both the exterior and interior of this rural house near Barcelona designed by Spanish design studio Arquitectura-G.
      The split-level living space features a rhythm of striking red-painted columns and ceiling-height cupboard doors combined with rosy clay tiles.
      Find out more about House in Sant Antoni de Vilamajor ›
      Photo by Will PryceRed House, UK, by David Kohn Architects
      Red House in Dorset, England, was given its name by David Kohn Architects in reference to its red brick facade, however, splashes of the colour also appear throughout its eclectic interior.
      Primary coloured furnishings – including a blue rug and footstool, red wall hanging and yellow upholstered armchair – are dotted around the living space, offset by white-painted cinderblock walls and warm wooden accents.
      Find out more about Red House ›
      Photo by The Fishy ProjectOut of the Blue, India, by The Act of Quad
      Renovated by Mumbai-based studio The Act of Quad, this apartment in the Indian city of Thane is defined by its consistent use of cobalt blue in an otherwise neutral interior.
      Soothing splashes of the colour appear in pieces of bespoke furniture – including hemispherical and spherical inclusions on light fittings and tables – and line the inside of a wall-mounted drinks cabinet.
      Find out more about Out of the Blue ›
      Photo by Jesper WestblomApartment renovation, Sweden, by Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor
      The full trio of primary colours is used across this apartment in Stockholm by local practice Westblom Krasse Arkitektkontor.
      Blue, yellow and red are seen in both full saturation and muted hues on walls, ceilings, soft furnishings and furniture, creating a colourful yet cohesive interior.
      Find out more about apartment renovation ›
      Photo is by José HeviaApartment renovation, Spain, by Arquitectura-G
      Spanish studio Arquitectura-G used a colour palette governed by shades of yellow in its refurbishment of this apartment in Barcelona.
      The living space contains a sunny yellow modular sofa and matching kitchenette, with the spaces united by a backdrop of small golden wall tiles, a honey-coloured wooden floor and white plasterwork.
      Find out more about this apartment renovation ›
      Photo by Johanna LinkFàng Sōng, Germany, by Crossboundaries
      Beijing-based architecture practice Crossboundaries reconfigured the interior of a houseboat moored in Berlin, which features modular furniture and storage solutions all finished in either red or yellow in reference to the Chinese imperial colours.
      An adaptable living area onboard contains a lemon-yellow sofa that folds away to support a double bed, as well as a cantilevered desk integrated into a wall panel that can be stowed away when not in use.
      Find out more about Fàng Sōng ›
      Photo by Yiannis Hadjiaslanis and Point SupremeIlioupoli Apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme
      Graphic primary-coloured details are scattered around this 56-square-metre subterranean apartment in Athens renovated by local architecture studio Point Supreme.
      The rough concrete walls and ceilings of the small living area are contrasted by red items – including a bench and window panes – as well as a trio of deep blue flags suspended in the entryway.
      Find out more about Ilioupoli Apartment ›
      Photo by Mattias HamrénFunction Walls, Sweden, by Lookofsky Architecture
      This apartment in Stockholm, which was renovated by local studio Lookofsky Architecture, is designed around a multifunctional wall that snakes through the interior.
      In the living area, the zesty yellow structure contains a sofa snuggled inside an extruded frame, accompanied by integrated shelving and matching golden upholstery.
      Find out more about Function Walls ›
      Photo by Prue RuscoePolychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith
      Australian design studio Amber Road worked with colour consultants Lymesmith on this house in suburban Sydney, which is charactertised by its excessive use of colour.
      The aptly named Polychrome House is finished in a kaleidoscopic spectrum of colours, including in its living room where a wall mural of abstract shapes featuring red, blue and yellow is echoed by red and blue seating.
      Find out more about Polychrome House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbook series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring four-poster beds, split-level living areas and colourful bathrooms.

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      Archmongers uses eco-friendly materials in colourful Bakken & Bæck office

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      Materials like cardboard and recycled rubber are paired with softly contrasting colours in the London office of Bakken & Bæck, designed by local architects Archmongers.

      The ambition was to create a distinct identity for the Norwegian tech design agency’s London team, but to achieve this in the most eco-friendly way possible.
      A red conference table contrasts with mint-green wallsArchmongers founders Margaret Bursa and Johan Hybschmann felt the best way to make a bold statement was to develop a playful palette of colours, similar to Bakken & Bæck’s offices in Oslo, Amsterdam and Bonn.
      They selected muted shades of red, yellow and green, creating subtle but memorable colour contrasts.
      Cardboard tubes create a scallop wallpaper effect”The space is flooded with daylight, which helped us choose strong colours to work against the neutral background,” Bursa told Dezeen. “We worked with various combinations until we arrived at the right one.”

      To minimise the carbon footprint of the design, the architects chose some natural and recycled materials.
      Fast-growing Douglas fir provides the frames of glazed partition walls, while recycled rubber was chosen for the flooring. Cardboard tubes were also used, to create an unusual scalloped wallpaper effect.
      Recycled rubber provides an acoustic flooring”We found some cardboard tubes that are used for concrete formwork, but we used them to give parts of the space definition and warmth,” said Bursa.
      The studio occupies two floors of De Beauvoir Block, a workspace community in east London.
      The lower level offers conference and lounge spaces, while the upper level contains an office and three smaller meeting rooms.
      Ceiling beams and surfaces are painted the same colour as the wallsCurtains and colour-blocking help to create definitions between different zones.
      On the lower level, the red conference table stands out against the mint-green walls, while the two lounge spaces are characterised by deep purple tones.

      Kvistad creates tonal workspaces inside Oslo office

      Upstairs, the same shade of red draws attention to the meeting rooms. The effect was achieved using natural wood stains.
      In the office, ceiling beams and surfaces are all painted the same shade as the walls, while a small kitchen features dark fronts and a monochrome terrazzo surface.
      Glazed screen made from red-painted Douglas fir define meeting rooms”We focused our efforts sourcing a materials palette that is sustainable and hardwearing, but also enduringly beautiful,” said Hybschmann.
      The Archmongers duo often use colour to add an extra layer of interest to their projects, with examples including a renovation in the modernist Golden Lane Estate and a tile-clad house extension.
      Here, acoustics were also an important consideration. The rubber floor and textile wall panels help to dampen sound.
      Textile panels improve acoustics in meeting roomsOther details include angled ceiling mirrors, which provide visual connections between spaces, and furniture by designers including Alvar Aalto, Verner Panton, Barber Osgerby, and the Bouroullec brothers.
      “Our design evokes a homely environment rather than a conventional workspace,” added Hybschmann.
      “We were mindful of the need to coax people back from their home offices, through providing attractive, comfortable spaces that encourage collaboration.”
      The office houses the London studio of tech design agency Bakken & BæckBakken & Bæck describes the space as “our shared home-away-from-home”.
      “It plays a huge role in how we socialise,” said the team. “We gather daily for lunch around the bespoke table on the ground floor, use the snug as a place to connect with other BB offices over a game of Mario Kart, and on the first floor we are lucky to have a plant-filled space with a lot of natural light where we get the work done.”
      Photography is by French + Tye.

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      Adam Nathaniel Furman's Nagatachō Apartment is designed to be a “visual feast”

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      A bubblegum-pink kitchen and stripey watermelon-green floor are some of the features inside this Tokyo apartment, which designer Adam Nathaniel Furman has completed in a sugar-sweet colour palette. Described by Adam Nathaniel Furman as a formerly “claustrophobic” space, the Nagatachō Apartment had previously contained several cramped rooms that were arranged around a long, narrow corridor. […] More