Color Story: Burgundy
Whether you call it cardinal, maroon, brick or bordeaux, burgundy is having a
resurgence across the design world. Here’s why we’re ready for dark red.
Bluer than oxblood and redder than violet, this vintage-inspired shade of dark red is a classic jewel tone. We’re talking about burgundy, named for the unique color of the wine produced in the French region of the same name (though there, they call this color bordeaux, after yet another wine region). It’s a classic color that transcends trends and aesthetics.
We’re seeing plenty of this lush shade cropping up in upholstery, lighting designs and décor finishes. Along with its neighboring colors like maroon, marsala and wine, there is plenty of opportunity to bring burgundy home this season. Here are some of our favorite ways:
Just a Touch
Bold color has its place in many hearts and homes, but if your style is more sedate, cop this look with a single item in your desired shade. A burgundy-esque pendant light is at home among neutral colors, and the slightly desaturated shade doesn’t take too much focus from the rest of the room.
Mix & Match
Another way to bring in a bold shade like burgundy is to mix it with complementary colors. On these upholstered seats, the brighter cushions stand out against the pure white chairs, and having two different colors of fabric makes the room less overloaded with just one shade. Plus, keeping the armchairs in a burgundy red sets them even further apart from the dark green side chairs, which gives our color du jour some authority in the space.
Set on Similarities
Like mixing and matching upholstery colors above, this idea hinges on the sameness of the chair design to create extra interest when different colors appear. It feels like a gathering of natural elements rather than a hodgepodge of mixed tones because all of the furniture in the room shares a lightness of construction (and a complementing light wood tone, too). Plus, the soaped finish on these chairs gives a lustrous matte look that takes some of the in-your-face impact out of a deep red color.
Portable Pigment
If you love burgundy but it’s not a favorite for others in the home, or your overall color scheme isn’t playing nice, bring in a portable—that is, a lamp that plugs in and can be moved around at will. We bet a design like this, with just a hint of burgundy from the matte-finished shade, will be a hit even among color nonbelievers.
Color Up for Company
Say you’d like an even less permanent fixture in your new favorite plummy red shade: Enter home décor. From rugs to teacups and more, home furnishings and accessories offer a quick fix without much commitment, and most designs can easily be squirreled away for storage when your mood changes. Placemats may even only come out when you have guests over, for example, so you can enjoy a burgundy touch without becoming overwhelmed.
Make it Modern
With a deep color like burgundy, it’s important to keep your choices modern lest your home becomes weighed down by such a bold shade. A slim-lined lamp like this IC T1 Low Table Lamp by FLOS has plenty of glass to offset the darkness of the burgundy frame, and the graphic angles on this collection keep the vibe far from traditional.
In our modern world, anything goes—so don’t be afraid to bring in bold color. Consider your options, plan out your approach and get ready to savor a lovely burgundy.
