Crimson

This shade sits in the darker part of the red family, with enough warmth to read as crimson but enough depth to keep it restrained. On a wall it absorbs a good deal of light, so it looks fuller and moodier than a clear red and can feel almost claret in low light. In a north-facing room the cooler light will draw out its brown undertone and make it feel more sober and enveloping; in south-facing light it will read warmer, redder and more open, though still firmly deep. It sits well beside dark timber, aged brass, oatmeal linens and upholstered pieces in flax, velvet or patterned chintz where a serious background is wanted. In Acrylic Eggshell, Elite Emulsion and True Matt, the colour keeps its depth while changing only in how softly it settles on the surface.

Use Crimson in a dining room, library or snug where you want the walls to hold the room rather than recede. It works well with painted joinery in off-white or blackened woodwork, and with upholstery in tobacco, cream, damson or deep green.