TODAY: HEAR YE, HEAR YE - RED SH*T FOR SALE! (LINKS TO SOME GOODS!); the ONLY CORRECT WAY OF THINKING ABOUT SINGLE-COLOR DÉCOR; historic RED-ifications of CHIAT/DAY OFFICES, VREELAND, SCHNABEL, “NEST” EDITOR, etc.
Dear Snoops,
As the world poo-ifies, in terms of its domestic palette (DISCUSSED HERE), we must ensure two things are set straight:
Generally speaking, SINGLE-COLOR interiors are a true delight; WE SHALL EXAMINE WHY THEY *CAN* WORK and WHY POO-BEIGE IS A (CURRENT) EXCEPTION
Particularly speaking, we shall investigate THE COLOR RED, for the reason that it has the LONGEST WAVELENGTH OF HUMAN-VISIBLE LIGHT i.e. expends the least energy in getting places, which is an approach to existence we currently APPRECIATE
ABOVE: RED book shelving for ALBERTO CARENZA (1969) by Italian resin overlord GAETANO PESCE, whose aesthetic (AS WE SHALL SEE) contains a lot of “MOLTEN RED”, an evocation for us of PRETEND GAME “THE FLOOR IS LAVA”.
1. ENSURING A SINGLE-COLOR DÉCOR IS APPROACHED PROPERLY / WHY IT IS NOT AN “AESTHETIC”
We have DEBATED FULL BEIGE and EVISCERATED the hegemonic nature of singularly “POO”-palette décor. Yet, despite these case studies, the singularity of color is extremely admirable. There are, however, IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:
THE NECESSITY OF EFFORT
SINGLE-COLORDOM is a form of “COLLECTION” DÉCOR. i.e. an accumulation of SAME-CATEGORY stuff. It is, ergo, not PURELY an “AESTHETIC”, it is more akin to “PROJECT” – yet, it is RARELY / NEVER considered as such.
THE IMPLICATION:
What is ultimately dissatisfying about viewing the FULL-BROWN interior is its EASE. The current state of FURNITURE is VERY “BROWN”, i.e. it is the default color for nearly all professionals and professional retailers. And so to assemble BROWN as a single-color décor is in fact to opt for the LEAST THOUGHT, LEAST INTRIGUE, and this is evident to all keen observersTOXICITY OF TREND
Related to this, of course, is the poisonous effect of “TREND” – it robs STUFF of “PERSONAL” expression.
Less fashionable SINGLE-COLOR choices ergo retain their “SOMETHIG TO SAY”-edness.ALL OTHER DÉCOR CONSIDERATIONS APPLY
Where décor diverges from “COLLECTION” is that one must still consider the overall → a collection is a simple sum (as many of a thing as possible, regardless of how the totality of the thing appears); décor is f*cking quantum (many things that then together create a ONE other thing, i.e. a room).
i.e. we are intrigued by, yet shan’t make a pure example of ELIZABETH SWEETHEART, also known as “THE GREEN LADY OF BROOKLYN”. A bold choice, a distinct addiction, yet ultimately verges on “blind consumption”, and cl*ckbait eccentricity.
2. ADMIRABLE “RED”-IFICATION
There are some homes that subtlely yet importantly embrace RED, and we will begin there before: 1) exploring FULL RED; and, 2) identifying EXCEPTIONAL RED RESALES of the moment.
2.1 RED AS "DIVINE SABOTAGE”
The principle here is the INTERVENTION of “RED” as a kind of DE-COMPLETE-TION of what would otherwise be a more “neutral” and one-dimensional décor. RED is highly successful at undoing a sense of TOTALITY in this context, more than alternative colors.
We shall begin with FOR SCALE pals “MADHAPPY” – a Los Angeles clothing brand that has just opened their first FLAGSHIP in WEST HOLLYWOOD. It was designed by very DESERVEDLY-“IT” agency PLAYLAB, INC., who we suggest you GOOGLE. But here you can see red used as let’s say the “MAD” component to the cloud-erie of BLUES as the “HAPPY” component. (N.B. EDITOR’S INTERPRETATION):
In the domestic field, we see here the CRITICAL role of RED in this Sw*ss home, alleviated from a potential life as “BUNKER-LIKE” by none other than RED.
Another such example is CONNECTICUT’s “FOREST HOUSE” (also for you to Google), a favorite of super pal
(who also has an excellent SUBSTACK on design that we know many of you already smartly subscribe to).2.2 RED AS “INFERNO MANISFESTATION” - EXAMPLES FROM HELLSCAPE CITY “NEW YORK” (IN THIS CASE A COMPLIMENT)
THOUGHT EXPERIMENT: imagine the following case studies of red décor in the of-the-moment “BEIGE/POO”, and we believe you’ll quickly understand that not only does color carry with it a certain psychological state but that, in fact, the REDNESS of this (or rather NON-BROWNNESS) helps these rooms to simply be MORE ACCOMPLISHED.
EXHIBIT A:
1995, advertising agency CHIAT/DAY (experimenters in décor! see their former HQ in VENICE. More to Google) and their office décor in NEW YORK CITY by GAETANO PESCE (from the bookcase above). Aesthetic, as mentioned: MOLTEN LAVA / RED MELT:
LESSON: RED IS “HOT” by nature, SO ENTRUST IT TO LIVE AS “MOLTEN” in décor form, as PESCE excels in doing.
EXHIBIT B:
We are likely all familiar with the grand matriarch of PUBLISHING DIVADOM, DIANA VREELAND. And, for someone who had such a professional need to switch aesthetic preferences on a f*cking dime, her personal DÉCOR was one of grand commitment:
Of this décor, VREELAND said she sought for her apartment (in NEW YORK CITY) to look like a garden, to which she quickly adds: “A GARDEN IN HELL!”
As much as we, as a society, are currently OBSESSED with the “serenity” and meditative décor facilitated by white-beige-Kardashian Grey, for example, we ask that you consider that “HELL” is also a potential décor resource.
EXHIBIT C:
The home of painter-etc. JULIAN SCHNABEL, which sat in a discordantly Italian pink “PALAZZO”-vibe highrise in the West Village, circa 1999.
Another example, much like VREELAND, that in the throes of career peaks, when one was feeling on top of the world, HELL was a reference. Plus, the idea(l) of “BUYER APPEAL”/RESALE (perhaps THE MOST TOXIC influence on décor) (MORE ON THAT SOON) had zero appeal because concentration was on THE SELF IN PRESENT MOMENT, and there was a gravitational pull of “RED”.
3. RED AS THING
Some stuff is simple more APPROPRIATELY red. We shall discuss:
Take for example the FOR SCALE FAVORITE SOFA AWARD™ WINNER, the MARALUNGA, and the fact that it has MOVEMENT and that perhaps a sandy-snore upholstery is LESS FITTING given its inherent ENERGY as an object:
WHY?: one might consider the inherent DUALITY OF RED - as highly energized (because of: PSYCHOLOGY) and humanity’s laziest color (because of: PHYSICS, i.e. long wavelength - even tho it moves fast, it does so without a lot of wooshery). This suggests a highly appropriate manifestation of RED would contain these opposing-ish attributes.
The MARALUNGA does so: a MOVING (i.e. “DYNAMIC”) backrest, YET it is SEATING (sitting is laziness).
3.1 UTILITY
Writing about RED in 1983’s “INTERIORS IN COLOR”, Mirko Majetta and Simonetta Spada refer to red as the color of “LIFE,” “PASSION,” “VICE,” “EXCESS",” and “ENERGY”. This, we suggest, is highly literary but not entirely DOMESTIC DÉCOR-y. We suggest that RED, in the homescape, is also strongly UTILITARIAN and INDUSTRIAL, in defiance of its reputation as “PASSION” or the association with those aesthetics and, for example, STEEL.
Evidence:
L-R: BOBBY cart, USM HALLER in “RUBY RED” (how desperate-luxe of a color name!), and TOOL STORAGE (seeking correct verbiage – looking at you, the tool gods of YUNS!)
There is something very URGENT and POWERFUL and FORWARD-DRIVING (what is more “INDUSTRIAL” than that!) about a many-drawered RED STORAGE thing. This type of storage thing is far too often relegated, in domestic décor, to “WOOD” or “WHITE”.
Even in “BLUE COLLAR INDUSTRIAL CONTEXT”, ie. the “TASK” CHAIR, we are given a heightened sense of ACTION with RED, i.e. in de Sede’s 2001 “DS-2100/11”:
3.2 FOR SALE SH*T
As ever, a few outstanding SOURCE SELLERS provide us excruciatingly ideal evidence of the breadth of STUFF which is PEAKS IN “RED”.
We begin in LONDON and the stockroom of the ONLY individual to sell IKEA far better than IKEA itself, BILLY (BILLY.FORSALE). Witness the range of his for-sale collection:
One thing of particular note, that is available currently is the FOLKE chair by MONSTROUSLY-POPULAR-IKEA-SHELF designer NIELS GAMMELGAARD, circa 1975. Here is FOLKE:
WHY?: Another example of the dreamy dynamic-lazy duality of RED, if compared to the Maralunga above also much more affordale. SAME ENERGY!
NEXT! …
LOS ANGELES favorites, whom embarrassingly we are always referencing, FORMAS.
Of these, we highly recommend the DAVID ROWLAND SOF-TECH CHAIR, of which two are available:
Again, much like the FOLKE, there is some sense of TENSION-MOVEMENT (it’s spring-esque; taxonomically, bascially it’s a trampoline) and INHERENTLY LAZY as seating.
NEXT…
We remain confused at why nobody has yet purchased THIS BENCH from DREX, which, given what you now know about the importance of WAVELENGTH to the décor interpretations of RED, should surely compel you:
“Brueton Industries Undulatus Wave Leather Chaise / Bench” by Stanley Jay Friedman, 1980s. DREAMY.
AND…
We would be remiss if we didn’t include some MOLTEN-LAVA GAETANO P., care of New York City’s ODD EYE. Here, a 1995-designed, 2009-made SPAGHETTI VASE care of FISH DESIGN. Lots of names to know there.
We have far from exhausted “RED”. Yet, we’ve exhausted ourselves. If one wants cinematic red immersion, may we suggest:
1972 CRIES AND WHISPERS. INGMAR BERGMAN. DEPRESSING!
Until next time, LOVE AND GOOD LUCK,
I've always given red a wide berth as personally I can't help but associate the color with rosacea and the GOP, but you've made me reconsider! On the subject I recommend this short essay by Will Stephenson on the famous William Eggleston photograph 'Red Ceiling' -- https://oxfordamerican.org/magazine/issue-100-spring-2018/perfectly-boring