Timeless and versatile, it’s hardly surprising that burgundy – that rich and deep reddish-brown hue with a touch of purple – is always a favourite when it comes to decorating our interiors, whether painted on the walls, upholstered on our sofas or woven into our rugs. Just call it ‘cabernet-core’.
Complementing a spectrum of other colours, from green to navy and beige – not to mention metallics like gold and silver, as well as soft pinks (an irresistible combination) – it’s a flexible shade that insiders are calling ‘the new neutral’. Inviting and warm, it cosies up our homes, whether in the living room, bedroom or dining room, while adding lashings of luxury and a sense of intimacy. Unlike red, its hotter-blooded cousin, burgundy doesn’t overstimulate the senses, meaning it’s relaxing rather than energising – perfect for cosying things up.
With historical connections to royalty, it evokes wealth and romanticism, too, especially when layered with other colours and textures. But the options, it seems, are endless. Wrap an entire room in burgundy with wall-to-wall colour to create a cocooning effect that envelops you in opulence; add a statement accent in an oxblood armchair for settling down with a good book; or layer with other shades of red for a bold and unapologetic look. Here, we round up 32 hot ways to use burgundy in your home.
32 ideas for using burgundy in your interiors
Make an entrance
Give your door a statement pop of colour and add instant kerb appeal by painting it in a slick coat of burgundy. Sure to brighten up your façade, the versatile colour will complement both period and modern homes, while choosing a glossy finish adds a touch of luxury. Why not go one step further and add stylish hardware – a knocker, letterbox, lock and keyhole – in gorgeous brass? Metallics work beautifully with burgundy and brass accents will act as ‘jewellery’ for your door.
Create a stairway to heaven
Painted staircase? They’re always a good look, so make yours ravishing in rouge by painting the entire thing in burgundy, sure to provide a beautiful welcome home every day. For something less daring, just paint the bannister or spindles, leaving the treads as they are or painted in a neutral, or select a thick burgundy runner to really roll out the red carpet.
Wrap an entire room
Arguably, burgundy is one of those colours that works best when you fully commit, in which case wrapping an entire room is the way to go. We suggest that spaces you want to feel cosy or convivial are where it’s at, from a snug burgundy-painted living room to a social dining room or intimate bedroom, where the colour really dials up the temperature. Those who are colour-confident should really go for it by painting the walls and ceiling in their chosen shade, while those who are slightly more subdued could try the walls or only above the dado rail.
Raise the roof
Adding visual interest, creating a sense of cosiness, making a room feel bigger and showcasing your creativity, a painted ceiling is always a good idea. Pick a space that you want to feel cosy, intimate or convivial and get to work with a dark red hue that adds a focal point above the dining room, bedroom or living room.
Open-plan living? Use a painted ceiling to zone a particular space within your layout, such as the dining area or TV corner, to make the technique work practically as well as aesthetically. Top tip: roller the ceiling white before adding your colour to hide any discolouration and start with a blank canvas.
Get in the zone
There are plenty of clever ways you can zone an open-plan space rather than physical dividers, the best of which is a simple tin of paint, whether used on accent walls or statement ceilings. Pick a single feature wall and go to town with a shade of burgundy that contrasts with colour elsewhere to define a specific area, or use your paint to designate ceilings above different spaces (dining versus relaxing versus working, for example). Remember, you can coordinate burgundy furniture to visually reinforce the zones, too.
Add the jewel in the crown
Despite many people thinking that burgundy will be too dark, the colour works beautifully with other rich tones, whether emerald green or sapphire blue. In fact, the shades can be used to create a jewel box-like look and feel, which is particularly nice for your most glamorous or intimate of spaces – such as a dining room or living room. If you paint the walls in burgundy, pick out other jewel tones in your furniture and textiles, and vice versa. We particularly love moss-green walls offset with ruby-red sofas and teal-coloured accents. Black, perhaps as a coffee table or similar, ties everything together.
Give your woodwork some wow
Just a touch of burgundy can be enough to make big statement – particularly on woodwork like panelling, skirting boards, picture or dado rails, or cornices – to provide clean lines and highlight features. Contrast burgundy trim with neutral colours on the walls and vice versa; or create a tonal match by painting the woodwork in a varying shade of burgundy. Bold and eye-catching, a burgundy cornice that contrasts with, say, a white ceiling, will draw the eye upwards and make a room feel bigger than it is.
Fire it up
Lucky enough to have a fireplace? Make it the star of the show by painting it in luxurious burgundy. Complementing neutral walls beautifully, a burgundy-coloured fireplace certainly makes a statement and brings the drama. There are plenty of ways you can set yours apart, too. Choose a matt, satin or chalk finish for three very different looks; pick out the surround or mantel in a different colour to the main fireplace to highlight architectural details; or paint the wall behind the fireplace in the same shade of burgundy for a colour-drenching effect.
Alternatively, why not paint the fireplace, chimney breast and walls on either side in black, then accessorise with soft furnishings in rich burgundy?
Pair with pink
Part of the same colour family, but at completely different ends of the spectrum, red and pink provide a complementary contrast, while working just as well in both traditional and contemporary schemes. There are endless ways of making this perfect pairing work in your home, but one of our favourites is a predominantly pink room – walls and furniture, for example – mixed in with a few surprising pops of burgundy. A seriously playful but sophisticated look.
Hang with pride
The epitome of quiet luxury, burgundy curtains – either plain or patterned – bring the essence of a boutique hotel to your bedroom. Lean into the colour’s luxurious feel by choosing an equally sumptuous material – plush velvet, for example – or suitably opulent details, like fringes, trims, borders and piping.
For best results, team with neutral colours elsewhere to let your window dressing do the talking, and ensure there’s a generous puddle at the bottom for extra glamour.
Cook up a storm
Painting your kitchen cabinets can be one of the easiest – and most economical – ways of transforming your kitchen without forking out for a new one. Best achieved via professional spray-painting to ensure they withstand everyday wear and tear – although you can hand-paint them yourself, of course – burgundy will really bring them to life. Choose a wipeable satin finish for extra style and complement with statement handles.
Get the gloss
Lean into the luxurious nature of burgundy by choosing a high-gloss or satin finish for the colour. This works best for rooms where glamour is key – your kitchen cabinets or home bar, for example – and can be tempered with an otherwise low-key scheme (like natural wood, classic furniture and neutral colours).
Raise the temperature
Keeping things cool elsewhere in your colour scheme with whites, greys or blues? Don’t be afraid to introduce a shot of vibrant burgundy to inject some much-needed warmth into the space. Not only does it cosy things up, but provides weight that anchors an otherwise light and bright aesthetic, while balancing it with depth and richness. Warm tones work perfectly to ground frosty hues.
Make a feature of it
Because it’s a colour bursting with character, you can use burgundy fairly sparingly and still make an impact, whether it’s an oversized headboard upholstered in burgundy fabric or something as simple as a burgundy rug or side table. Fabric is particularly useful as the soft texture enhances the luxurious nature of the shade.
Mix and match
Stand-alone burgundy is, of course, stylish, but do you want to know how to decorate with colour like an interior designer? Layering the shade in different materials for interesting textures: think upholstered sofa, tiled walls and complementary accessories thrown together in one glorious space. Rather than a mish-mash, the result is surprisingly considered and polished – almost as if you’d had professional help.
Ramp up the red
Can you ever have too much red? We certainly don’t think so. Layering different shades of burgundy in a single room will always look stylish. It’s decadent and dramatic – and certainly not for the faint-hearted. Consider the technique in smaller spaces, such as a home office hallway, or a corner of a living room, to avoid the colour from being overwhelming.
Set the scene
Burgundy in a dining room is always a classic choice, as it looks beautiful against the flicker of candlelight, which sets the scene for romantic dates or celebratory occasions. We love a dining room wrapped in burgundy walls for a cocooning effect, but chairs upholstered in burgundy fabric or a burgundy rug slipped beneath the table work just as well. Team with mahogany furniture to complement the richness of the colour.
Make an impact with your island
Don’t quite have the confidence to paint your kitchen cabinets in dark and dramatic burgundy? Fear not. You can still make a splash with a burgundy island that contrasts with neutral cabinets or a wooden island accessorised with bar stools upholstered in burgundy fabric. The look is eclectic but elegant.
Beautify your bathroom
Bathrooms can often by bland and boring – awash in beige – especially when it comes to new-builds. One easy way of making a splash is with a burgundy vanity unit, topped with a luxe material such as marble and finished with brass hardware, or perhaps something sleek and glossy for a more contemporary look.
Play match-maker
Looking for a match made in interior heaven? Burgundy and blue. They pair beautifully, particularly if they share the same tone – dark on dark, for example – to create cosy, dramatic spaces. Add them as accents in a neutral scheme against a backdrop of white or cream; go dominant with one and make the other recessive; or bring in variants – blush or baby pink – to soften the combination.
Let there be light
As burgundy is usually dark, consider using the colour near natural light sources like windows, doors or skylights to keep things bright and beautiful. This will ensure the colour doesn’t overwhelm the space while keeping everything warm and cosy. It’s particularly important to think about this in north-facing rooms, where light is limited, to stop spaces from feeling darker or smaller than they are.
Give a warm welcome
To ensure burgundy adds warmth, choose iterations with toasty undertones that make your space feel cosy and welcoming despite being a dark colour. As a rule of thumb, warm burgundies will have hints of red, brown or orange, while cooler versions will lean more towards plum, violet or blue. Think oxblood, red wine and brick and look for descriptions such as ‘earthy’ and ‘rich’ when it comes to buying paint. Comparing samples side by side in different lighting – day versus night, for example – will help paint a clearer picture.
Get your light just right
Bright out the warmth in even the darkest burgundy with soft, warm lighting throughout your space. Think table lamps, pendants and floor lamps that provide different heights and angles while creating a diffusion of light that gives the colour a glow-up. When choosing your bulbs, remember to find ones that are warm in temperature, as these can make all the difference.
Bounce ideas around
With any dark colour, especially a shade as rich and decadent as burgundy, adding mirrors will bounce light around and ensure things are kept warm and inviting. It doesn’t just have to be in wall-mounted mirrors, either; furniture with reflective surfaces, accessories with shiny finishes or even wall paint with a soft sheen can all lighten and brighten.
Give all the feels
To bring out burgundy’s cosy side, think about soft and sensory textures like velvet furniture, woollen throws and sheepskin rugs, all of which work particularly well in spaces for hunkering down such as the living room or bedroom. The aim is to create a tactile space that amplifies the warmth of the colour.
Bring on the bathtub
A painted roll-top bath can be a brilliant way of adding colour in an otherwise neutral bathroom, while you can snap up an acrylic design for much less than copper or tin that will look just as stylish once it’s been given a lick of paint. Just make sure you buy the right paint for your preferred burgundy, which is exterior egg-shell, as this works well in wet or humid spaces.
Power up your shower
If you prefer to keep your bathroom neutral but still want a splash of colour, then tiling your shower is a good way to go. Burgundy-coloured tiles will add richness and depth, especially when used sparingly and contrasted against white or beige walls elsewhere, and can add even further interest when experimenting with pattern, shape, finish or size.
Lay the table
Hosting your next big soirée? Consider a burgundy scheme to create a warm and intimate atmosphere that immediately welcomes guests with open arms. Think dark-red tablecloths and matching napkins layered with similarly-coloured crockery or glassware, or perhaps simple burgundy tapered candles that bring the drama. Remember: red isn’t exclusive to Christmas or Valentine’s, so experiment with the hue outside of the holidays.
Go hell for leather (and marble)
Lean into the ‘unexpected red’ theory – where a pop of colour can make a space feel immediately more expensive – by warming up a room with equally luxurious materials such as leather or marble. Whether a leather sofa and matching footstool or a marble-topped vanity unit or kitchen counter, opulent finishes in dark red just whisper quiet luxury.
Take it outside
Using burgundy in the garden is just as brilliant for adding warmth as it is in the home. The same principles apply, whether in outdoor seating upholstered in burgundy fabric with matching cushions or an oversized patterned rug with dark red details that anchor the area, together with a central fire pit that brings it all together. Why not go one step further and choose burgundy-coloured flowers – roses, dahlias, peonies – to commit to your al fresco colour scheme? The natural next step.
Style things up for the season
Seasonal occasions are the perfect time to play with the warming effects of burgundy, whether in decorations for Christmas or a table for two for Valentine’s Day. But think beyond the obvious when it comes to the colours you combine it with; burgundy and pink can be equally as cosy for the festive season, while burgundy and navy blue can look sophisticated rather than sickly sweet for February 14th.
Blur the lines
Ombré, a technique that involves seamlessly blending two or more colours, is a creative way of introducing burgundy into your home. It works particularly well on a feature wall, such as one in front of your workspace, with a dark iteration of the shade gradually transitioning into a lighter take. It’s fairly simple to achieve, too, and gives you something interesting to look at between Teams calls.
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