Red Wallpaper: Shades, Styles & How to Make It Yours
The Boldest, Warmest Colour of All
No colour makes a room feel quite as alive as red. It's warm, confident and full of character — a colour that draws people in, sparks conversation and turns a wall into a statement. But red is far more versatile than its reputation suggests. It ranges from a soft, dusky terracotta to a deep, sophisticated claret, from a cheerful pillar-box red to a rich, cocooning burgundy. Used well, red brings a room warmth, drama and a wonderful sense of occasion.
At Claret & Key, red is never a compromise. Because every design is drawn in-house and printed to order in your chosen colour way, you choose the exact red you want — and any of our designs can be made in it. Your shade, your pattern, made especially for you in our Cheshire studio.
A shade for every mood
Red's range is greater than most people realise. A soft coral or terracotta is warm, earthy and gentle. A classic true red is cheerful, bold and timeless. A deep burgundy or claret is rich, grown-up and sophisticated. And a dark, inky oxblood is dramatic and enveloping. Whether you want a warm lift or a deep, cocooning statement, there's a red for it, and we'll print your design in precisely that tone.
The art of pairing red
Red rewards thoughtful pairing. Red and white is crisp, classic and cheerful. Red with warm gold and brass feels rich and celebratory. Red and cream is soft and traditional, and red with deep green is a timeless, characterful combination. Against a red ground, a floral, stripe or heritage design feels warm and full of life.
Where red works
Red suits rooms you want to feel warm and characterful. In a dining room, a deep claret or burgundy feels elegant and full of occasion, especially by candlelight. In a living room or snug, red is cosy and enveloping. In a hallway, it makes a bold, welcoming first impression. And in a cloakroom, a rich red is a wonderful place to be daring. Red's warmth makes it a lovely choice for a cosy, low-light room.
Choosing your red
Because we print to order, the shade is entirely yours — and red reads very differently by daylight and lamplight, so it's worth choosing carefully. Every design comes in three finishes: Traditional (150gsm, super-matte), Heavy-Grade (300gsm) and Removable peel-and-stick (180gsm), all printed on FSC-approved, PVC- and VOC-free paper.
Order a sample and see your red in your own light, morning and evening, before you commit.
Not at all — red is far more versatile than its reputation suggests. A deep claret or burgundy feels rich and sophisticated rather than loud, while a soft terracotta is warm and gentle. Used on the right wall and in the right shade, red brings warmth and character rather than overwhelming a room.
What rooms suit red wallpaper?
Dining rooms feel elegant and full of occasion, living rooms and snugs feel cosy and enveloping, hallways make a bold welcome, and cloakrooms are a wonderful place to be daring. Red's warmth suits any room you want to feel characterful and inviting.
What colours go with red wallpaper?
Red pairs beautifully with crisp white for a classic look, warm gold and brass for richness, soft cream for a traditional feel, and deep green for a timeless combination. Because we print to order, you can tune the exact red to suit your scheme.
Can I get any design in a custom red?
Yes — that's the beauty of printing to order. You choose the exact red you want, from a soft terracotta to a deep claret, and any of our designs can be made in it, made especially for you.
Lovely pattern and paper quality.
However, I wish that I had paid more attention to the roll width measurement.
For some strange reason your paper is narrower than a standard roll. This caused me a great deal of problems when papering my lobby, a small area but that made it more difficult because I was left with a narrow space to fill on 3 walls with a very long drop.
Although I love the paper I probably wouldn't use it again just for this reason.
Why you would produce paper not of a standard width is for you to know and me to wonder but it has made my small project very difficult.
Used this paper to make a dark study cosier. Absolutely loved the colour - the background is a perfect match to our existing panelling painted in Farrow and Ball Old White. First time using paste the wall and it was a revelation so easy and much less mess. Quality of the paper is great but noted the rolls are slightly narrower than most wallpapers. Loved the pattern match which meant little waste what we had left we used to recover some old box files which was easy. I thoroughly recommend.
Great quality wallpaper! The print is beautiful, the wallpaper is thick, and fairly easy to install. Our small area took about an hour and a half because we had a lot of of awkward cuts.
Will definitely be using this brand again!
The paper was just hung and we are thrilled.
The quality of the paper, ease of working with it, (per the paper hangers), your customer service, all were exceptional. We will be ordering again. Thank you!!
Fabulous wallpaper and excellent customer service. This Bronte wallpaper has given my kitchen a new lease of life. Will definitely buy from here again.
This beautiful wallpaper is in my foyer and it sets off the tone of the whole house. In the neighboring dining room I’ve hung Thibaut Iggy wallpaper and the two rooms blend seamlessly.
Excellent!
First Class wallpaper, easy application, the print is exceptional, new it would be ideal for my coffee corner of my new kitchen , arrived well packaged and on time , would highly recommend
The wallpaper arrived quickly. I’m delighted with my pattern choice. It’s absolutely stunning. The paper was such good quality and was a joy to hang. Completely transformed our room. Will be ordering again
This paper was so easy to install! I have used all three types of paper and will never go back to anything but paste the wall. The patterns were correct and easy to Mark and to match and the colors were as true as my samples. This company has been great to deal with and will use them again in the future.
Love this wallpaper! Second time purchasing a Claret & Key wallpaper. The quality is outstanding! The paper is thick and goes on so easily, works great for those new to wallpapering or DIY. The colors are super bright and amazing. They are my go-to wallpaper company now!
