Red and Green Together Sounds Overwhelming, But Candice Bergen's '70s Living Room Showed How to Make the Unexpected Pairing Look Expensive

If red and green make you think of garish Christmas decorations, it's time to reconsider. Used correctly, these unexpectedly complementary colors create the most luxe and memorable interiors possible. Candice Bergen's '70s living room is the perfect example.

Photographs of the actress's house from 1971 show the color opposites working together harmoniously. It features red walls, green stained glass windows, and green sofas. The rug is red. She ties the colors together with a variety of natural textures, including a stone fireplace and wooden panelling. Soft furnishings create a plush, rich feel in the room. Overall, the effect is that of an incredibly expensive living room color palette.

Candice's space is a masterclass in using complementary colors. To unpack her technique, first, let's take a look inside. Then, I've curated an edit of stylish red and green products to help you get the look. Even better, Homes & Gardens spoke with a variety of experts to understand the best ways to use these colors in any home. Here's what we found.

Recreate Candice's Look at Home With The Red and Green Edit

First, Candice Bergen's green living room idea works well because she chose a shade that feels very close to the natural world. Interior designer Karl Openshaw from Blocc Interiors explains, 'Green is nature’s neutral; it restores balance the moment you walk into a room. It softens the mind, steadies your focus, and creates an emotional link to the outdoors, which is why it never falls out of fashion. Its versatility is unmatched: sage feels soothing, olive feels nurturing, and deep forest tones bring a sense of grounded luxury.' Pairing it with red just elevates the tone further.

Candice Bergen also makes these tones look luxe, rather than overwhelming, by breaking them up with natural materials like stone and wood. Luckily, this technique is easy to recreate. Catharina Björkman, interiors expert at Contura advises: 'Layering natural materials of different textures can help to create a well-balanced and inviting space. It is also a great way to add visual weight to a room. Hardwoods like cherry, mahogany, maple, and oak are highly durable and well worth investing in for larger items such as dressers, tables, wardrobes, bookcases, or chests of drawers. More lightweight natural materials like rattan and seagrass can also be incorporated in the form of a coffee table or basket.'

The actress also keeps the earthy red walls feeling grounded rather than harsh by layering in sumptuous textures through cushions, throw blankets, and upholstery. Catharina recommends: 'Add soft furnishings to balance out the more solid textures of large surfaces like stone floors, marble worktops, or wooden furniture. Think soft throws, woven rugs, silky lampshades, plush pillows, and velvety curtains. Opt for natural materials such as cotton, wool and linens. Not only will soft furnishings add to the overall look of your home, but they will also help you to manage acoustics in larger rooms. This is particularly important when it comes to spaces such as the bedroom, which should be designed with a focus on creating a calm, quiet and sleep-inducing atmosphere.'

Pairing color opposites needn't be overwhelming. Candice Bergen's living room is a good reminder that often, the bolder the combination, the more expensive it looks.

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