Please, pause the White – Drew Barrymore's Living Room Proves That Red Is the Most Elegant yet Unexpected Color to Pair with Blue

What are the best colors to pair with blue? White, cream, and beige are the perennial answers to create a classic coastal look, but Drew Barrymore presents a much chicer alternative.

The living room in her freshly redone upstate New York home features a blue-and-red striped sofa paired with red picture frames on her white walls. Created in collaboration with Christina Nielsen Design, the bold pairing is the perfect accent for an otherwise neutral space. Velvet pillows (like these cobalt ones from Amazon), a red accent lamp, and cream planters tie the whole look together. We're absolutely obsessed with the red-striped sofa, which feels at once traditional and modern.

Drew demonstrates that the unexpected red theory is still alive and well, especially when it comes to decorating a blue space. To explore the chic pairing, let's step into her home. I have curated an edit of blue and red products to help you get the look no matter your budget, and spoken to experts on how to make this unexpected combination work. Plus, I've tracked down a few quotes directly from Drew on how she put her living room together. The ideal blue-and-red living room is loading in 3... 2... 1...

The Blue and Red Edit

Part of what works so well about the cherry red and cobalt blue in Drew Barrymore's living room is that she has balanced these striking colors with a neutral, minimalist background. Speaking about her living room to Rue Magazine, Drew states: 'It just became this play place for me. I ended up with this Gustavian, Finnish, serene space with light gray and painted floors. I really wanted big, bold things, but with a bit of breathing room.'

Furthermore, Drew focuses on bringing in the striking primary color pairing through accents, rather than larger swaths of pattern. She uses red frames on her wall, and a red paper holder on her desk to bring in brightness without overwhelming the space. The blue sofa is the largest furnishing in bold colors, and its subtle pattern helps it feel grounded.

Drew explains to Rue, 'They [her bedroom and living room] don’t have a ton of color, but they don’t feel like a white box. I really feel like a little bit of trim can elevate and make a room look so much more expensive without spending a lot of money. A little bit of hardware or minimalist accents that catch your eye—those things make it go from feeling manufactured and mass produced, to something that really feels found and elevated. I don’t spend a lot of money on things. That’s not my style. But I was like, how can I make this house look expensive without having truly expensive antiques around?'

If you hope to emulate Drew's look, Megan Slack, Head of News at Homes & Gardens, recommends following in her footsteps and practicing restraint with your boldness. She advises: 'Accents like lamps, throw pillows, blankets, and books, are the perfect ways to trial these unexpected pops of color. Be sure to break them up with plenty of neutral space to keep the look elevated. Alternate between using blue alone, red alone, and then using them together to keep the combination from feeling too "themey". This look is so chic, it's hard to go wrong.'

Almost any color looks good with blue, and Drew Barrymore's living room is a reminder to be bold with your choice. Just because coastal schemes are popular doesn't mean that they are the only option.

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