Sterling K. Brown's bedroom takes on the unexpected red trend with bold, contrasting throw pillows

The star of This Is Us and American Fiction utilizes red accent pillows on his otherwise neutral bed for dramatic and brightening impact

Sterling K. Brown
(Image credit: Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images)

Seeing red lately? It's no coincidence. The unexpected red trend has taken over our social media feeds, with bursts of the fiery shade peppering bathrooms, living spaces, and even front doors. One actor was ahead of the curve, having shared an Instagram post of his bedroom prior to the style emerging.

Oscar-nominated actor Sterling K. Brown, star of This is Us, American Fiction, and the upcoming film Atlas alongside Jennifer Lopez, posted a photo of his all-white bed, accented with cherry red throw pillows.

'It’s finally happened. After 14 years of marriage, I’ve finally reached the place where the bed does not feel fully made without the damn decorative pillows!' he captioned the post. We tend to agree and love the bold color choice.

The unexpected red theory hinges on a surprising burst of color, in a room where red may not be a "natural" fit. There's no better place to try this out than the bedroom, where we so often opt for netural hues; and experts concur.

A post shared by Sterling Brown

A photo posted by sterlingkbrown on

'Spaces for rest don’t often call shades of red to mind – but isn’t that what the unexpected red trend is all about? Using striking pops of the color to contrast with calming blues is a great example of how to use the unexpected red trend in truly the most unforeseen way,' says Stephanie King, creative lead at Dulux.

Although red is not typically known as a restful color, when paired with blue, which is renowned for its peaceful properties, it is balanced out and therefore functions well in a space meant for sleeping.

'This trend is for the bedrooms of those who spend all their time on TikTok looking for interior inspiration,' King explains. 'They know the hugely beneficial impact of blues on their sleep, but want to still be experimental in their design choices.'

We love how Brown maintained a calm bedding scheme with white linens but contrasted them with a variety of textured, red throw pillows. The juxtaposition certainly makes the red unexpected, but because the pillows are small, it is not overpowering to the eye.


Shop unexpected red – bedroom edition

Below, we have rounded up some red bedroom accessories to achieve a similar style. We particularly love the boucle pillow cover – a piece that taps into two design trends at once. What more can we want from our accessories?

Hannah Ziegler
News Editor

Hannah is Homes & Gardens’ News Editor, with a focus on celebrity style and entertainment content. She got her start in media as a digital editorial assistant at ELLE Canada, and has since written about lifestyle and culture for publications such as Nylon and i-D.

Her love of film is rivalled only by one with a great soundtrack, and she hopes to someday decorate a Nancy Meyers-worthy kitchen.