September Color of the Month: Red Maple Leaf (DET443)

Over the last few months, we’ve been all about shades of blue and for good reason. Not only is blue a big color trend for this year from design to fashion, but it’s also a hue that cools us down when the mercury rises. But like the ninth month of the year, which begins to usher in changes around us, it’s time to shake things up, so we return to a color that is complex and earthy like Spice of Life (DET439), a former Color of the Year. September is a special month filled with longing for summer days gone by and the anticipation of transitions to come — changing colors and foliage, new school years and cooler temperatures.

Why Red Maple Leaf is September’s Color of the Month
While rich burgundy shades from maroon to oxblood are no strangers to design during this time of year, the style mavens of Who, What, Wear confirm that a major color trend this fall is rich red shades like Dunn-Edwards September Color of the Month Red Maple Leaf (DET443).

This red-brown color is reflected in the ruddy grape vines that ripen in September all over the American West, as well as in the dark-hued maple leaves that turn each autumn. For more earth tones be sure to check out our Co-Habitants 2020 Color + Design Trend story.

Designing with Autumnal Reds

• Pair Red Maple Leaf on living room walls, keeping furniture a soft gray and painting built-in bookshelves and cabinets a brighter off-white like White Zin (DEW315) or Baby’s Breath (DEW342).
• Give your Craftsman exterior a fresh coat of paint in this Then, Now & Forever® color, a hue true to the Spanish-Mediterranean, Craftsman and Victorian architectural styles.
• For a traditional take on a bathroom, paint a bathroom vanity in Red Maple Leaf and pair it with a serene white or gray marble countertop with gold or brass faucet and hardware. Paint the trim Daydreaming (DET678) and accents Stanford Stone (DET696).
• Red Maple Leaf on the bedroom or dining room walls can infuse a space with a feminine ethos when paired with soft tones like those in our Neu Traditions 2020 Color + Design story, or a modern vibe when paired with crisp whites, cool blacks or grays, or even an exotic tone by adding creams, peacock blues and golds.

For more ideas on historically accurate colors that would pair well with Red Maple Leaf, take a look at our Then, Now and Forever® color palette and Craftsman curated colors.