The meaning behind rose red
About the color
Rose red is a soft, pinkish-red that gets its name from the flower, the rose. The color name comes from the genus of the flower, Rosa. The use of the word rose as a color in the English language goes as far back as the 1300s. The color sits between pink and red on a color wheel, but it is a type of red, not pink. Generally, rose red appears to be darker than most shades of pink. Whereas different shades of pink represent femininity, rose red does so to a lesser extent. The rose red hex code is #C21E56.
Historically, roses have been the florals of choice for Valentine’s Day and other gift exchanges between romantically involved couples. The ancient Greeks associated the rose with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. In Christianity, the flower became a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Over time, the flower has come to represent themes of love, romance, sensuality, and femininity. The color meaning of rose red aligns with these themes. Rose red can also be used for an aesthetic that involves happiness, nature, and health. Rose red conveys positive themes, including optimism (think “rose-colored glasses”).
The rose red color code is 76.08% red, 11.76% green, and 33.73% blue. If you’re hoping to use this color for printing, the rose red CMYK value consists of 0% cyan, 85% magenta, 56% yellow, and 24% black.
| Type | Value |
|---|---|
| HEX | #C21E56 |
| RGB | 194, 30, 86 |
| CMYK | 0, 0.85, 0.56, 0.24 |
Application in design
The Pantone Institute recognizes rose red as a color and provides guidance on building a design based on a rose red color scheme. Other similar shades are crimson, royal red, and pictorial carmine. Rose red sits between pink and red, making it a great substitute for either hue. It may seem more peaceful than pure red and more sophisticated than pink. It is a vibrant color and pairs well with ivory, rose quartz, spring green, and a complementary shade of cyan with a hexadecimal code of #00E0D5.
Because rose red is often connected to love, romance, and femininity, it should come as no surprise that it is a great color for use in fashion, and beauty. If you’re wanting to feature painted lips and rouged cheeks, rose red works as a universal color for most skin tones. Because it’s a vibrant and passionate color, it also works well in applications related to food. Rose red is a good color for restaurants and displays intended to whet the appetite.
Rose red is a welcome choice for interior design. It can work both as an accent color or background. Use for a romantic yet luxurious look that is also bold. You can add depth to a space either by darkening or desaturating it. Rose red’s femininity and softness work well for cushions, upholstery, and other soft surfaces. The combination of rose red with creams and other soft neutrals is a look that can be classic or contemporary depending on shape, material, and finish.
