It's the color of passionate romance and thundering rage, the hue of choice for everything from sleek sports cars and old-school power ties to knockout nail polish. Sexy or sweet, rugged or regal, red always gets noticed.

And, according to interior designers, it's a secret weapon if you want to add a burst of style and energy to your home without major expense or effort.

"Red is one of those statement colors," says designer Janine Carendi. Even in small doses, "it is something that can really ignite a room."

It's also a mood-lifter. "Going into spring, it's a lively, happy color," says designer Mallory Mathison. "But it's not pastel, so it's unexpected. ... It has that 'wow' factor."

In this season of bargain hunting, here's your guide to seeing red — and using it affordably — to bring a fresh look and distinctive energy to your home.

YOUR GO-TO COLOR

Designer Brian Patrick Flynn calls it "the bold neutral." There are shades of red to match any colors already in your home. Browns, blues, pinks, oranges, grays, black and white — "red even looks really good with lime green," he says. "And depending on what you pair it with, it becomes more masculine or feminine."

Red can be traditional (warm, deep reds like cranberry and cinnamon) or modern (brighter, lighter shades like true red or cherry), and it works as well with homey French country interiors as it does with elegant, Asian-inspired ones.

It's also a quick-fix color. It can brighten a room that gets little sunlight or give a facelift to a room that feels dated. "So many people have been doing blue and brown for such a long time," says Mathison. "Weed out the blue and add in red."

In traditional rooms that feel a bit stuffy, Flynn suggests covering formal wood paneling with flat red paint: "It's clean and serene and more modern."

SECOND LIFE

If you have an old piece of furniture or accessory that's functional but worn, paint it red. A bold, red lacquer finish "breathes new life into just about any piece and instantly makes it the star of the room," Flynn says.

For small pieces, like chairs, lamps or vases, regular cans of spray paint should work. For large pieces, consider renting a sprayer (the technical name is HVLP, or high-volume low-pressure sprayer) from a home improvement store. The cost is minimal, Flynn says, and the units come with instructions (the store may also offer tips on using it).

SMALL DOSES

"You probably wouldn't wear an entire red outfit, but you can have red nails and pretty red lipstick or a handbag. So think that way in your home," says Mathison.

Search your home for items to group together, like books with red covers, red picture frames and pieces of art that include the color red.

Carendi often uses red as a "conceptual anchor," threading red pieces through the rooms of a home "so that each room, however different they might be, they have a red element."

Consider unexpected locations: Use a rich, red paint on a ceiling or in the interior sections of a bookcase. Carendi even suggests painting the inside of your closets a bright, cheerful red ("It doesn't cost any more," she points out, "to get red paint versus white.")

Flynn loves to energize a room with a red "conversation piece," like a huge vase painted red. "It's about the shape and the color and scale. That makes it a conversation piece versus an accessory."

SHINE AND TEXTURE

Once you've settled on particular shades of red, there are many textures and finishes to choose from. Mathison loves high-gloss reds because they evoke glam red fingernails. Carendi's current favorite is a deep red wall covering by Ralph Lauren that looks like crocodile. The texture, she says, conveys warmth and richness.

Texture also matters when choosing paint, Flynn says: "Red can easily take five to seven coats, which is very time-consuming, but also may end up more streaky with each coat. So I opt for flat because it shows less streaks and has a nice, sophisticated finish."

These designers say clients who take a risk on red are rarely disappointed.

"People embrace it. At first they may not be sure," says Flynn, "then they see it and they love the idea."