How to Decorate a Kitchen in Red
Red is a vibrant color, known for having an energizing effect and for stimulating the appetite. It is the color of strawberries, spices, wine and watermelon. What better color than this to bring life into your kitchen? This article features a variety of ways to decorate your kitchen in bold, beautiful red.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- All optional:
- Red paint, appliances and cabinetry
- Red fabric for chair coverings or window treatments
- Red kitchen accessories
- Red fruit or flowers for display
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Walls and Cabinets
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Paint your walls red. This is one of the boldest ways to bring this bright color into your kitchen.
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Choose your color carefully, keeping in mind that reds with hints of brown or purple will feel warmer than pure red or reds with a pinkish hue. Invest in high-quality, low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, since it is important to have an even effect and not to have toxic paint fumes in your kitchen.
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Choose to paint one or all of your walls. If your kitchen is small, or if you plan to use a variety of other accent colors or patterns, paint one or two walls. If your kitchen plan is a little bolder, you can paint all the walls red for a dramatic effect.
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Use red cabinets to make a real impact in your kitchen. One way to achieve this is to choose a red wood, such as cherry, and use a red stain to bring out the color. This can be an expensive but beautiful way to bring red into your kitchen.
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Paint your current cabinets red. Remember to use a good wood sander, primer and paint that is meant for wood cabinets.
Appliances, Fixtures and Flooring
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Buy red appliances or fixtures to add a wonderful splash of rich color to your kitchen. Though red appliances and fixtures used to be specialty items, they are now becoming more widely available. Ovens, refrigerators, microwaves and sinks can all be found in red. An added bonus is that appliances and fixtures are typically shiny, so they offer a great way to add red to your kitchen while keeping it looking fresh and modern.
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Consider red flooring. It is a frightening prospect for many homeowners but, if done right, can add an impressive and surprising dimension to a kitchen. For a subtle effect, you can use a cherry stain on a hardwood floor to bring out the red tones of the wood.
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Look for red-hued ceramic tiles. Tiles come in all shades of red, from magenta to fire engine to brick, so your flooring can be as natural (think dusty red-orange) to as wild (such as cherry) as you would like.
Fabrics, Accents and Accesories
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Spice up your kitchen with red fabrics, accents and accessories.
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Change the fabrics in your kitchen. You can do it yourself, it's fairly inexpensive, and it makes a big impact. Stools, chairs and window treatments are a great place to start. Find a red pattern that you like that doesn't clash with the elements of your kitchen that will remain the same. You can search the Do-It-Yourself website (see Resources section below) for instructions on how to recover your chairs or make your new window treatments.
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Incorporate splashes of red into your kitchen with vivid accessories. Nearly all kitchen and housewares stores carry red bowls, cookware, and utensils. Many also carry red blenders, toaster, food processors and coffee makers. A few well-placed small appliances and accessories in the hue of your choice can really brighten up your kitchen.
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You can also use red dish towels, cloth napkins or a strategically-hung apron for small but effective touches of red.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep in mind that red paint will dry darker than it looks in the can. Choose your paint based on the sample, not on how it looks when wet. Red and white can be a striking color combination, but it can also put your kitchen at risk of looking like a diner. If this is the look you are going for, great! If not, try using a cream or light tan tone rather than pure white, or mixing in various shades of reds and oranges. Both these techniques will make the contrast between your reds and whites less striking. Lighting can make a big difference with red painted walls. Before choosing a paint color in the store, bring the sample swatch to your kitchen and see how the color looks under your kitchen lighting. You should also look at it in the morning, afternoon, and evening light to see how natural light affects the color. Too much red can make a room feel shrunken. If your kitchen is on the small side or lacks a lot of natural light, you may want to opt for only one wall of red, or for red accents rather than red walls. A great way to keep your kitchen decorating looking fresh while bringing out its red elements is to use flowers and fruit. A large wooden bowl full of bright red apples or a vase full of red roses will bring interest to your kitchen and make your other red features more noticeable. Wood of all hues and types will mix with red kitchen walls or appliances. This is great news if you have wood cabinets that you don't want to part with or paint. It also makes red a great option for kitchens with hardwood floors. Red works well for many themes, especially Asian themes or the classic country kitchen. For an Asian theme, choose large areas of bold color. For the classic country kitchen, go with red and white checks and red patterned fabrics or wallpaper.
