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Design Dilemma: Red Kitchens

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Lately, we keep running across red kitchens which captivate and delight us. What’s so great about red? It’s got verve and style. It stimulates the appetite. It’s warm and friendly, but modern at the same time. Take a look:

Is the kitchen above red, or really pink? No matter which, the eye-popping color defies the expectation that bright colors work only in modern kitchens. The kitchen above with conventional knob cabinet pulls, glass cupboards and the butcher block table in the middle feels like funky farmhouse. The delicately regal chandelier and the pops of lime green add more funk.

Similarly this red (or shall we say cranberry?) kitchen feels traditional but perhaps a little less country.  The contrasting walls of blue add a whole other unexpected dimension.

Nothing looks classier with red than black and white floor tiles, which are shown in their full glory in the kitchen above. What’s so great about this red kitchen is that it’s red, but only because the walls are painted —- not the cabinets.  Leaving the bulk of cabinets a natural wood, and painting some cabinets black with a rice paper screen adds an instant Asian flair that works perfectly.

The kitchen above is red, thanks to a funky red tiled pattern, that really recalls some of the 60s European-styled kitchens. It’s fun, funky… different. And it’s complemented perfectly by the pink walls.

Want to go red without going the full distance? Try red shelving. It’s an instant pop of color without overkill or commitment.

Images: NewYorkTimes.com; Apartmenttherapy.com; Marie Claire.com