I would keep the old red Kohler sink because I read in some old posts that have probably disappeared now that the finish doesn't last on the new Kohlers because they changed the composition to comply with new envrionmental laws.

Yay! I love red! Our kitchen walls are a brick red and I love the contrast with the view of our grayish lavendar dining room.

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The guest room in our lower level is very red:
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Someday when I get a convertible Porsche it will be RED! :)

Barn red kitchen cabs that I love as well as almost all of our glassware is ruby red. Hand braided rugs with a lot of red. Every room has some red.

I love red, (and purple, blue, yellow and most other colors). I will have a red blue star range with typhoon bordeaux counters with more red in it. I have a red granite vessel sink in the half bath off the kitchen. I want to paint my dining room red. Our house is red brick. I love red. One thing I noticed among friends in our neighborhood if you have young children then you have LOTs and LOTs of color on the walls. Not one beige wall in sight. If you're an empty nester the walls are very neutral. I'm doing a major house renovation and have 14 rooms to paint plus 4 hallways. Lots of color coming my way.

yes!

I love red, too! Even though we have white perimeter cabinets and a stained island, we put in "Twilight Red" granite because COLOR was a must! We have a red couch and chair in the adjoining family room. They are more a cranberry red, but they are a few years old and will be changed at some point (to a different shade of red to more harmoniously go with the granite) in the not-too-distant future.

When I first found the Kitchen Forum last summer I had already ordered the red granite, and then saw all of the gorgeous white kitchens with marble/soapstone, and I worried that we had done the wrong thing! DH never doubted our choice because he was insistent on having color in the kitchen; I adore our counters, and I love our kitchen with its beautiful red granite! It is one of my favorite elements of the new kitchen. Get what you love, and go red!

Florantha,

You must must must do Unfading Red slate countertops!! Especially with that floor tile. Nom nom nom.

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I apologize for the redundant posting above--am still learning how to work this website and can't figure out whether I can delete the error one.

What wonderful postings by other red addicts. Thanks so much, all of you! I very much appreciate the pictures. I do think that Plllog deserves the prize for gutsiness, though, with that red range hood and red poppy. Now THOSE are indeed major red presences in that room! (I wonder, did she decide to abandon them or are they going into the new kitchen also?) Those of you with red walls, you are gutsy too! And the anecdote about red cars, well, what can I say? We have 2 red classic MGs and hubby said "enough!" so the third one is British Racing Green.

Houseful's tile is fabulous! On my monitor, it's absolutely raving beautiful.

BoxerPups:
Thanks for your posting and photos--you are a certified red freak! Not only that, but you know how to make a little red go a long way.

Unless we know more about your eating area, it's hard to say much about the curtains you will make. What is climate--do you need heat-holding drapery? sun control? color? privacy?

I am pleased to see that you have slat blinds as well. Layering window treatments gives great flexibility for sun/no sun and for cold/hot/neither weather. Draperies are problematical right now--the young take the bare window look for granted, but they will come around in time and realize how well draperies can affect your bills and morale. Personally, I'm all for cutting down on escaped heat the atmosphere.

I've made a lot of Warm Window thermal padded roman shades over the years, a necessity because we had old crummy aluminum combination windows in the old kitchen. It would seem from photos I've noted lately that fabric roman shades are currently considered a hot item for kitchens. A little red goes a long way as you well know. If you don't want a whole roman shade to be red or red print, you can do a lot with red trim. I'm seeing a lot of decorating photos with very tailored solid color roman shades with a contrasting vertical binding either on the edges or a band running about 2-3 inches from edges top to bottom and sometimes along or near bottom edge. (I personally like the look of natural linen color with red better than stark red and white.)

Can you sew? For what it's worth, IKEA had a sale when I was there this week on a number of regular check and stripe and solid cotton very wide fabrics, including white and red, very traditionally Swedish. You could do a lot on the cheap with them. They would also be good for chair coverings. Your chairs are already rather Gustavian in their lines! (Aprons can be red and white too.)

An idea for draw drapes if you are decorating on the cheap is to look at flat sheets. Sometimes there are great buys on red-themed printed sheets. I have seen Finnish Marimekko tablecloths for sale online from Crate and Barrel for under $40 apiece, which would also make draperies, esp. if you're into bold graphics. Bands of red applied down a drapery or shade of shades-of-white contemporary design, for example, would be stunning.

I'm lucky--until recently there was a cut-rate mill ends place near me and when they did a sell-out in January, I scored 13 yards of remaindered red, bright gold, and green satin twill cotton paisley drapery fabric at $1.50 a yard. I also scored the last of a bolt of thermal lining. Now, I need to get going on a re-do of the drapes on the old Atrium door wall in my own dining room, the nerve center of my house, while hubby continues to slog away at the kitchen addition. If I post my goal here, will I be shamed into finishing it? Stay tuned!

Thanks so much to all who have posted. What great reinforcement. I have decided that I am not crazy, I am merely a member of an exclusive club, the Red Freaks! And many of us have spouses/significant others who celebrate our membership with us!

TTFN,
Florantha of MInnesota

I love red, too. Here are some pics of the red in my kitchen, which includes a red microwave, red toaster oven, red dish rack, red kettle, and lots of other reds, including a red couch.

Florantha, did you read my sink comment? I hoped to save you some grief.

To HoneysuckleVine:
Yes, I understand the sentiment: How can I possibly part with the famous red sink?

My future son in law visited at Christmas. "So this is the famous red sink" he says. My reputation precedes me even across a continent (he is from Alaska as is my daughter).

But...I have been told by the other owner of this kitchen in no uncertain terms that the sink goes. The kitchen redo was predicated on it. I am not allowed to have it in that room any more and have known this since last April. If the rules were to change at this moment I don't think I could handle it, given how much time and money I have spent in making other plans. I'm telling myself this is a good thing. Addictions are addictions, I admit. I'm a grown woman; I don't need to have a fabulous sink as a lifelong companion just because it's fabulous. (At least I hope not; otherwise I have more problems than just a red addiction.)

That's also why the spouse is pushing me toward red tiles in the backsplash and some red stain on the floor. Guilt.

How 'bout them Twins, eh?

Florantha in Minnesota

Thanks for the prize :)

Story goes like this: Old kitchen was half dead when I bought it. Only the DW was really decent (ugly, but worked fine). Some of the cabinets were rotted. The tile work was DIY by the PO and was poorly done (no grout problems, but tile problems). VERY bad, inefficient, frustrating layout.

But I guess he was ahead of his time, because there were hardly any upper cabinets. Just two on the wall on the right, outside of the picture, which were too shallow for a dinner plate. I don't know what's up with these no upper cabinets kitchens! Frustrating as hell!!! And cold looking. And lonely. (At least mine was...)

Hence I put in the shelves on the left for storage, the hood because there was no vent at all, and painted the poppy for company.

New kitchen is different colors, except for the lovely red and orange pots, but very colorful. And much more efficient. With lovely appliances, best function and none ugly. Good layout. Plenty of storage. But more greens and yellows than reds. It's getting close, and it's going to be wonderful.

I keep buying red houses, so I must.

For all you red lovers out there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Red stuff

I LOVE RED!! I have a red and green chili pepper motif in my kitchen. Red towels, potholders, etc. Love that red pepper brillo holder on Amazon. May just have to get that!

When we visited St. Louis this last Oct., we stayed at a big business-Marriott ... not a resort, not some funky one, a Marriott that is filled with business people. It's lobby carpet was cardinal red with flowers in it and the chairs were red leather. I was in heaven and every time I pass through the lobby, that setting put a smile on my face! The staff hated it and said it didn't fit it's location, but now, when we decide to replace our current teal leather sofa and chair ... bet the next pair will be red!

Red has always been, and will always be my favorite color. You should get the tiles! They are gorgeous and I would love to put tiles like that in my house, but they would look silly. If I ever get a dream house that is more rustic/European, those tiles would be in there.

My couches are red, and the large wool rug under them has red accents. My old dining room was BM Moroccan Red. In my younger son's current bedroom, there is a red accent wall.

Somehow, I have shied away from red cars, though. Too chicken (both of ours are black). When my kids are older and I get a new car, hopefully it will be a red coupe!

I feel better now. All those fellow red freaks out there--thanks for your postings. Happy post-Valentines Day. Have you put away the February red? and have you had the heart to put those ratty poinsettias out in the snow to freeze and end their misery?

In my tasteful (yes, I was tasteful for a year or two) early married days I chose a black and white china pattern. Now, besides an optional full set of imari iron red china, the black and white still says FORMAL at the dining table. I have lots of white tablecloths and formal silver and clear glass when I feel the need for a "ten on the richter scale" formal meal, but I also have a load of red and red-brown accessories: tablecloths, napkins, pieces to add to the chandelier, serving pieces, goblets, and of course a setting for ten of plain red glass plates and salad plates, all interchangeable at a moment's notice.

Naturally, red wine is a specialty of the house.

I think it's genetic. I've been addicted since childhood.

--Florantha,
who wishes she could be planning a formal meal instead of preparing herself for a kitchenless March (and April?)

As far as Feng Sui is concerned, Red is a great color for a kitchen if you are interested in lively conversation. I am having light brown cabinets with a whitish quartz counter tops and stainless steel with red tile backsplash.

Wow, I missed this thread earlier. Need to join up fast.

Red front door, entry hall painted dried chili pepper red, Saltillo floors and red Persian carpets.

Love those tiles and really they look subdued compared to the riot of color I'm used to.

Stumbled upon this red marble.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Can I still join in even though I'm late to the party? I hope so!

I love red, too. Red front door, red curtains in the kitchen/FR room, red Fiesta ware dishes, red plaid (with green and blue) chairs in the FR, red throws to keep me warm, deep red leather chair in LR, red walls in DR and a red accent wall in the FR.

I have toyed with staining the island red. Probably will go with red table and/or chairs instead but my heart sings when I see red painted or stained kitchen cabinets.

The downside? Supposedly red stimulates the appetite. So that's why I'm spreading. It's not middle age, it's all the red that surrounds me! LOL

Love red. Had to give up the bright fuscia lipstick when the hair starting turning platinum. My kitchen walls are pepper red right now, alas, that will unfortunately be gone with the redo. I was wondering the other day if I could somehow get away with painting the two small areas of wall that will be left a reddish color. Love red shoes, love red shirts, love red. Just. love. red.

quoting..."A touch of bold 1940s lipstick red is guaranteed to be memorable in a kitchen, no matter how the color is used. I have a serious affinity for red, which conveys a sense of energy and fun and makes me admire the daring of red kitchen folk."

Click around--you'll find more. Also has listings of some other colored kitchens.

Here is a link that might be useful: Attic Mag appreciates red kitchens

On a nostalgia trip earlier this year, I looked for Finnish Marimekko fabrics online. Company is still producing them, but wow, what a price--roughly $45 to $50 per yard. I ended up going to a shop here in St. Paul which had a remnant left of the print I had fallen in love with, the winter white variant of "Lumimarja" pattern, a botanical which runs up the center of the fabric and fades to thinner branches and then plain white at the selvedges. White sateen heavy cotton, with metallic silver and cream. The shop did not have sufficient fabric for my purposes.

But... I also noted online that Crate and Barrel carried tablecloths of the same. Just this week I finally got a chance to go the store and darn, the stuff was also discontinued and gone. But...I just found it on clearance on the Internet.

So what does this have to do with red? There's a red colorway also.

This fabric runs the design up the middle, so each curtain would have to cut the middle out of the fabric. Or...
Could I mount a middle-cut one in the wide center doublewide window and a side-cut piece on each of the narrower side windows, each side window featuring HALF of the botanical motif? Enquiring minds want to know.

You red freaks will note that there are a number of other extremely attractive and "look at me" red tablecloths on clearance as well. You could join me in driving your families nuts with them, holidays, whenever.

(Will I carry out this idea, or will I chicken out? Wimp out for the white and silver instead of the red? or go with the multiyard mound of green and gold large plaid with a thin red stripe that I bought at a store closing for $15? Heck if can tell you....)

All it takes is money. And some firm decision-making.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crate and Barrel's clearance tablecloths including RED ones

I couldn't resist posting the finish on my great room. I know there is a movement away from strong colors, but I just can't give it up. It makes me so happy! I am hoping that during this kitchen & patio reno my beautiful walls don't get cracked. Keeping my fingers crossed...

florantha, thanks for the sales info. I will be needing some red accessorizing in the kitchen!

Are those your walls, Doonie? How did you do them?

OMG!!!!

Boxerpups - NOW I REALLY KNOW why I admire you so much... HA!

We have (pretty much) the same red walls!!!!

kevin

florantha, yes, that is the color I had done about 8 years ago, by 2 women, who specialized in faux painting. They had to be up on scaffolding because we have one of those double storied great rooms. I don't think they are in business anymore and, unfortunately, I don't have whatever color formula they used! (I may have to do some serious investigative work to figure it out.)

The painters put a bright red on the wall and then the 2 ladies used black garbage bags to smudge a darker sienna color over them, if my memory is right. I love my room!

[Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread. Very much appreciated.]

Anyone have experience using the very strong-colored red stains? Am seriously considering staining my new oak floor with a red stain. I am also considering mounting a horizontal board near the ceiling on a 16 foot wall so that roman shades on the windows will retreat into the crevice when they're pulled up--and I would stain it red also. The roman shades will give texture and color but will only be dropped when it's cold outside; there will be whitish translucent honeycomb shades for sun control and minimal privacy. White appliances and white sinks. Tile backsplash will be pinkish-red rustic 4 inch tiles with inconspicuous grout, either red or grey. Countertops will be Pionite laminate "Bernard" which is a warm grey and cupboards will be either natural or honey colored oak, not sure yet.

I like yellow-colored oak, but I fear that if both floor and cupboards are of yellowish oak, that it will be a golden forest in there. A red-stained floor would break things up, I think. I hope. More tension, more complexity. Yes?

I saw a wonderful photo of oak face-frame "Shaker" style cupboards with the face stained red and the doors in golden stain, but the DH would very likely divorce me if I tried it.

Would like to know what red stain products you have tried and whether you would recommend them. I did try the "cabernet" color of the Rustoleum stain, which came in a little sample pack you buy at store. On a sample hunk of oak, this color is good complement to the pinkish red tiles, I think.

Love red! I live in an old New England farmhouse and after 25 years, had to redo the kitchen which was sinking into the ground. Our one indulgence was a 36" tomato red Blue Star range. Would love to get a couple of easy chairs for the kitchen to match it.

I was glad to look at this today. It invigorated me--I'm in a funk during a kitchen rehab. Have migrated from red to near-red in my plans for my kitchen.

I have been anticipating doing this for a while, but still, I nearly cry when I think about it--like an alcoholic reminiscing about great drunks. What will I do with that red microwave, those many red rag rugs, and my Copco spice racks from the 60s?

Anyway, you might enjoy this red website also. Am particularly gratified and inspired by the wall of red picture frames. You will also appreciate the commentary about the red kitchen that doesn't work right and why that is.

Here is a link that might be useful: Your Decorating Hotline: Red

So glad I am not alone! I have always loved the color red! Recently decorating trends were more subdued, sage greens, very neutral colors in general. I did use some neutral colors and did have one picked out for my kitchen as well but I had to have red so my kitchen is RED! (with white cabinets) I think in the future colors like fushia, pomegranate, chili pepper etc will be back. Just about everyone I know that has redone their kitchen in the past 2-3 years did sagey greens or yellow. Very pretty but not me. This is my kitchen

Here is a link that might be useful: red kitchen

Thanks for your inspiring kitchen photos, goodgal!
You might be considered by pros on the GW to have a white kitchen, but red freaks would certify it as a red one as well. Your kitchen looks to be good for the soul. I would think that it must be just glorious as a place to work and be.

I've just reread this entire thread, which is increasing my resolve to flee from the bland colors I've been toying with and head toward a more assertive red. One of the curses of a neverending kitchen project is that the muses seem to flit in and out. If I had been forced to finish the thinking months ago, I would, oh, .. I would, ..oh, I don't know what I'm saying, I just know that the red muse and the big-color ideas have been in eclipse in my head. Spring is a time for gentle colors, which may be part of the reason for the extra muses.

I'm looking again at the red slate that circuspeanut has posted. What a remarkable substance! It reminds me of the pipestone (catlinite) that is native to Minnesota, but it's even more red. It's said to be very expensive and so far I've been unable to find a local distributor. Perhaps God is talking to me. Yet, to mix metaphors, another muse arrived this afternoon....I've also been looking at Cold Spring Granite's website, which has a number of red granites. Perhaps I should consider some kind of red granite accent in the room.

All it takes is money. And access. And resolve. And taste.

Anyone have red dragon granite. Found it this weekend and love love love it for our black rubbed island. Show pics if you have this. Thinking of crema bordeaux on our perimeter....have that???? Pics Please

One of our local tile stores has a backroom sale, clearing out odd lots. These trim tiles are 24 inches long and I have 24 of them!

I have been looking for a good, red colored tile for new lobby area. I opened this thread thinking I was going to use Rosso Casale tile from Tile Shop (yes, I know the link died, but you can find it on their website I'm sure). It is still deep in my heart, one of the only red tiles I have been able to find, but have received excellent advice from a (female) tile shop designer who said, "Look at the dark tile in front of our door. It's impractical for Minnesota--it shows all the winter slop stains so we have to clean it all the time." I've reluctantly conceded to good sense and have been shopping further. Then I found this marble listello for a (relative) song.

New plan...use this red checkered print as the baseboard surrounding a nondescript lighter tile in the balance of the room! It will put that deep color note at the bottom of the wall and yet allow me to be practical for the balance of the floor. Mahogany red is one of my faves. I now think that I might continue it around the new kitchen's oak floor. I can make faux marble check baseboards using a stencil, I think. I will paint the upper edge of the marble also, since it is not a finished edge.

Here is a link that might be useful: Marble red and white check trim

Very cool idea! Have you done faux marbling before? Jocasta Innes has instructions, although my old versions of her books favor oil-based paints. There are, no doubt, newer techniques out there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Some books

I will officially join the red freak club at the end of the month with my purchase of a red (RAL 3000) Bluestar and red hood. I looked at other ranges but I just could not let go of the red.

Great thread. I both love color and am a little afraid of it. :-P So I accessorize with it but usually pick neutrals for background color. I admit I am used to a lot of peer pressure to stick to neutrals more than what I like, but am starting to break free of familial recommendations to find more of what suits my tastes!
Most of my paintings and pottery accents have red as a major color, my sofa and chair are a red leather. Now that I'm looking around, I realize my dining set and foyer table are a red cherry stain and there's hints of reds in many other things too. Maybe I'm a subconscious red freak? :D

Florantha - you need to post a picture of your infamous red sink! It sounds fantastic. I am imagining a second life for it maybe as a potting sink in a garden shed or even outside. Don't throw it out!

Our kitchen on the eve of the renovation. The red sink is here. Now in basement in a jumble of old cabinets, thinking.

When I bought it, my father was a carpenter and his twin brother was a plumber.
Dad helped with the renovation of the kitchen from its awful 50s mode to what you see here. We bought the sink through Uncle Don. Dad told him, "Pretend you didn't receive it. Send it back and tell them the order wouldn't go through." But Uncle Don did not heed and the sink went into the kitchen. Dad was not a red freak. Don probably wasn't either, but he enjoyed rankling Dad.

Here is a link that might be useful: the red sink, purchased in 1975 or so

I have a red KitchenAid mixer going on 22 years old now. It has been the best pop of color in every home we've ever lived in. Love it, love it, love it!

kitchendetective,
Have only been planning plain old stenciling, not faux marble. Not sure I'm up to learning it, but it sure would be cool. Gotta think on it.

I don't imagine that anyone would be too critical of amateur marbling down by their ankles, would they?
___

It's fun that this thread has lasted so long. Great emotional support, freaks! Thanks for the posts!

I adore red! When I was designing this house, I KNEW that this wall in my livingroom was going to be red. I didn't know about any other color in the house....but THIS wall would be red. The paint color is Olympic's Eddie Bauer Crimson.

Found this red kitchen on the Finished Kitchen Blog...

Here is a link that might be useful: Mstargardener1's kitchen

Wow. Mstargrdener1's kitchen is fabulous! And, having just finally taken the time to breeze through the "What's a 2010 Kitchen?" thread, how nice it is to see a kitchen from 2006 that is still holding it's own and will likely continue to do so for a very long time. Thanks for digging that one up, Florantha!

Having found fewer and fewer of their line of red small appliances in my local Sears store, I went to website and found that my red microwave looks to be on the extinction list. Let the Buyers be Aware...

Here is a link that might be useful: Sears red small appliances slated for extinction?

I missed this thread earlier--love, love, love red! All of my friends notice, because I wear red so much. I have a red kitchen, and red accents in the rest of our home--red with grey bedroom, red and browns, tans in family room and dining room. And, I live in MN, too!

House and garden t.v. website has this designer kitchen...a red tiled baby with high end? pro? appliances...

Here is a link that might be useful: Red tile kitchen

florantha suggested resurecting this thread to post my kitchen wall. Here it is:

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Love the red accent. It is SW Poinsettia.

We just finished an update of our 14 year-old builder kitchen. The housing market does not justify a total remodel, in our locale, which was our initial plan.

Here's a summary of what we used:

Dishwasher - Bosch, Whisper Quiet
Refrigerator - Jenn-Air, Side-by-Side, cabinet depth
Range - Jenn-Air, natural gas, slide in 4-burner with single oven plus warming drawer
Sink - Soci, 16 x 28 x 10 undermounted, 15 guage
Faucet - Blanco
Disposal - KitchenAid, 1HP
Granite - Cathedral Brown. We continued it onto the window sill and a new top for the side table.
Backsplash - 4 x 4 stainless tile
Paint - Cabinets: Cabinet Coat, White, semi-gloss. Walls: C2, Shaker and Fusion - both in Eggshell finish. Accent wall: SW Poinsettia

From appliance shopping to completion of room painting took 37 days. We handled all the painting DIY. Because we had been considering a remodel or facelift for so long, decisions were fairly easy and we caught the granite fabricator in a slow time so the counters were installed in only 11 days. Linked are Updated and Before photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Updated and Before Photos

Here's a red-dominated kitchen I haven't seen posted on the GW Kitchens forum. Hope you like it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Red antique and folkart kitchen in Connecticut