Red always makes a statement. The bold hue has a psychological effect on us and is sure to make an impression. That being the case, is red a good choice for kitchen cabinets? What do red cabinets do to a kitchen, and how can you work them into a design scheme? Should you want to? We discuss the answer to these questions and more in the article below.

The Science of Red

What is it about red? It can send a bull into a mad rage or cause drivers to slam on their brakes. It snags the attention, stimulates the appetite, and evokes ideas of love, life, luck, power, and passion across the world, but why? Why does red resonate in the deepest parts of our brains?

Research indicates that red speaks to our very core of foods that are delicious and rich in nutrients. Blue, on the other hand, red’s tonal opposite, naturally occurs in mold growth and other unappealing substances. Without us even realizing it, red raises the blood pressure and increases the appetite. Marketing executives understand this, which is why so many restaurants include red paint and furniture in their design schemes.

There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to capitalize on the same scientific principles. If you want your kitchen to feel like the perfect place to munch, red cabinets can inspire that feeling. We only caution that you use the hue wisely. Red is a powerful color, so you must use discretion so it doesn’t overwhelm your space.

Finding the Right Shade for Your Cabinets

Red is naturally an attention-grabbing color, but you want to make sure you grab people’s attention in a positive way. The shade of red you choose for your cabinets should mirror the rest of your space and be mixed correctly so you don’t end up with a hue that is too orange or blue. Here are a few suggestions of successful shades for red cabinets.

Feeling Solid with Modest Brick Tones

A traditional brick red is a safe and subtle start to introducing red in your kitchen. Brick red creates the impression of warmth and coziness that is perfect for kitchens in a farmhouse or rustic style. Brick red cabinets look good with natural and warm woods and hardware with warm undertones. For something a little deeper, maroon is also a good choice.

Fun with Fruity Hues

Adding just a touch more blue to the paint achieves reds reminiscent of some of the sweetest things in life. Fruit comes in many shades, from currant to plum to pomegranate. Here is where you find the rich hues of cabernet and the grounded shades of burgundy. These natural tones are sophisticated without being loud.

The advantage to choosing cabinets in fruity reds is that some woods come naturally in those tones. Cherry, which admittedly leans a little more toward brick hues, is a great cabinet wood. If you prefer the appearance of paint, there are hundreds of choices available.  

Striking Scarlet

If you want your red cabinets to make a statement and not pull any punches, scarlet is the key. These lipstick hues don’t have any traces of orange, brown, or blue and are as unadulteratedly red as you will find. Scarlet cabinets work really well in modern kitchens with clean lines and a lot of white. We recommend chrome or silver hardware to accentuate the effect. 

How to Use Red Cabinets in Your Space

As you decide how to use red cabinets in your kitchen, the key is to make them your own. Have fun with the process and feel free to try a few things that might not work. If you are worried about the lighting in your space, consider painting your cabinets with a semi- or high-gloss finish. These will hold up well against frequent use and reflect light back into the room without too much absorption. 

Pair with Neutrals

If you really want your cabinets to stand out or if you are worried about the room feeling cluttered, we recommend keeping the rest of your color scheme simple. Neutrals like beiges, grays, and whites work well with any shade of red you may choose to paint your cabinets.

The Center of Attention

The best way to highlight your red cabinets may be to set them apart. You don’t have to make all your cabinets red. We love a two-tone paint job. If you have a kitchen island, consider making those cabinets red while painting the others in a more subtle or neutral tone. You can accent the effect with little pops of red, i.e. dish towels or decorative plates. These will help pull the room together beautifully.

The sink is a central feature in any kitchen. There we wash our hands, wash our dishes, wash our food, not to mention strain our culinary creations and even toss out crumbs and other food waste. There are a lot of sink options available when you build or remodel a kitchen, and you have to choose the right one for your space. 

As you choose your sink, the unit itself, not the faucet, consider a typical load volume. Do you do a lot of cooking? Will a lot of people be using the sink? Do you have a dishwasher or will the dishes mostly be cleaned by hand? Will you need the sink for other things, like bathing a baby? Of course, you also want to take your sense of style and the design of the rest of the kitchen into account as well to make sure your sink fits the scene.

When choosing a sink for your kitchen, there are three qualities you should consider carefully: how you will mount it, what you want it to be made of, and if you want the sink to be subdivided.

Mounting

The two most common ways to mount a sink: drop-in and undermount, though a few more stylistic sink options are available. When making your choice, consider your countertops carefully. Not all sink options are compatible with all countertop materials.

Drop-In Sinks

Drop-in sinks sit directly on the countertop, creating a lip around the edge. For this reason, they are also called top-mounted kitchen sinks and self-rimming sinks. Because they are not flush, they make cleaning a bit more challenging, but they are compatible with any kind of countertop. 

Undermount Sinks

Undermounts sinks, as their name suggests, attach to the underside of the counter. This removes the lip around the sink, making the unit flush with the countertop. These sink options are streamlined and facilitate an easy cleanup since you can sweep crumbs and spills right into the sink. 

You sacrifice countertop versatility for a discrete and streamlined appearance, however, since not all countertop materials are strong enough to hold them. Durable stone like quartz, granite, and marble are sufficiently strong.

Farmhouse Sinks 

Farmhouse sinks are a very specific kind of sink design. They are especially large and deep and their front-facing side is exposed instead of surrounding the sink’s perimeter with countertop. This kind of sink speaks of luxury, which is reflected in its price tag.

Integrated Sinks

Deciding to get an integrated sink is no small matter, since the sink and the countertop are one unit. This makes the sink rimless, easy to clean, and very modern as well as very expensive with a very involved installation process. Integrated sinks are usually made of stone or metal.

Materials

When choosing the material for your sink, consider the material’s sturdiness, antimicrobial properties, and how well it will fit in with the rest of your kitchen’s design.

Stainless Steel

Well-loved because it is budget-friendly and easy to clean, stainless steel is a common sink material choice. The metal holds up well with frequent use.

Stone

Stone sinks are durable but do risk being chipped or stained with heavy use. Granite and marble are the most common sink options made of stone.

Acrylic

Acrylic sinks are relatively inexpensive but quite durable despite being very lightweight. They are also kinder to dishes clinking around the sink.

Enamel

Enamel sinks are stainless steel sinks covered with a composite of enamel and glass. They look beautiful, and appealingly smooth, and have a bit of a sparkle to them.

Divided Sink Options

While most sinks follow the same general shape, you can choose whether you want the simplicity of a single bowl or the functionality of two.

Single Bowl

Single bowl sinks are straightforward and they often allow for more depth. They are a good fit for small spaces but, as is the case with farmhouse sinks, can also be as big or as deep as your counter will allow. Single bowl sinks are generally easier to clean.

Double Bowl

Double bowl sinks make multitasking a breeze. You can fill one side with sudsy water and the other with dishes that need to be rinsed, or follow another system of your choice. You also have a lot of variety available in how you level the bowls of your sink. They can be of equal height, or one can be higher than the other. One bowl can be narrow and the other wide or you can make them of equal widths. Be mindful of your available space since double bowl sink options tend to take up more room than those with just one bowl.

Add a Drainboard

It is possible to divide a sink without utilizing two bowls. The addition of a drainboard adds a sloped space whereon you can set things like drying dishes or produce. The drainboard slopes so all moisture runoff drains directly into the sink.

When doing a remodel or building a kitchen, choosing the right countertops comes with a lot of decisions. How much do you need? What material will you use? How does the counter fit with the rest of the design of the room? You need to keep all of these things in mind when shopping for countertops. Fortunately, we’ve got a checklist for you so none of the important details are overlooked.

Make a Project Outline

Before undertaking an extensive renovation or even just replacing the countertops, it is important to have a plan. Having a project outline allows you to work out the project details before you get to the store or wield a saw. Your project outline should be comprehensive, covering every detail you can think of. 

Consider using a kitchen template, which allows a buyer to account for appliances, cabinets, and sinks. This will give you a better idea of the surface area needed. It will also help you determine what materials you can choose from, since you’ll know what kind of support you have for the countertop. Do you have sturdy cabinets and enough of them to bear the weight of marble? How is your countertop going to work with your sink and do you intend to use the same material for a backsplash?

The plan you make before shopping for countertops should reflect whether or not you elect for professional installation. You will also need to be aware of the kind of cleanup and preparation that will be needed before the installation can begin. As challenges and mishaps arise (as they almost always do) be prepared to work within your plan—know what things can be adjusted and what cannot.

Count the Cost

Having a budget in place before shopping for countertops is critical. It helps a buyer stay within reason and minimizes overwhelm during the project. When setting your budget, assess your finances carefully in conjunction with the kind of features you are looking for. Research will help you determine which materials give you the qualities you desire in your countertops while remaining within your price range. 

Speaking of research, the most savvy countertop shoppers will obtain quotes from a number of contractors and suppliers before settling on one. A professional quote will include the price of the countertop material and the cost of labor for installation. Go with the quote that is most reasonable and which contractor you trust the most.

It is very easy to go over budget on any project, so be mindful throughout the process to avoid doing so. That being said, sometimes snags arise and you have to make adjustments that affect your budget. Be wise as you work within reasonable parameters. It is typical for about 10% of a kitchen renovation’s budget to go toward countertops. Pricing is also governed by how much material you need.

Material Matters

Perhaps the most important choice you’ll make when shopping for countertops is which material those countertops will be made of. Take your time and do your research when making this decision. Visit slab yards and a variety of countertop suppliers as you decide how you want your countertops to look, feel, and endure.

You have a lot of flexibility when it comes to countertop materials. You can mix and match stone choices throughout the house or even throughout the same room. At Lloyd’s Remodeling and Cabinetry, we offer four general types of countertop materials: 

• Quartz
• Granite
• Marble
• Laminate

Ask for Samples

There is no rule that says you must rely wholly upon your imagination when shopping for countertops. When doing your research with a contractor or supplier, ask for samples of countertop materials to take with you. This will allow you to see how the material works in your space, with your cabinets and paints and crockery. The lighting in your kitchen will be different from the supplier’s facility, and to really get a feel for how the material will work, you’ll need to see it for yourself.

A Little Edgy

Not all countertop edges are created equal, and you will need to decide which you prefer. These are the most common edge choices:

• Beveled edges cut off angularly, at about 45 degrees.
• Bullnose edges emphasize a smoothed edge that even surpasses eased edges. They can be half- or fully rounded.
• Eased edges are square with “eased” corners. They have a minimalist appearance.
• Ogee edges are stylized, a concave arch flowing into a convex one.

Know Your Countertop Height

This oft-overlooked detail is still important to your overall design. Most countertops max out at 26 inches. However, if you want something lower or higher, perhaps to include a kitchen island-cum-bar countertop, you’ll need to know that before your countertop installation begins.

I Sink I Get It

The sink is a notable feature in any kitchen, and your countertops need to be able to support it. You’ll need to know what kind of sink you’re looking for when you’re shopping for countertops, since different sinks are supported in different ways.

Drop-in sinks rest on top of the surrounding countertop, creating a lip all the way around. Drop-in sinks are the most versatile and are compatible with all countertops.

Undermount sinks attach to the bottom of a counter so there is no lip between the countertop and the drain. They are nice for easy cleanup, but they require a sturdy counter to mount to, durable stones like marble, quartz, and granite.

Watch the Warranty

No matter how tough your material, a warranty covers a homeowner when the unexpected occurs. A warranty protects your investment, which is usually significant when it comes to countertops, in the course of normal use. In your research when shopping for countertops, look for suppliers that will offer a warranty.