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A House Beautiful report describes designers using red in kitchens as an alternative to familiar white and cream schemes. The designers recommend deeper, earthier shades and balancing red with neutral colors and varied materials; the report does not establish how widespread the trend is.
Several interior designers are using red in kitchen projects, turning away from the white, cream and ivory schemes long common in the room, according to a House Beautiful report. The designers describe red as a way to give kitchens more personality, while recommending careful choices of shade and materials to keep the color from overwhelming the space.
The report features kitchens by Opa Architecture and Lichten Architects, as well as British designer Uns Hobbs. In one Opa Architecture apartment, Benjamin Moore’s Classic Burgundy appears on a peninsula. Hobbs used deVOL’s Refectory Red in her own kitchen and described the result as rich and bold while still feeling timeless. Lichten cited Benjamin Moore’s Red Parrot as an earthier option for a family drawn to Victorian colors.
The designers do not prescribe one red or one approach. Hobbs says she is drawn to deeper reds rather than brighter tomato shades, while Lichten says brighter colors can work if they do not look too artificial. He recommends using red in proportion and pairing it with contrasting elements; in one project, gray upper cabinets helped balance bold lower cabinets.
Material choices also shape the effect, the designers say. Aria Jahanshahi of Opa Architecture recommends texture and supporting finishes to soften a strong red. Hobbs suggests warm neutrals, granite, brass, marble, wood flooring, vintage art and ceramics. These are designers’ recommendations based on their projects, not findings from a survey or evidence that red kitchens are becoming common across the housing market.
Red Brings Color Back to Kitchens
The report captures a design conversation about kitchens moving beyond a restrained palette. A change in cabinet, island or peninsula color can alter the room’s feel without requiring a full redesign, and the examples show that red need not cover every surface: it can be concentrated in lower cabinets or a peninsula and balanced with gray, stone, wood or metal.
For homeowners, the advice is practical as much as aesthetic. Red is a visually assertive choice, so shade, placement and surrounding finishes affect whether a kitchen feels warm, traditional or overpowering. The designers’ examples offer ways to test the look through a limited area or complementary materials before committing to a larger color scheme. The source does not report sales data, consumer polling or other measures showing how many homeowners are making that choice.
Benjamin Moore Classic Burgundy kitchen paint
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From White Kitchens to Warmer Color
White, cream and ivory have long been familiar choices for kitchens, according to House Beautiful. The report’s designers say some clients and homeowners now want rooms with more personality, making shades such as cherry, tomato and brick red part of their design vocabulary. It presents this as a shift in taste among the designers and projects discussed, rather than a quantified industry-wide change.
The designers also connect the color choice to how kitchens are used. Jahanshahi describes the kitchen as a place where families gather, children do homework and people spend time together, not just a work area for cooking. That perspective informs his case for a warmer, more expressive room. The report briefly notes red’s association with appetite and fast-food branding, but Jahanshahi cautions against reducing the kitchen trend to that explanation: he frames it instead around the room’s role as an informal gathering space.
“People have become a little bored with playing it safe and want more personality in their homes.”
— Uns Hobbs, British interior designer
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How Broad Is the Red Kitchen Shift?
The report does not establish how widespread the trend is or whether red kitchens are gaining popularity across the broader housing and design markets. It offers selected examples and comments from three designers, but gives no survey results, sales figures or trend data. It is also unclear how homeowners will respond to the color over time, or whether the featured projects reflect a lasting shift rather than individual design choices.
The designers’ statements about red’s mood and its fit for family life are opinions, not measured outcomes. The report does not assess resale effects, costs, maintenance or how different red finishes perform in kitchens with varied lighting and layouts.
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Design Choices Will Test the Trend
The report does not identify a coming industry milestone or a new data release. For now, the next indication of whether red kitchens are gaining ground will come from further projects, designer recommendations and market or consumer evidence beyond the examples featured by House Beautiful.
For readers considering the look, the designers’ guidance is to decide on the shade and scale first, then select finishes that balance it. A smaller application—such as a peninsula or lower cabinets—can provide a less extensive commitment than using red throughout the room. The source offers design advice, but does not provide cost estimates or guarantees about how a particular scheme will look in a different home.
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Key Questions
What is the reported kitchen color trend?
House Beautiful reports that designers featured in its article are using red in kitchen projects as an alternative to white, cream and ivory palettes. The examples include burgundy, brick-like and brighter red tones.
Which red shades do the designers recommend?
Uns Hobbs says she prefers deeper reds to bright tomato shades. Kevin Lichten says brighter reds can work if they do not look artificial, and points to Benjamin Moore’s Red Parrot as an earthier choice.
How can red be balanced in a kitchen?
The designers suggest using red in measured amounts and pairing it with warm neutrals, gray, wood, stone, brass or other textured materials. One project used gray upper cabinets to balance bold lower cabinets.
Is red replacing neutral kitchens across the market?
The report does not provide market data or consumer research confirming a broad replacement of neutral kitchens. It documents selected designer projects and their views, so the scale of any wider shift remains unclear.
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