What color are countertops?

Here's a thought. Don't know if you'll hate this.

With a color that dark, you'll definitely need a good primer coat anyway. And the area shown is REALLY small. I believe you can DIY a primer coat. (Don't be frightened.)

Get out your paintbrush and small roller and some primer (just go to a good local paint store and tell them about your kitchen, get their advice on which primer is best) and give yourself a nice, neutral surface to look at. That way you won't have redredredred bouncing all over the room.

You can paint everything I see in an hour or so. Latex paint washes with soap and water -- just cover everything with newspapers and carry a wet paper towel with you.

Then you can get a better read on what light level you actually have in there, and what your paint chips actually look like. You can try some paint samples on the wall.

As for color? What do you LIKE? What's in the adjoining room (not just paint but furuniture, rugs etc. that it might play off? Or do you just want to continue the cream? No reason you can't, as far as I can see.

The paint store can also help you there.

But I'd "get the red out" first.

Painting small (or dim) rooms in darker colors makes them appear even smaller (and dimmer).

A coat of light primer might give you some ideas.

I kind of like it, but red does absorb the most light and both your cabinets and walls are red. I would hold off until you pick a countertop you like. There may be a dozen countertops you like. There are hundreds of paint colors that will then coordinate.

We are enjoying "Haven" green, which is kinda granny smith apple color. I think maybe Benj. Moore? from Sherwin Wms paint store. A green would accept your cupboards and countertops nicely and white appliances work well with it. Another idea is a pale shrimp-to-coral color, chosen to coordinate with the red of the cabs. I would be wary of trying a light whitish color that would have to walk the line between appliances and countertop colors; if you decide you want to try, I'd say a textured? striped? wallpaper would work better than paint, perhaps even bridge the whitish colors. If you could find a light multi-color yet mono-palette wallpaper with hints of the cupboard hues as well, that would help.

I love your color paint. I really do. It looks like a paint
color called Sangria by Benjamin Moore. A favorite of mine

But...
Your space is crying out for more lighting and someting
to lift it from the heaviness of the cabinetry. You can
transform this space with a new paint color. You are blessed
with a light counter and this means you can do anything
you want.

Your kitchen

What is your favorite color?
What colors make you happy?
Not sure, look in your closet? What color do you see
lots of? What makes your heart smile when you put it on?

Sunshine colors like this are always light. This can
warm the room but not turn it to fire.
PaleDaffodil by Benjamin Moore a super soft yellow that
is creamy when it goes up and if you don't have a lot of
undercab lighting can brighten the space.

Sassy Blue Sherwin Williams is a soft blue that gives
off lightness but will make your cabinets really rock.
In a gloss finish this can bounce light around the room
to reflect.

Cooking Apple by Farrow and Ball paints.
This is a great color with dark woods.

Here is an example of a medium paint with white trim.
Lenox Tan BM
with white trim makes the dark cabinet in the room really
stand out and give the space a lighter feel. Not oppressive.

From a Gardenwebber. Yes, this kitchen has large windows which bring in the light, but notice the painted ceiling and the bright choice of color with dark cabinets. It helps to give this space a freshness. And this person kept a little red around the windows as clearly they love red. Don't rule out red accents for your space like your pretty picture on the backsplash. Use that as your guide.

Lastly paint the ceiling if you can. White or one shade
lighter than the wall paint. It really is the 5th wall in a room .

Some other colors that I would love to put on your wall....
Pear Green by Benjamin Moore

Chiffon Blue by Benjamin Moore. This is a great color with
chocolate cabinets.

Thank you. I like the Cooking Apple by Farrow and Ball paints but when I was on their website it wouldn't load to tell me if there was any place where I live to buy it. I also like the Chiffon Blue but it's a little bright. However in my research, I came across Interesting Aqua which I like a lot. I will try some samples on my wall and see what I come up with, thank you! This helped to steer me in a whole new direction!

I'm with the others who suggested a green -- celery to cooking apple. It would really offset the color in the cabinets. I love the red too, but with the red in the cabinets makes it feel a little flat. (Over cabinets lighting could also be a good fix to lighten the uppers or a reflective backsplash!) Good luck! The kitchen has great bones to work with.

Though I didn't buy Sherwin Williams paint they have a great visualizer on their website.

We took a uploaded a pic of the exterior of our house, outlined the major areas and got a great visualization of what it would look like (we'd play around and put dramatic purples, aquas just to laugh and see what it would look like).

I can't say it's real accurate for getting the right tone, but it should help immensely in determining the basic color.

If you love the cooking apple you might also like one
of these. Yes, Sherwin Williams has a great color visualizer (Is this even a word) along with Behr and
Benjamin Moore.

Greens may be the way to go as greens can be a gentle
transition from another gray room.
~bp

Soft Celery BM

Country Green BM

Sycamore Green Behr

Sea Drops Glidden

Hancock Green BM

Slow Green SW

Mesquite BM