Why You Never Want To Paint Your Furniture Red, According To A Pro

Painting your furniture your favorite hue is a great way to make your space feel like your own. However, if you're wanting to create a real sanctuary — or think you may want to sell your home at some point — some colors are best avoided. Red is one of them.

The color red can no doubt inject some warmth or boldness into your living space. Plus, unlike committing to painting walls, adding the color to furniture, like tables or cabinets, can be a relatively easy undertaking. That being said, it does come with some risk. For starters, if you think there's a chance you'll sell in a few years, it's worth noting that most real estate experts recommend staging a home with neutral finishings. Even if the walls themselves are neutral, a jarring red cabinet may be the only thing potential buyers remember — and if they're not quite as enamored with the shade, it probably won't be a great memory. 

Yet, even if you aren't thinking of putting your home on the market, there are some things to keep in mind before painting your furniture red. In fact, doing so could have a bigger impact on your mental health than you may think. So, why is red not a great choice for your furniture? Let's find out from the pros. 

On top of creating a space that looks too personalized (a big no-no for anyone considering selling their home), one of the major drawbacks of red furniture is that it can get overwhelming, fast. In fact, speaking to Apartment Therapy, Reno real estate agent David Tully explained that painter's remorse could hit in a matter of days. His reasoning? On top of its subjectiveness, too much red in a room can feel overpowering — particularly when there isn't natural light to cut through it. 

That sense of overwhelm shouldn't be downplayed. There's science behind it, proving that it can have a negative impact on mental health. As noted by WebMD, being exposed to too much red can add to existing anxiety, or cause people to ruminate on all the negative things they're dealing with. What's more, as color psychologist Karen Haller told Homes & Gardens, the same is true even for people who love the color. "The most stressful color for you is entirely personal ... However, we respond to red in a more physical way — it can raise our pulse rate and put us into fight or flight mode," she told the outlet. 

Feeling overwhelmed in your home is not good, so painting your furniture red — even if it's your favorite color — is best avoided. However, for the crimson-loving homeowners, there are ways to incorporate it in your home without going completely cold turkey. Enter, the alternative.

Going all out with red tables, chairs, cabinets, and more might not be a good idea, but that's not to say the color has to be avoided altogether. In fact, while David Tully cautioned against too much red, he's not opposed to it being used in more subtle and creative ways. Start off with something that can be easily removed, like a decorative pillow. Other options when going this route could include vases, tablecloths, or even decorative bowls. 

If you still can't get the thought of red furniture out of your mind, there is also the option of adding red knobs to neutral furniture pieces. As a bonus, these are typically inexpensive, and can be sourced pretty easily. Amazon, for one, offers a number of red knob sets for less than $20. Or, you can go the DIY route and paint the knobs yourself. These pieces of personalization will scratch your itch for red, while still being easy to remove if needed.