As you can see, both red and blue go with cherry wood. We have cherry, mahagony and rosewood furniture. We favor decorating with lots of colors...blue, red, orange, green. Think French country fabric colors...it all goes with it. And pale green painted walls look lovely with cherry since it's a complimentary color. I don't think a cherry countertop will limit your decorating choices especially since you are doing ivory cabinets.

I don't think Cherry counters will limit your decor ideas.
Cherry wood goes with so many different colors.
What do you like? If you love Red go for it.
I have a few images of wood tops counters so you can
see the possibilities.
~boxer

thank you so much itsallaboutthefood and boxerpups!

i feel much more reassured, now.

i saw the picture you posted of your yellow kitchen with your red living room in the background. i love that! those colors make me happy. :) (hope you get it all sorted out, because i think it's a cool backsplash!)

Bias, perhaps, but I think yellow and red look really smashing with cherry:

Cherry cabs? Decorate joyfully. Everything goes well. Just keep it from being too dark after combining elements.

What do I think? All of them! Fiestaware in different colors, I think aqua would be a terrific accent, blue and red would be great. I don't think the cherry limits you at all.

O.T.
Look at the Country Living photo at top. What an object lesson!

What makes this room distinctive? It's the blue and white dishes, right? And the yaller flawers. Imagine the room without them. It's a blank canvas and the wood countertops will be the making of whatever alternate decor items are brought in. The sky's the limit in that kitchen. As for me and my house, we'd put in shiny metal. Lots and lots of old silvery metal.

Florantha totally made my point. I'd keep the main elements neutral and enjoy playing with accessories for your color.
Our kitchen is white, gray, black and chrome and our color with it is lavender. I could paint my wall and change my relatively small bs at any time (or pull a color from the bs) and add a completely new feel to it.

thanks, everyone.

really good point about keeping the main elements neutral and playing with color elsewhere.

btw, the cabinets are ivory... it's cherry countertops i'm considering.

*** does anyone think i can paint a red accent wall if it is up against the cherry countertop? in that top picture, the rusty-orange wall doesn't touch the countertop. ***

circuspeanut... i swear i fall more in love with your kitchen every time i see it. :)