I think it's going to boil down to what you like and what fits in with your space best. I think neutral colors would be most likely to prevent a headache, but I would say unless you pick a color that you absolutely cannot stand you should be fine. Some new draw pulls/accessories/art around the desk would also make a big difference to how you see the space.

My own desk is medium brown and over 100 years old. The inside of the draws has writing in it from my grandma, dad and me from when we were each teenagers. This wouldn't work for someone who wanted to focus in on streamline or a more simplistic design, so desk space just comes down to personal preference.

Red is one of the colors that is supposed to represent power and motivate people towards action so I say if your love a deep red and are looking to get more use out of the desk... GO FOR IT! The psychology of color is on your side.

Funny; when I read this post, my first thought was BLUE. I also did a Google search on colors and many post came up with BLUE & GREEN as calming and productive colors so I think you are on the right track. RED is stated as being an ANGRY color and best NOT to use in a work space.
I agree W/ZELDA on adding some drawer pulls. I would stay away from any design/patterns on the desk.

Red is a POWER COLOR but only if you are WEARING it.

Yes ONE of the associations is anger, power but also passion, love, hunger, out blood line, the literal color of energy.

I'm not pushing for anyone to paint your desk of any particular color but I am saying that all colors have a multitude of associations and will have a different impact depending on the room. If the room is otherwise colorless almost ANY strong color will draw your attention and activate the space. C'mon people, don't hate on red.

Psychology of Color: Red
If you want to draw attention, use red. It is often where the eye looks first. Red is the color of energy. It's associated with movement and excitement. People surrounded by red find their heart beating a little faster and often report feeling a bit out of breath. It's absolute the wrong color for a baby's room but perfect to get people excited. Wearing red clothes will make you appear a bit heavier and certainly more noticeable. (Some studies show red cars get more tickets but that maybe because the red car owners drive faster or the ticket giver notices the movement of the red car more prominently). Red is not a good color to over use but using a spot of red in just the right place is smart in some cases (one red accent in a otherwise neutral room draws the eye; a red tie with a navy blue suit and white shirts adds just the right amount of energy to draw the eye (no wonder it's the "uniform of the day" at the seats of government). Red is the symbol of life (red blooded life!) and, for this reason, it's the color worn by brides in China. Red is used at holidays that are about love and giving (red roses, Valentines hearts, Christmas, etc.) but the true color of love is pink. Pink is the most calming of all colors -- often our most dangerous criminals are housed in pink cells as studies show that color drains the energy and calms aggression. Think of pink as the color of romance, love, and gentle feelings, to be in the pink is to be soothed.

from: http://www.precisionintermedia.com/color.html

Red as described in color psychology is a lot different than dark red. Burgundy is more calming than fire engine red. In fact, most desk blotters are burgundy and most traditional office chairs are burgundy leather.

http://www.odeecompany.net/promotional-products/promo-burgundy-leather-desk-set.php

I had to comment because I have the exact same desk!
Same here: I've had it for ten years or so and never really liked it.
So last year, I stained the wood chestnut brown and chose a creamy white to paint the door and drawers. It looks so much better now and everyone asks me about it.
Wood stain is a nice option if you think your desk looks bland (well, it is) but you're not sure you want to commit to a bold color. Staining is more trouble than painting though.
I also thought about drawer pulls but I believe they would look out of place with the "built-in handles" that are already there (they are hard to see in the photo). On white panels, they look like a design choice instead of a strictly practical one and they make more sense somehow.
I am happy about my desk now so I am sure you will find a way to love yours too!

I think the colour of your desk should match the decoration of your room... I can only see the wall paper of your room ... and for that reason my suggestion would be yellow, light, or strong...

I'm wondering, the front of the drawers and door are black now, is it chalk paint? If not, what a fun idea. A desk you can literally write on.

Red is vibrant and happy but is also the color of blood, so that's out. Blue is serene and calming but indicates emotional withdrawal, so that's out. Yellow is sunny but neurotic. Orange is warm but manic. Green is natural but fraught with the stench of moldering decay. Purple is regal but paranoid. White is clean and simple but sterile. Black is classic but dull. Pink is saucy but fickle. Chartreuse is vivacious but unflattering. Mauve is flattering but unvivacious. Puce is majestic but fleabitten. Jade is elegant but murderous. Magenta is this but that. Teal is pulchritudinous and eleemonsynary but vainglorious and vespertilian. Brown is nice. Paint it brown.

If you really like the colours, why not go for it. If you were to find the right colours that worked together, put the more neutral, calming colour on a majority of the desk and only paint the drawers something bright and vibrant. When you're working at the desk you're looking mostly at the top and not at the drawers.

Or leave the wood top alone and paint the rest of the desk one of the colours you like. That way the top remains neutral and wont give you a headache but you get the colour you want. The unpainted + painted (Wood + a colour) usually is a nice combination. Plus then you wouldn't have to worry about scratching the paint on the top.