Ultimately, there is no hard and fast rule for whether to choose lighter or darker wood floors in relation to cabinets. It's important to consider the specific design goals you have for your space and choose a color that fits with your overall aesthetic.
Complimentary Colors & Creating Contrast
When it comes to pairing kitchen flooring and cabinets colors, you will ultimately want to either contrast or complement the two shades. Contrasting colors will help to create visual interest and does not have to be drastic to be effective.
Mix, Don't Match!
However, as interior design experts recommend, the idea is to mix complementing materials, not match them. For example, if you're selecting hardwood flooring and want unpainted wood cabinets as well, they don't have to be the same color.
Don't Pick the Exact Same Shade
While some people assume that all the wood in a room needs to match, you're often better off finding tones and hues that contrast or complement each other. If you match the colors too closely, they can run together. It may look like the cabinets and the floor are all one big mass.
If both wood types have similar sheens and textures, they will tie together nicely. You can also get a hardwood flooring color that is the same shade and color of your cabinets. It may not be an exact match, but taking this route will make your kitchen more uniform so to speak.
' Light or dark, patterned or plain, your kitchen flooring and countertops can work in partnership, or else be beautifully different in their design. The best option will depend on the size of your room, the look of your cabinets, and the amount of light in the space.
Contrast is one of the core rules of any style or decor, so the easiest way to match furniture and floors is to go with dark furniture on light floors or light furniture on dark floors.
Bright white, off-white, soft white and cream will always be a popular choice for kitchen cabinets of every style, from ultra-modern to country cottages. The beauty of these laid-back neutrals is that they can be given a bespoke look with different worktop materials, brassware and wall colors.
Hardwood flooring is a timeless choice that can bring warmth and character to your space. Lighter-colored wood is the best floor color for white cabinets as it brightens up the space, making your kitchen feel airer and spacious.
'Typically, darker cabinets are coupled with a lighter floor color to break up the space and to prevent the kitchen from feeling too enclosed,' says Chris Dance, head designer and director at InHouse Inspired Room Design. 'With lighter cabinets, there's often a greater diversity of flooring choices. '
White and yellow tend to be the most popular colors for kitchen floors. Both colors create a light and airy ambiance in the kitchen and make the space feel more relaxed.
Neutral shades such as light brown, gray, and black are timeless classics that will look good for years to come. These hues make a great backdrop for any room in your home, so you can easily accessorize the space without worrying about the color clashing with your floors.
Go with Light Colors
Light colors are more reflective than dark colors and they will make your kitchen appear bigger as well as more open and airy. Light blues, greens, or pale yellows are other great colors to make your space look larger than life.
Choosing lighter coloured flooring to compliment your furniture can expand the perceived size of any room and can open the space right up. Think cream carpets, natural and neutral toned tiles and whitewashed wood flooring.
White is still the most popular kitchen cabinet color in 2023 and beyond. However, we are seeing a shift towards warmer and more natural tones. We cover the best colors for cabinets from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams like Simply White, Dove White, and Chantilly Lace.
Arguably, the most timeless kitchen cabinet color is white. Bright white cabinets suit a variety of beautiful kitchens, including modern, contemporary, and farmhouse styles. Brilliant whites work to give kitchens a light and airy feel, and off-white options, like the White Dove shade, provides warmth.
And while gray might be falling out of favor, white is still holding on strong—it's still the number one kitchen color with 35% of people choosing it from 2022 to 2023. Beige nabbed the third top spot with 18%, followed by blue with 6% and green with 5%.
You might think “gym floor” or the strip oak floors that graced so many homes over the last 30 years. Floors with a white finish go with almost everything. A light burlap-like color is a great choice because you still get a light floor, without installing a truly “white” floor.
The Golden Rule.
If you want one simple rule to follow, here's an easy one to remember: match delicate furniture with light woods and heavier furniture with dark woods. Light wood floors can be overpowered by heavy pieces of furniture, while dark floors can swallow up more delicate chairs and tables.
So, what flooring looks cleanest? Typically, lighter color woods show less dirt and dust. Dark floors can easily show dust, while lighter floors mask it. Similarly, matte floors show less smudges, foot and paw prints than high gloss flooring.
Quartz countertops from companies such as Caesarstone and PentalQuartz are another good option. Blackband recommends sticking with white or, if you don't like white, a neutral color, such as tan, beige or ivory. Go with a subtle pattern and low veining for a longer-lasting look.
Urban subway tiles can give the sense of opening up the most miniscule area. The thick black lines between the subway tiles give the illusion that the kitchen is bigger. If you can't afford to change your kitchen tiles, a geometric floor runner can provide the same visual effect.
Hardwood. As one of the most popular, high-value flooring materials for many homes, hardwood is a worthwhile consideration. This classic option offers the space a warm, natural feel, making it an excellent pick for varying kitchen aesthetics.