Pairing Kitchen Flooring & Cabinet Materials Just like you want to avoid matching flooring and cabinet color directly, material contrast helps produce the ultimate balanced kitchen design. Wooden cabinetry is a common fixture in many homes and thankfully, wood flooring visuals pair exceptionally well!
Darker flooring will give your kitchen a dramatic and moody flair, especially when paired with lighter cabinets. Meanwhile, lighter flooring paired with darker cabinets will also add contrast, but the space will feel much brighter and open.
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.
Dark kitchen cabinets with a light-colored countertop call for a dark-colored floor for balance; alternatively, a medium-toned floor with a dark grain to match the cabinet color will also create balance. Darker flooring works well if the cabinets and countertop have lighter tones.
According to our Standard Kitchen experts, your countertop should complement your floor and cabinets but shouldn't directly match either of them.
Example: If you have dark wood floors, lighter countertops can create a nice contrast and prevent the space from feeling too heavy. Conversely, if your flooring is light-colored, darker countertops can add depth and interest to the space.
Consider Undertones
To ensure your hardwood flooring and cabinets look harmonious, pay attention to the undertones. Woods with warm undertones, such as red or yellow, pair well with similarly warm hues, while cooler undertones like gray or blue should be paired with matching cooler colors.
Popular Color Trends for Kitchen Floors
In recent years, gray has emerged as a favorite choice for kitchen floors, valued for its versatility and modern aesthetic. Pairing gray with white cabinetry creates a fresh, contemporary look, while deeper shades can add sophistication and warmth.
For example, honey oak cabinets pair beautifully with charcoal or espresso-colored vinyl plank flooring. This combination creates a striking visual interest while maintaining a balanced look. You can even use a matte finish on the vinyl flooring to make it look more realistic.
There's nothing wrong with using the same flooring throughout your home. There's nothing wrong with using different floorings. But what you don't want to do is use two that are almost the same, but not quite.
Because of this installation process, its recommended cabinets go in before floating floors. Cabinets, especially those with heavy stone countertops, could damage your floating floors. These types of floors also shift, expand, contract and settle after installation, causing the cabinets on top of them to move.
Neutral-toned tile flooring is a safe option for kitchens with oak cabinets. Specifically, shades of brown — from a light creamy brown to a dark espresso shade — complement oak cabinetry. Lean into the earthy brown tones by incorporating shades of green into your kitchen through plants, paint or decor.
Many home experts agree that the floor color should be darker than the walls. 🌱This rule generally applies because lighter walls and a dark floor make the room seem larger. 🌱Most homeowners prefer a spacious-looking interior.
Can You Pair Dark Cabinets with Dark Floors? While it is more difficult to successfully pair dark cabinets with dark wood floors, it is possible. If you choose this route, pick a hardwood with a stain that's at least a couple of shades lighter than your cabinetry.
One of the best ways to create the illusion of a larger space is to choose light-colored flooring that can reflect natural and artificial light. Whether the flooring is tile or engineered wood, opt for a light color, such as bleached wood tones, soft whites, sandy beige, or soft grays.
The idea that hardwood floors need to exactly match your cabinets is a misconception. Instead, the goal should be to coordinate the color and style of your floors with your cabinets to create a cohesive look. Coordination involves selecting floor and cabinet colors that complement each other, rather than mirroring.
The flooring you choose to use for your maple wood kitchen heavily depends on personal preference and your kitchen design. If, however, you want to intensify the warm and homey feeling that maple wood normally brings to your home, then go with light and neutral-coloured tile in cream or beige.
Perhaps this once popular colour of the 90s never left your house, so rejoice in the comeback of décor dominated by this golden-hued wood. Honey oak, also called golden, red, blonde, or yellow oak, is regaining popularity. Homeowners are rediscovering their love for this cheerful colour.
If you enjoy lighter flooring, white oak and white maple are two of the best choices for a neutral color that won't go out of style anytime soon. If darker tones are more your type, walnut and cherry woods are both classic looks, according to Washco for Martha Stewart.
If you want a chic, durable option for your kitchen tile flooring, marble-look porcelain tiles are a top trend to watch in 2024!
Your kitchen flooring and cabinets should complement each other instead of matching each other. Whether you've opted for wood, tiles, or laminate, your flooring and cabinets should go together like salt and pepper rather than identical twins.
For your best bets, check out light maple, light cherry, cypress, beech, or potentially even a whitewashed pine. These are all especially suitable when your cabinets are honey oak, which is quite popular among oak cabinet choices.
Light wood furniture on a dark wood floor offers a striking look. The best choices usually are furniture that is just a few shades lighter in color than the floor. Too much of a contrast will leave the room feeling stark.
Classic Oak: Oak in warm tones brings a timeless elegance to any room. Its golden hues create a welcoming and inviting feel, making it a popular choice for living spaces. 2. Rich Cherry: Cherry wood flooring exudes warmth with its reddish-brown hues.