Who is it that told you you cannot have different woods next to each other? I think that statement is utter rubbish. We have always mixed woods and the result is lovely. People don't have a problem mixing tile!

Try a google image search for white kitchen gray tile and you should come up with some hits.

Good luck. I am sure it will look lovely.

I've seen some nice rectangular tile in the Tau Ceramics line. They are a Spanish company and a leader in modern porcelain ceramics. Try googling Tau Ceramics and see if there is anything you like there. We just ordered 18x18'' Tau tile called Napa Pardo - but it is a brown/gray tile and you are looking for a true gray. I think they have a color called gris which is gray.

Njmomesq,

I agree with Sabjimata, I love her words
"Utter rubbish."

But, I can guess that it could have been someone at GW.
Because I have two different stains on my oak floors. I
had someone GW tell me how ugly it looks. At first I was a
little shaken but I realize they do not live in my space
and if we all liked the same thing life would be boring.

In my home my kitchen has a dark dark stain on the oak
floors. This opens up to the family room. The family room
has a light stain on the oak. We were going to have the
entire space stained to the dark color but my DH loves the
two tones next to each other.

My kitchen is as you describe: White cabs, dark
oak floors, dark grey/black counters, I chose a light
soft pale white tinted green for the walls, and I
love the dark floors. I personally love the contrast of
dark floors and white cabinets it is beautiful.

Get what you want. You will love it.
~boxer

We went with a dark gray 12 x 24 tile in our white kitchen with dark gray countertops as well. It's hard to get a good picture showing all together.

Close up of the tile, from the powder room:

Here's one from a wider angle:

I have to say I love wood floors, especially in a kitchen, but I was just too afraid of potential damage from water. Best of luck in your decisions.

Oh, the animala! That is such a beautiful floor (especially the detail work in the bathroom). What is it?

njmomesq,

I have the same vision as you and the same problems! Small kitchen with '50s vinyl tile and the rest of the house has light hardwood floors. Would love dark hard wood floors in kitchen but since the room in open to the dining room with light floors, I was told it would look weird. Boxerpups, I would love to see where your two woods meet or anyone else who has two different wood floor that touch.

Also as mentioned, don't worry about what you "should" or "shouldn't" do. The real question is, will it bother YOU to have two different wood floors right next to each other? Would you be happier with tile or with the wood floor you're dreaming of? Do what works for you. Personally, I think the two different woods might bother me (to live with, not in someone else's home), but you're the one living there, not me. There is nothing inherently "wrong" with mixing woods. If it does bother you, have you also considered the option of replacing the wood floor in the dining room with the wood you want to keep it consistent with the kitchen?

Find Kitchenkelly's pictures. I think that's white with a nice slate floor.

I have grey linoleum and white cabinets and it's covered with toys so no pictures. I prefer wood or linoleum in a kitchen because things bounce and only break half the drops. (I really liked the vinyl I had from a functional standpoint but couldn't find any I liked seeing enough to buy myself.)

Different woods look good together--just make them different enough so that there's no mistaking you did it on purpose.

Who cares about the two woods? Make a great transition/threshold and you're set. Splurge on a patterned inlay? Or a big board that is different from the widths on each side of it? Or a pattern made up of two woods that relate to each side?

Yes, utter rubbish does have a lovely assonant ring to it.

Thanks for all the responses!

Theanimala: That tile is beautiful...where is the powder room tile from?

I suppose that mixing woods could work but I tend to think it wouldn't in my layout. The oak hardwood in the DR flows into the LR. It is very vintage and I think it would look strange next to a more modern dark wood, especially since we will have a wide entry way b/w DR and kitchen.

Thank you. The tile is Ceramiche Piemme by Valentino from Italy. The color is Fashion Coffee and it is a 12 x 24 inch rectified porcelain tile that we purchased from a local tile store. The manufacturers website is: http://www.ceramichepiemme.it

Theanimala--always loved your kitchen choices but never saw that detail pic of the fancy tile before. Love it! Love that your kitchen somehow keeps getting better! Hope you are enjoying it and your punches of red.

I apologize,
I am a total zipper head. I think it must be the heat.
I was reading about someone else's post on wood floors
and dirt. So of course I got on my high horse to blab away
about wood floors and dirt. I re-read this link and
realize you were talking about tile and options of two
different wood types.
Duh. Forgive me. I think gray tiles will look splendid.
And if you want to do two different woods that will look
lovely too.
~boxer

Here are white kitchens with tile floors...
If you take a black magic marker or a photo shop trick
you can pretend the counters are black to get a feel
for how great it will look.

Small bones large full width island

PHO July 21 09

Encinatas kitchen reno ba wothing in

Bilearls

Capecodmakeover.blog

Oh here are my two woods.

This is an old picture, the rug changed, the colors
are different... and the image is terribly blurry. I promise
after work to post some better images of the a tidy
home and better decorated.

And this image is old too as you can see I took this
one when the table was in this room. Oh my house is
a crazy undecorated disaster. Thanks heavens for GW.
My two floors. This was the image someone on the decor
forum said looked terrible. They were not trying to be
mean just honest. And funny but I like it. I guess my
taste is UTTER RUBBISH.