Picture =s bottom left is the granite to go on top of the white cabinets. To the right of the cabinet sample is the white/grey tile that is supposed to go on the floor. I really need your help rethinking this mess. Dark grey (almost black) will be the counter top on the white island. The tiny piece of lighter grey is the composite sink. UGG--Help!

great idea. The floor and the counter top look like non identical twins to me. Are they fighting each other? would the dark wood look floors be better? The Bamboo looking piece goes in the bathroom (not the kitchen).

Hi. When you have your cabinets in there and all the details of greyed edges, you might think that less is more...so I think your hunch is right. That tiny square [that you're not considering] above cab seems toasty and not yellow? and a tone that's in the counter.... what about that for floor...will you post the greyish tiles?

The tiny square is the composite sink. The greyish wood-like tiles I was considering are in this pic from a hotel I stayed in recently

Does this become too country for the contemporary look I like? Be sure to scroll over the pic to see more of the wood/tile

We used this grey wood look tile in a recent reno ... Pretty contemporary look with dark toned European slab cabinet doors. This seems to be much more grey than your hotel bathroom example though. This was in a building that used to be a hotel ... The countertops were kept fuss free so as not to compete with the detail in the floor but also as it wasn't a big space.
Anyways just throwing this out there as you mentioned grey wood look porcelain tile.

I think so - did it look scraped/distressed? If you didn't use the counters probably ok.

I love this floor especially with the dark cabinets. Do you think it would look good with the white cabinets?

Instead of dark cabinets and light counters you are going with light cabinets and dark counters ... In short. So yes I think the grey wood look porcelain floor could work as it's still a mid tone between the two. As long as they are in a similar pallet and the countertop isn't too busy looking.

I loved the barn board look of the hotel bathroom tile you posted ... But as you say unless you combine that with a really contemporary cabinet door style it may look a bit cottage ;-) Personally I live the mix of a really rustic looking floor with a modern cabinet style or vice versa. That's what I'd doing my own home but doesn't mean I'm right ... You have to love it.

Excuse the iPhone corrective text typos ;-)

The problem is my counter tops are light too. That's what bothers me especially w the light floors. I think I am beginning to love the combo of the rustic floor and the contemporary cabinets.

I think the problem with what you've chosen is the floor tile. Your instinct is right that it's fighting with the counter. If you can find a shade in the wood-look tile that's gray rather than gray-brown, I think you'll be happier with it. I love the samples shown, but you need to see them next to your other materials, and in your home's lighting.

I am feeling better about heading this direction. Thanks for helping bring clarity to my less than stellar selections. Is the wood-look floor tile going to be a trend that fades next year? I need something rather timeless since it will be a long time before I can redo anything.

I can only speak for here in BC ... More and more of the tile options available are the wood look. It makes a lot of sense for certain applications (kitchens and bathrooms) and given hardwood floors have been around for 100's of years I do not see it going anywhere anytime soon.

Good Point--Thanks

I like all your choices except the floor. Don't understand why wood where you live won't work. I like the little bit of yellow/mustard in your granite. This gives you direction with your accent color for the room in small doses. Yellow and grey go great together and yellow is supposed to repel insects. Good luck!

Love your doors and your floor tile. Personally I would never do a composite sink. You are right the granite is not working with the floors. so choose one of them. I would go for a granite or a recycled quartz such as cambria, milestone or caesarstone in a white/grey with no beige/mustard/yellow in it. If your cabinets in the island are the same I would keep the same countertop unless you do a butcher block. otherwise is too busy. If you do a black or grey island, maybe it would make sense to have 2 countertops

You may want to browse a lot more houzz kitchens and save to your idea book when you love something. I am a little nervous because you said you are going for a contemporary look and your cabinets, floor and counter are not really contemporary. The photo you like that was posted with the wood is, but seems to be a whole new direction. So I think you need to be sure you know what your style and vision is before you make any final decisions.

When in doubt always go lighter! You'll be OK. Sounds like you've made some really good choices so far. Rememberou can always jazz things up with a few well chosen accesories

Hmmmmm---I think I am having problems figuring out my style. I am stuck with the cabinets but everything else is up for grabs. What would make it more contemporary?

Unless your kitchen is very large I would keep only one type of granite for the counter tops. It will make it look larger and more uniform and more modern. Use contemporary pulls that are sleek and sleek accessories and you will be fine. This way it is easy to change things up since you are starting with a traditional cabinet.

I love it all except the granite. The rest all works REALLY well! I'd change the granite for either white or black. More plain, less busy. Maybe even white quartz. Mmm...That sounds pretty!

I like the white quartz (or a light grey) idea better for the existing cabinets. I think the current floor tiles work but I think a wood look would as well (what's In the rest of the house?). Just do a simple monochromatic backsplash (is that medallion in the top of the photo supposed to go anywhere?).
http://houzz.com/photos/49432

Hi Kcroy.. I redid a kitchen in a condo last year and am about to redo my kitchen at home. Since I lean towards contemporary, my suggestion would be to pick a countertop that is not "busy" and possibly fight the floor. We, normal people, don't change floors or countertops very often (if ever) so I feel that a more calm floor and/or countertop will not make me crazy after 10, 15 or 20 years. I picked Silestone Quartz, Lyra design, which looks like marble with a white background and shades of grey in it. I used it on the wall behind the stove hood as well. I LOVE it!! I am going to use it in my house. Please let us know what you decide

Great ideas--you all are helping me sooooo much. Keep those great thoughts coming.

The medallion is in the hallway--not the kitchen. I love having a simple white countertop--that is what I have in my current condo BUT I don't think that works with white cabinets. THe rest of the house has a grey tone carpet in the bedrooms and office area only.

Why not do the island material everywhere (or if that's too dark choose something a bit lighter for the whole kitchen).

I should have posted a photo of the Silestone. Is this too white for you?

I like this--do you think it will be too white with the white cabinets? Do you have white cabinets with this?

I love the gray wood plank porcelain tile that Advent Home Solutions posted. Really love that. I like your cabinets, too. I think the two would go really well-- just looking at the pictures. To ground the whole thing, I'd go for a dark countertop (like blue/black soapstone), which I'd also use for the island top. With the soapstone, you could wax it periodically to keep it black, or not wax and let it go a deep charcoal gray. We have soapstone (bought from the quarry in VA) countertops and love it. I'd eliminate the composite sink and replace with stainless or porcelain. I find those composite sinks very fake looking, though I'm sure maintenance-free.

I have dark grey cabinets. I love my kitchen! Please excuse the mess. I just took a casserole out of the oven :)

Love the gray "wood look" floor tile that Advent Home Solutions suggested. Can you give us more information about it Advent? Manufacturer? Kcroy, How much wall space will show in the kitchen? Can you draw us a floor plan? If you want light and bright, you could go with white marble that has gray veining (NEVER goes out of style) and paint the walls (if not much is showing) a little darker gray. If you want to go more contemporary, you could use gray glass subway tile as a backsplash. I have seen it done beautifully! I guess it depends on how contemporary you want to go. The cabinet door style seems very traditional to me. I would go with silver more contemporary hardware. That will help it to go a little more transitional rather than so traditional. If you don't like the marble or white quartz, I do love the soapstone suggestion (lots of contrast there). Also the composite sink will not look good. I would go with under mounted stainless, since the appliances are stainless.

Overall it looks very nice. It think you may need to reconsider that the granite will fight with the floor. Typically you want one focal point. Either the granite or the floor, or your backsplash. Everything else should blend and not compete for your attention. If you get a lot of sun in your kitchen your cabinets may give your kitchen too much white. If your kitchen gets little outdoor light, then they will definitely brighten up the room. Reconsider getting two elements that are so busy. They are beautiful, but compete.

Thank you for my laugh of the day! We get scared spitless when we know we will have to live with something for a loooong time. With that in mind, I agree with Gayle, consider choosing a calm floor and countertop. Your cabinets will look busy (they look great, BTW). Your backsplash is a better place to add style, design, color, etc. as it can more easily and economically be changed.

Agree with advice to pick one busy and one quiet surface so that they don't fight. One or the other might do well with a medium gray -- I like the idea of wood look, but the one you posted was too busy. Maybe something where the variation is less or the grain more subtle. Alternatively, look for a counter material that stands apart from the cabinets a bit more (greyish, say), and then keep the original flooring idea.

Good luck! Don't let yourself get overwhelmed -- I'm sure you'll love your new kitchen!

Kcroy1,

I just put white ice granite in my new kitchen. I love the yellow spots and asked them to cut the slab to maximize them. However, you really can't tell that they are there. They don't show up. Nobody but me would ever notice them. But they still make me happy when I do catch a glimpse.

Furthermore, the gray in white ice is actually very blue (at least in my slab). I chose it so that it would match my slate blue island, and it does. Maybe it wouldn't read so blue on your cabinets, but maybe you don't want to take the risk.

Even though I love my granite, maybe that is the element you want to change.

I love the cabinet color and style - very nice. The granite is nice but the particular sample does seem to have too much yellow - you can probably find some slabs without the yellow. I like your idea of going with grey wood look porcelain planks. That would look really nice

Here are some pics. Not sure how well you can see.

I would keep the counter top, use the gray tile Advent suggested and totally forget the composite sink in gray. My son has one and it just always looks dirt and terrible water spots. You'll be a slave to cleaning it. Go white or stainless on the sink

Everything sounds good. But, maybe try a gray laminate on floors. Just break up so much stone.