You may want to consider what colors are you using in the rest of you home and tie the some of your kitchen colors in with them. If you stick with the sage green, and if it ties in with the rest of your home, you could consider some shade of gold that works with your green. That would make your black granite pop and still work with your green. Another color that could work is a poppy red. In choosing your wall color, a helpful trick is to buy a small amount of paint, paint several coats on a large piece of poster board then tack it up in your kitchen and live with it a few days to see how you like it before you paint the whole kitchen. Have fun.

What do you think about Jamie Beckwith Collection? Here some examples (there are different color options):

Since you have the great wall of color in the hall, pick a gold that will go with that wall and the sage green color you like for cabinets. It looked like there was gold color in the tulip picture that you could play off of. If you do not want something really bright, you could use that gold color but a paler shade. I think this would be beautiful with your current color scheme.

Did help come?

i would do a black floor - large tiles, layed in subway pattern - glossy marble would be nice or porclein. get expert help re paint colour - that is important

You put a concrete overlay over your existing floor if in good condition and can create any pattern you want. It could look like a carpet, maybe even a pattern that is tru to the period of the house. There are many companies that make product and lots of contractors that could do it. I would look for a faux finisher/decorative painter in your area. Check out the gallery at www.skimstone.com. If you like this idea let me know and I can help you find someone in your area.

My apologies to Mr. Baker. I believe I misunderstood his comments. I had a long day yesterday. Please come back.

Update: my wife and I are homing in on SW 6455 "Fleeting Green" for cabinets.

Looked at linoleum today at store and salesman said this product is a nightmare. Wax on, wax off. Heels do damage. I've never heard anyone else say anything negative about this product. Was he pulling my chain? It does still appear dated with the splotchiness though.

I looked into Forbo today at store. It was only click-it tile with mdf core. I know too well what happens mdf when it gets wet. Did not seem to be a good idea in our household. The store only carried this, no sheets or glue down Forbo. I dislike floating floors. Always feels like installation went poorly when walking upon.

You could put down wood and paint it with a pattern or create a marquetry design

Check out this Karndean Flooring...Designer Cythina-Taylor-Luce recommended this flooring. Not the vinyl of yesteryear...
http://www.karndean.com/en/floors.aspx?link=hft

i'm not a designer but
what about the floor tiles that replicate linoleum? like these
http://retrorenovation.com/2010/01/22/30patterns-for-vinyl-floor-tiles-from-1955/
or marmoleum?
http://www.forboflooringna.com/Residential-Flooring/Products/Marmoleum-sheet-tile/Marmoleum-Dual-Tile/
please don't cry

Nice green -- beats sage.

I think a wood floor would be nice with that color scheme...maybe just varing colors of wood..exampe E Klo above post in Hampton Style Kitchen.

Sure u want wood? We had oak in our kitchen....beautiful for a few years but now looks like somebody's pocket marked face. Fridge leaked... Ruined floor...dishwasher leaked, dropped knives etc. the wear really shows. And then the food bits that get trapped between the swollen planks= no fun. There are some very convincing ceramic tiles that really look like wood planks. Paint your cabinets cream. A light ivory beige marble floor and backsplash.

I would choose marmoleum. It comes in sheets which are best installed by professionals but the pattern choices are unlimited. It also comes in floating click together tiles or glue down tiles. We installed the glue down in a bath and did a custom diagonal two tone pattern and I loved that floor. The big thing with it is it changes color a little over time, and it needs to be cleaned properly with non abrasive and proper cleaning agents, but it is so beautiful, soft underfoot but is used commercially so it is very sturdy, and it is a really green product. There is Forbo brand marmoleum and Armstrong makes a version too. Good luck and hope this helps! Post photos!

Sage green was most popular 6-8 years ago. Greys are the trendy colors now. I really like both. but if you wanted to know what was hot right now the answer is grey. Grey with yellow - also in. As far as the flooring goes it is most important to coordinate colors that go together. Not pick them independently of each other.

Of course the most important thing in a kitchen is the best layout, which most homeowners think is obvious, and almost never is.

How about terazzo?
or stained concrete?
:-)

I love that you are fearless with vertical red colour, as seen on your entry walls and your dining room chair rail trim. Why not do some red in a horizontal fashion, as in a red lino floor? It might be a crazy idea, but it comes on a roll, so no tile size installation.
Here a few photos:These seem to have a marble effect.
I would leave your cabinets white then and perhaps streamline the kitchen utensils and accessories a bit.
Other options would be a leather floor (Torlys.com), is recycled and very durable, but only comes in darker colours with different textures. This company also makes cork flooring.
I would stay with the traditional/ exciting vibe of the house and forgo the bland options! Best of luck!

Ooo, I'm sorry I brought up oak floor -- I just meant something light rather than something dark, but oak would be terrible in a kitchen. It turns black if it gets wet, etc., though I'm sure you could find a serious sealer... But swewer's experience above sounds ominous. Spar varnish? A bar top seal?

Damn I am going to cry to if it means I will get this many responses.................lol

Do a stained polished concrete overlay !!!!

I had wood in my kitchen for 15 years and had no problems with it..in the process of a new house build and putting in wood again. Lots of great reponses on your post..now so many to ideas to get inspiration from!

Saw an episode of Sarah Richardson's design show where they did a black and white narrow, long kitchen -- used yellow accent color for the lounge area at one end...they used striped black/white engineered wood floor (I believe) vs true wood...in a pattern that use 3 or 4 board widths of one color...

Also saw show where they redid a basement laundry room and used flexible rubber commercial flooring in blue--sort of light turquoise/teal---hard to tell because color values vary so much in programs like this...
I thought the tile was mistake because pattern was raised--small circles higher than base of sheeting...
would be pain to try to vacuum or mop IMO--but it was flexible which they needed because floor sloped to center drain (basement)...
The color had great impact though and would be very comfortable to walk on...so that would meet two of your objective:
color and comfort--might have style w/o the raised design...

I said tile referring to the laundry flooring--might be mistake--can't state for certainty if it was large format tiles or sheet flooring--but was easy to install and flexible in nature...

Create a kitchen rug out of tile and wood. (See picture)

[houzz=][houzz=]

How about cork, it would match very well with your tones

Slate comes in more than 1 color and is durable.

This is a departure from your initial ideas, but worth considering. White cabinets (you can go traditional or super modern or even refinish the ones you have to keep it original), yellow glass tile backsplash, butcherblock countertops, and hardwood floors. Looking at your photos, there's not a lot of natural light in the kitchen, so keeping the color scheme light will improve the sense of space. Yellow, white, & hardwood will lend warmth and brightness to a dark space. If you want a pattern on the floor, look at a herringbone or patterned hardwood.

Picture below is from an Ikea magazine a few years ago, but you get the general idea.

For me this sounds very busy with black,stainless steel and green floor should be simple

The space seems rather dark to me. My instinct would be to keep one thing white- either the walls or the cabinets. A warm wood or corkboard color like the post above me would look nice. But if you're really looking for color, consider a bright tile to enliven the space. If you painted a light grey on the walls, kept the retro cabinets white and put in a kelly green tile, painted wood or stained concrete...

In my opinion, VCT looks outdated and corporate, no matter the pattern.

Like the green choice. Hate anything ordinary so kudos! If you check out some of the coordinating colors with your cabinet color, there are some khaki, deep navy and darker olive shades. I would say go nuts on cabinet and wall colors, go more neutral on floors and countertops as they are much more expensive to change if you tire of them. Like the cork idea. How about a heating element under the floors too? Please post some pics when complete!

lionnessone..... I had a designer suggest that to me once ... Is that hard to do or very expensive? To put in tile in an area of the kitchen which is surrounded by wood. I like that idea.

Wow, I'm starting to feel the love. Seems as though a little drama gets attention in this world.

To clear up a few misconceptions... 1)There is no way that we will put tile or anything hard in this kitchen in regards to the flooring. I stand on concrete all day and want to plop in a chair ASAP when I get home. 2) I want to do a pattern with two complimentary colors. These colors are to compliment all others in the room as well. I would like to have subtle colors which stay light, if possible, in a material that does not look cheap. After reviewing linoleum, I've found it does not meet this criteria. Though it does look good in some pictures, ill be sorry if I install it in my house. Do it once, do it right. 3) the window in front of the sink faces East, therefore we get direct sunlight in the morning and it is bright. After that, not so great, which is why a lighter floor would be better. Though the existing floor is light and reflective, it shows all dirt. I am shooting for a compromise with that issue.

After reviewing one really cool kitchen on Houzz, I did some research and learned the awesome pattern I was looking at was linoleum which had been welded together making it off the charts expensive. Bummer. That idea just went away. I looked into welding and learned I'd have to invest boatloads of money into the specialty equipment and have way too much time spent on my knees. Oh did I mention the learning curve? Remember, drama.

Forbo has one store in this area which only carries the click flooring. I'm half an hour from Philly! Does this make sense?

So now the thought is cork. I'm sure the folks who suggested this above are cheering. I found the color silver birch, typed that into Houzz and got to see 242 pictures of, well mostly pretty trees and a bunch of other pics that had nothing to do with cork, the product in question. Which leads me to ask one more question(s) of you, a) is this color on the warm or cool side of the spectrum? And b) would anyone suggest another color of cork to coincide with silver birch for the complimentary color I so desperately strive for?

Wow, I'm starting to feel the love. Seems as though a little drama gets attention in this world.

To clear up a few misconceptions... 1)There is no way that we will put tile or anything hard in this kitchen in regards to the flooring. I stand on concrete all day and want to plop in a chair ASAP when I get home. 2) I want to do a pattern with two complimentary colors. These colors are to compliment all others in the room as well. I would like to have subtle colors which stay light, if possible, in a material that does not look cheap. After reviewing linoleum, I've found it does not meet this criteria. Though it does look good in some pictures, ill be sorry if I install it in my house. Do it once, do it right. 3) the window in front of the sink faces East, therefore we get direct sunlight in the morning and it is bright. After that, not so great, which is why a lighter floor would be better. Though the existing floor is light and reflective, it shows all dirt. I am shooting for a compromise with that issue.

After reviewing one really cool kitchen on Houzz, I did some research and learned the awesome pattern I was looking at was linoleum which had been welded together making it off the charts expensive. Bummer. That idea just went away. I looked into welding and learned I'd have to invest boatloads of money into the specialty equipment and have way too much time spent on my knees. Oh did I mention the learning curve? Remember, drama.

Forbo has one store in this area which only carries the click flooring. I'm half an hour from Philly! Does this make sense?

So now the thought is cork. I'm sure the folks who suggested this above are cheering. I found the color silver birch, typed that into Houzz and got to see 242 pictures of, well mostly pretty trees and a bunch of other pics that had nothing to do with cork, the product in question. Which leads me to ask one more question(s) of you, a) is this color on the warm or cool side of the spectrum? And b) would anyone suggest another color of cork to coincide with silver birch for the complimentary color I so desperately strive for?

Another question for you. This kitchen is actually two rooms joined together. One being the galley kitchen and the other was the old maid's quarters (1942). There is a large opening between them, this makes the room almost appear to be one. The entire space measures 9'-4" x 25'-6" with 8' ceiling height. The kitchen is about 14' long. Would you decorate rooms differently or keep the same? Maid's room has two upholstered chairs, two floor to ceiling cabinets, one of which mostly hides a stacked washer and dryer.

The other pic shows sink/window.

I recently had Mannington Adura tiles installed in my kitchen. They are a high quality 16"x16" vinyl tile that can be grouted or non-grouted. They also have planks that look like wood in a new LocSolid installation. The tiles I chose look like marble and I get so many compliments. I have a dog and two cats and the floor is standing up really well and is easy to clean. You might investigate these, as they have a large selection of styles and colors.

I used cork flooring in a kitchen remodel of a 100 year old bungalow with refinished, original cherry floors. I was surprised at how much I loved it, as it was a budgetary choice. Never shows dirt and was springy to step on. It blended well with the adjacent wood flooring. Good luck!

I used cork flooring in a kitchen remodel of a 100 year old bungalow with refinished, original cherry floors. I was surprised at how much I loved it, as it was a budgetary choice. Never shows dirt and was springy to step on. It blended well with the adjacent wood flooring. Good luck!

Here's an interesting idea - cork/rubber tiles. Just now stumbled on this in a google search for something. Oddly enough, this particular company appears to be based in PA. The color selection seems broad but random. Looks like you could do a lot with it creatively though. Given that one of their spotlight installations is a hospital, I imagine water and serious cleaning aren't an issue.

http://www.zandur.com/crf.html

And this company appears to carry 3 different brands of rubber/cork floor.
http://www.capricork.com/

Once you find the colors of cork that you like, how about cutting each tile in the shape of jig saw pieces. Direct glue them to your subfloor as a completed puzzle. You will probably need to put a couple of coats of urethane on the entire floor to seal the seams. This will take some time but it sounds as though you will be doing the work yourself.

We just put cork flooring in our master bedroom, love it and easier on the feet than hardwood. What about bamboo? Painted my kitchen walls a very light gray, counter top is slate darker gray and have red accents, have had many compliments. You might consider putting in some glass panel inserts in the upper cabinets,that would open up the space. We have a small kitchen and like the look we got with the glass. We did do texture glass, you can see thru, but slightly blurred, so things in the cabinet don't have to be perfect. Good luck, looks like you have lots of ideas to choose from now. (:

If the two rooms almost appear as one I'd decorate them the same - it will feel bigger for both areas. Is it possible while the kitchen is being done to get another cabinet made for the washer and dryer that matches? The chairs have some classic style to them so would be nice to keep (although it's hard to see just how well they fit in that space) so maybe they could be reupholstered at some point. Also, carry the flooring (cork is sounding great!) through into that space and maybe toss the little green square or use somewhere else in the house. That will also open the space up and provide continuity which will lead to feeling bigger!

I am unfortunately a sucker for lovely shiny concrete floors...easy to clean..looks good if done correctly and hard wearing...I think to match your kitchen a soft grey or cream/white could look good...depending on what the overall kitchen will look like..first have to see the completed look

I love the sage and grey kitchens...but in the long run..if you can live with the same colour day to day ( which i think can be tiresome) a kitchen in more practical materials like wood, steel and marble would be a better choice.....although I still like the black and white kitchens..I like the clean look of a white kitchen.

Concrete floors hard on the joints/feet, look good though. Our pale grey walls seem fine, but then we have wood cabinets with glass fronts with stainless appliances. My husband talked me out of painting the cabinets, think I'm finally good with that.

Check out the following site for cork patterns - it sounds like it might be just what you're looking for! http://www.cancork.com/Cork_Glue-Down_Parquet_Tiles_forna_cancork_floor_inc.html

love love love cork, lived with it for many years and never got tired of it.

Thank you thefinerdesigner...that's lovely of you to say that about our cork tiles! Better yet, have a look at www.icorkfloor.com or www.corkfloorsales.com to view the parquet.

John, I would like to point out that we are waiting for a "Greenstone" floating floor. Our manufacturer has finally mastered the fine details of this colour and we should have this in our Canadian location within the next 8 weeks. This floor is the colour of New Zealand's famous "Greenstone" or Jade. Beautiful jades, hints of emerald, slate, etc. It is a dark floor that would look like a slab of jade. I've never seen a colour like it...which is why I've ordered it! It might just give you that hint of green that you seem to crave. Instead of sage on the cabinets, how about "jade" on the floor?

Just a thought.

Wow, I'm starting to feel the love. Seems as though a little drama gets attention in this world. This is a quote from John Seiffert..............................yep............I bet Lance Armstrong is feelin that love right now based on the drama he created by lying to the world. Sorry bad comparison. I just hate him !!

Any updates on the kitchen? I'm excited to see what you are up to. That's one of my favorite eras for homes.