a few more pictures

Dark wood floors are beautiful, but they show everything. As a result, they can be hard to keep looking clean.

I think if you darken your floor, you will like the cabinets much better. I think the floors & the cabinets are fighting each other.

thanks, Tonia. I am just concerned that the cabinets would look funny with the darker floor (darker than the cabinets). Honestly the cabinets don't bother me too much as they are...the floor does (its just too red) and I really like darker floors. So if I went dark on the floors and added some sort of backsplash, could I keep the cabinets as they are?

completely agree Felix...they are nice but it is just too much...

I think maybe the best plan is to start with staining the floor (has anyone had success doing Brazilian Cherry dark? I'd love to see some pictures) and then make a determination on the cabinets later. With that combo...what kind of backsplash would work well?

These cabinets are beautiful and would be ruined by painting, but that is my opinion and I am partial to the rich look and finer grain of cherry wood. I agree that the floors maybe are making it "too much" but would probably be a fortune and a shame to replace. Can you break it up with Rugs? Or maybe just replace it in kitchen portion. I think a nice porcelain or slate would look beautiful and contrast nicely.

I would keep the floors as they are, simply because it would be a huge task to change them. Why not revamp the kitchen so that it complements the floor. At the moment the floor and the kitchen are both screaming for attention. I would scandi it all up a bit. Remove most of the upper cupboards in the kitchen (apart from the one around the fridge) and paint (yes paint) over the rest. Perhaps a calming grey/olive/stone colour. Or.. rip out the units (sell them) and put in a white gloss one.

I wouldn't change your floor either, I think they are gorgeous. I would just change backsplash and paint color to tie everything in together more.

http://houzz.com/photos/1156887

http://houzz.com/photos/2011989

Sorry, I don't know how to copy more than one link at a time! Lol http://houzz.com/photos/41136

http://houzz.com/photos/620370

thanks, Tonia. These are helpful

http://houzz.com/photos/798932

http://houzz.com/photos/2509276

I'll leave u alone now! Lol! I just wanted to show u a variety of cherry cabinets with either cherry or red tone floor, and different color schemes in case you decide to keep both. Good luck!

I think that getting the color of the floor farther from the color of the cabinets will make a big difference, as will (a) a backsplash (probably something light in this dark context) and (b) new more modern pulls. Start with those things and then decide -- if it's still not there, then painting can be a last resort. I'm a big paint advocate, especially going light for visual space, but these cabinets seem too nice to cover up.

I love your cabinets and would hate to see them covered up. But a little white accent paint like the range hood or an island seems to really brighten the room. And the backsplash brings beautiful shades of color that would tie all the components together! You have a lovely room , and now get to personalized it to suit your tastes !

You have a great plan. Painted cabinets are very common and have been used in American kitchens since the dawn of time (not really). Many jobs being installed today are white shaker cabinets.

Since your cabinets are most likely not real Cherry wood, yes they look like Maple wood, it is no great loss to paint them. The Cherry stain on the cabinet doors is most likely not a stain. Maple does not accept stain well which requires the cabinets be sprayed with a colored top coat. To test this we suggest you find a nice hidden spot, take a knife and scrape the surface. You will see wonderful golden Maple wood shining through. Then you are free to paint away!!!

The dark floor can be wonderfully beautiful but will show every crumb and pet hair, dust and water/oil streaks, anything on the floor at all. Buy a Swiffer and enjoy the exercise.

What is with the dark counter tops. 9 pictures in this post and all the counters are dark.

This is a true Cherry wood cabinet with stain and top coat. The counter tops are not dark but a customer selected custom granite top. If your cabinets looked like these you would be hearing a little different advise from us.

Here is a dark floor. See the nice hand scraped finish - and the dust. Everywhere!

Your existing floor has a great variation from one board to the next. Re staining the floor will equalize color across the entire floor.

The recommendation from this Contractor - Paint the cabinets. The dark counter top will be a distinguishing feature in the kitchen and the floors are beautiful. If you do stain them please consider a lighter color. Remove the 4" back splash from the stove wall over to the fridge and replace with a tile that you Love!

Best wishes

Great, this is all very helpful. So as a next step, I am going to go see if it is actually maple and not Cherry...if it is...I won't feel as bad painting over them. All of these comments have certainly given me a lot to think about!

Wow. You are so lucky to have beautiful cherry cabinets (expensive). Leave those alone. It would be a crime to paint over them. I agree with another comment to place some very light colored, plain area rugs around and see if that tones down the floor. At least it is not too expensive and temporary if you don't like the effect.

@construction guaranteed - I'm curious as to why you don't think they are cherry? To me, the picture you show look less like cherry than the OP? Also, "why all the dark counters with the cherry?" - because they look great together! :-)

I think you should live with things as they are for at least six months before you change anything. Only thing I would do now is start looking at back splash materials. Whoever said dark floors show everything wasn't lying, my friend had them put in and they needed to be cleaned continually. She said she'd never do it again. Give yourself some time to learn to love what you have. I think it is beautiful.

I wouldn't paint the cherry cabinets white, they appear to be in great shape. However I did live with Brazilian cherry floors before and I was also not crazy about them. So redoing the floor I support!

I wouldn't paint the cherry cabinets white, they appear to be in great shape. However I did live with Brazilian cherry floors before and I was also not crazy about them. So redoing the floor I support!

I agree with Tonia Tussey, this is a very desirable expensive look that not a lot of people can afford. I would work with it by changing paint and backsplash and possibly doing a border on hardwood flooring.

i would not paint the cabinets, but i would change the handles to brushed nickel or something other than white. i would lighten the floors. it is beautiful.

Lynda- Good question. Why are these cabinets suspect to not be Cherry.

First clue-A recently sold condo with new cabinets. It is highly unlikely that someone in a condo is going to spend the money on Cherry wood cabinets for a unit they are about to sell. A common statement from a client is "We are not planning to live here forever ...So we don't want to invest in expensive cabinets." If someone does put in actual Cherry wood is is also not the first choice to go with Shaker style doors. Tonia above uploaded several raised panel quality cabinet images and a quality double shaker "inset" style cabinet images.

What is very common is to remodel a condo with imported Maple cabinets with a Cherry top coat. It is simple to determine by checking the top coat as described above. We may be wrong and it wouldn't be the first time.

Here is an image of "Cherry" cabinets that are really Maple cabinets with the Cherry color sprayed on.

Dark counters do indeed look good. It was surprising to see only dark counter tops represented.

Best wishes on your project.

CG- your reasoning on why these may not be cherry cabinets makes no sense! The OP does not say this was a kitchen that was remodeled to sell, you are just assuming. Take a look at the pictures again. Those are very high end appliances and the fit and finishes of the kitchen are impeccable. By your reasoning, the kitchen should have basic appliances and laminate flooring. This condo is not a run of the mill unit, so I suspect those cabinets are indeed cherry.

I still haven't had a chance to get into the unit since this debate started, so I am still not sure if they are Cherry or Maple...but will let you all know when I find out.

What I do know is that the kitchen is original to the construction (9 years ago).

Indeed the appliances are top notch.

Instead of painting your cabinets white, try painting them a soft gray. It will give you a somewhat white look but warmer.

HI -- I am cringing now at what you want to do with this space . The floors are beautiful and will probably have area rugs on them , so I think having dark floors is not a good idea . The cabinets are probably maple with a cherry stain and again are beautiful and painting would be a shame in this case . I think if the first thing you did was to just do the backsplash (re-moving 4 inch piece ) and all the wall behind and around the cabinets in a glossy black tile , this would make the cabinets look even more beautiful .

CG, I only uploaded dark countertops because the OPs countertops are black and look like nice granite, and didn't mention they wanted them replaced.

What did you end up doing? I have a similar kitchen.

I had the same dilemma with a house we purchased a year ago....too much Cherry
Color between cabinets and floors. Since my floors are originally red oak and stained Cherry, I had them stripped and sanded to a natural state, then had two coats of natural sealer put over them with a mat (flat) top coat. What a difference. Both the cabinets and floors now have a distinct personality. Will try and upload pictures.

Hi my opinion....

to be honest I don't like the red floors - but they look like good quality

Maybe hire an expert to refinish floors - all depends on budget too