Materials and finishes in a kitchen and bath, generally, do not have to match.

No. Only if you want them to. :) For our remodel -- the kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and a powder room, we used different flooring, tiles, faucets, counter tops, etc. just because there are many good choices out there, and we could not fit all the good choices into one room! So we spread them out. :)

It is a lot more fun and interesting to give each area its own look, feel and character. The powder bath in particular should stand out and be treated as a special area. But overall the different looks and approaches have to flow and jive with each other. You don't want to do a french country bathroom with a mid century minimalist kitchen or so. But combining various colors and materials that have somewhat of a common thread - by all means!

I like a little variety in the finishes of cabinets, tile and counter tops. Keeps me thinking!

thanks for the help