Oak kitchen... floor help!

5 years ago

Hi! We are getting new flooring in the upstairs and have chosen a wood floor through most of the upstairs; however, we are hesitating on the kitchen floors because there’s so much wood already and the floors would be darker than the cabinets. We want to lighten the space up but won’t be painting the cabinets (we like the wood cabinets, actually!). I’ve been looking at tile options but nothing seems to fit. Also considering paint color options and thinking a grey with slight purple undertones for the walls/soffit (like “London Coach”). For the record, I’m not a fan of the all-grey trend and not totally sold on the grey walls but thinking it just might work best with the cabinet color. Also planning to replace the cabinet hardware with black to coordinate with the dark grey/ beige speckle countertops.

With all this in mind, what do I do with the floors in here???

Featured Answer

JP L

5 years ago

Your kitchen and furniture look like they'd be complimented by a rustic stone floor (sort of a country cottage vibe with irregular or paver-style limestone?) or even brick (they make tile that looks like aged brick now) - or perhaps a faded terracotta (in a grey tone vs. orange). So many possibilities besides wood!

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Comments (8)

ginatay124
5 years ago
Could you post a photo of the flooring you are using upstairs, maybe take the photo with sample in your kitchen? I don’t think gray walls will work with those golden oak cabinets - maybe a creamy white?
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years ago
Are the current floors in the kitchen real wood? and do they run into any other rooms (or are you replacing with the new flooring in the downstairs as well?)

I agree that white walls would be best to show off your cabinets to their best advantage, and also lighten the space up - so would shiny silver hardware instead of black.

If the floors are real wood and confined to the kitchen/eating area, I think perhaps refinish them in a lighter finish that compliments the cabinets - maybe even unstained natural finish. They don't have to match the upstairs, just not outright brawl with whatever you put up there.
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HU-154358156
Original Author
5 years ago
The kitchen is also “upstairs” (main floor) so it would run up against the wood floors we are choosing, unless they were the same throughout. The floors you see currently aren’t real wood— they’re a shiny laminate.
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Hmm, well, you can still replace with a wood floor stained in a complimentary but lighter stain, and use a transition border between the two (that is, a piece of the flooring that runs across the doorway and is stained the same as one or even a 3rd tone); or put in luxury vinyl tile/planks in a stone or ceramic look (not wood look); or choose a lighter shade for the flooring throughout.

Dark floors do tend to show every speck of dirt, dust, and any scratches that might happen.

Sorry I don't have any other ideas, except to go ahead and repaint the kitchen first to see if that lightens things up enough. Do make sure that the floor you've chosen actually looks good with the cabinets though.

ETA: google "transition between two different wood floors" to see photos of what I mean about 2 different stains working.
HU-154358156 thanked raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
Rachel Simanski
5 years ago
I would go with a very light greige for your paint color. Look at Edgecomb Gray, Worldly Gray, Accessible Beige, Balboa Mist, Useful Gray.
User
5 years ago
Would not go with a gray paint. Not with Golden oak looking cabinets. Try something warmer, not cool.
Emily
5 years ago
In a small home it's best to run the same flooring throughout to keep the eye moving instead of breaking up the space. So provided it doesn't clash with your current cabinets I'd go with it even if it darkens the space a little. You can always lighten up the flooring with a sisal rug or something to that effect. For the walls I'd go with a creamy white since you have the white appliances and white backsplash.