Leon Murphy
During the process of your new revamp, a plethora of questions you never even considered are guaranteed to spring up, and one of those is the whether your kitchen floor should be lighter or darker than your cabinets. We all know the impact color can bring to the home, but that includes shades other than those on the walls - your furniture and flooring play key roles too. Your kitchen cabinets and flooring should work in harmony to tie together a cohesive feel in this functional spaces.
From the size of your space to the amount of natural lighting it receives, there are a whole host of factors that should inform your choices when it comes to deciding on lighter or darker flooring in a modern kitchen. She regularly shares color stories with readers to help them keep up-to-date with ever-changing trends that promise to add personality into the home. For this piece, she ask a number of kitchen design experts whether floors should be darker or lighter than the cabinets.
This doesn't necessarily mean a monochromatic black and white kitchen, but it does mean experimenting with contrasting textures and tones. 'Use contrast to create balance and visual appeal by choosing two dominant colors and a minor accent color in the opposite tone to compliment the kitchen aesthetic,' says Carolina Hansson, head of design at Luxury Flooring and Furnishings (opens in new tab).
'For example, white cabinets pair well with solid oak and herringbone parquet style flooring to add dynamic textures to a simplistic kitchen shade,' she continues. 'Then opt for silver accents with cupboard handles to counterbalance the warm tones of the flooring.' Paler colors also recede, giving the appearance of a larger space is smaller rooms. 'If you have more maximalist tastes and prefer dark grey and black kitchen cabinets, cool-toned hardwood floors in walnut and whisky shades pair well,' says Carolina.
'These colors tend to complement each other and work great with white marble tops if you want that showstopper style. Contrary to popular belief, Kate Diaz, interior designer and co-founder of Swanky Den (opens in new tab), says dark on dark help create a sense of balance within a space as different colors aren't competing for your eyes to focus.
'What's more, a darker floor with rich cabinetry can make the space feel cozier and warmer when used properly,' she says. If you decide on a more intricate kitchen flooring idea, it's best to go for simplistic cabinetry to complete the perfect look. 'If your flooring has intricate styles such as Herringbone or Versailles, it’s best to opt for classic wooden kitchen cabinets to offer a timeless look,' says Carolina.
