Redoing the kitchen can be an exciting project for any homeowner. While typical kitchens center around white and light-colored materials, adding dark-colored cabinets can create an elegant, subdued look that makes for a beautiful addition to any home.
If your heart is set on having dark kitchen cabinets, it’s crucial to choose a flooring material that will successfully complement these darker hues.
We’ve put together this list of flooring options to help you decide which hardwood will work best for your dream kitchen!
What Color Wood Floor With Dark Cabinets?
If you’re going with dark cabinets, you’ll want to install hardwood flooring that’s 1 to 2 shades lighter than the cabinetry. This will bring some light into the room without totally overwhelming the space.
Typically, gray and white hardwood goes best with dark blue, green, and black cabinets. On the other hand, rich, natural hardwoods like oak and maple will complement dark brown, dark red, and rust-colored cabinets.
Here are some of the best hardwood options for dark-colored cabinets.
Natural Wood
Natural solid wood floors are one of the most popular options for kitchens with dark cabinetry. Picking a finish that’s at least 2 shades lighter than your cabinetry will ensure your cabinets and flooring don’t have to compete for attention. Ash, Oak, and Maple wood are all excellent options that will complement darker decor.
Grey Hardwood
Grey hardwood is a great option if you plan on installing dark blue or black cabinets. This is because the cool tones in the grey wood will complement the cool tones in the cabinets. Just be sure to choose a shade of grey that’s noticeably lighter than your cabinets.
White Flooring
Pairing white wood floors and dark cabinets can create a breathtaking, modern look. While we don’t recommend this pairing if you want something subtle, this combination can create an absolutely stunning black and white statement room. White Pine and White Oak are the two most popular wood options, but you can also whitewash just about any species of wood to achieve this look.
Natural Bamboo Floors
Bamboo is an excellent flooring choice to pair with dark cabinetry. Because bamboo tends to have a warm undertone, it will pair well with dark red, burnt orange, and warm brown cabinets. Because bamboo is so durable, it’s also a great option for the kitchen.
Can You Pair Dark Cabinets with Dark Floors?
While it is more difficult to successfully pair dark cabinets with dark wood floors, it is possible.
If you choose this route, pick a hardwood with a stain that’s at least a couple of shades lighter than your cabinetry. This will bring some light and dimension to the room and prevent your furnishings from appearing overly dark.
Styling Wood Floors with Dark Cabinets
Once you’ve chosen a wood type for your kitchen floors, it’s important to look closely at the undertones of both the wood finish and the cabinets to determine if they match.
Warm undertones will often present as yellow, red, and orange, while cool undertones will usually be bluish or grey. For the best match, pair cool-toned finishes with cool-toned cabinets and warm-toned finishes with warm-toned cabinets.
The best way to compare flooring and cabinet colors is to do a sample match. Bring samples home from the store, or request an in-home design consultation so you can compare the floor samples and the cabinet colors side by side.
Speak to a Design Associate
If you’re working on remodeling your kitchen, but you’re not sure where to start, turn to the design experts at Best Buy Interior Finishes. We offer convenient in-home design consultations to help you make your dream kitchen a reality!
For over 30 years, we’ve helped this community find beautiful flooring choices for their homes. We’re the best choice for hardwood flooring in Naperville!
Reach out today to set up your free design consultation!
