Should Your Flooring Match Your Cabinets? (2024)

Designing a kitchen that compliments your lifestyle and personal style is essential to making it feel like home. Whether you decide to do a major remodel to your kitchen or give it a mini makeover, your cabinetry and flooring are two significant elements that can truly transform this space. Your cabinets and flooring take up most of the area in your kitchen, therefore aesthetically, it has to look good. But should your flooring match your cabinets?

Kitchen flooring and cabinets are often made of the same or similar materials, so it is easy for homeowners to fall in love with one type of material or look for their kitchen. You can, therefore, quickly end up with matching flooring and cabinets. Even though on paper, having matching flooring and cabinets may seem like a beautiful idea, it may not look that great in reality. Instead of simply matching, opt for a mix and match option for your flooring and cabinets. In this blog post, we share ways that you can perfectly mix and match the materials and colors used for your kitchen flooring to cabinets.

Flooring & Cabinets That Work Together

Shopping for cabinets and flooring can be overwhelming, especially if you're trying not to match these dominant elements of your kitchen. If the project aims to not end up with a matched up kitchen, then plan to mix but avoid matching. Your kitchen flooring and cabinets should complement each other instead of matching each other. Whether you've opted for wood, tiles, or laminate, your flooring and cabinets should go together like salt and pepper rather than identical twins.

Before You Start

Before you start remodeling your kitchen, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Do Your Research: When it comes to your kitchen decor, there are many more options than you think. Therefore, you must do your research by flipping through magazines, looking at Pinterest, and even visiting trade shows in your area. Make notes of colors, wood species, and finishes you like and could potentially see in your kitchen.
• Keep It Simple: The number one rule for your kitchen flooring and cabinets is to keep it simple. Adding cabinets and flooring in simple, classic colors will keep them timeless and age well. Add personality to your kitchen with accessories that are less of an investment and easier to replace. You can add bold colors and trends into your kitchen with towels, hardware, smaller appliances, wall paint, curtains, and even plants.

Step One: Start With A Color Scheme

No matter if you're remodeling or refreshing your kitchen, the first thing you need to do is pick a color scheme. Working with two colors is not only a great place to start, but in the future, you'll have more opportunities to update your kitchen. Once you have a color scheme, you can choose woods, tiles, or laminates for your kitchen flooring and cabinets. The color scheme will give you direction on what materials to choose for your kitchen.

Step Two: Consider Texture

Once you've chosen your two primary colors and have a general sense of your kitchen's look and feel, you should consider adding some texture. If you choose a simple color, you should consider adding a rich texture. The best place to add textures is through wood finishes on your flooring and cabinets and on your countertops with marble, stone, and granite.

Step Three: Pick Your Countertops First

Before you start looking at options for flooring and cabinets, pick the color of your countertop. Make your countertops one of the primary colors that you've chosen for your color scheme.

Step Four: Pick Your Flooring

When it comes to your flooring, the number one rule is to keep it simple. Matching your countertops to your flooring might look busy, so try and avoid this. Once you've chosen your countertop color, you can pick your flooring. You'll have a few options when it comes to flooring, including the following:

• Ceramic, Porcelain, or Vinyl Tile: Floor tiles come in a wide variety of colors, designs, and patterns, so aim to complement each material that you're using. The best way to find the perfect color for your flooring is to pick a tone from your countertop material and find a tile that highlights it. Most tile manufacturers provide backsplash tiles to complement the floor tiles you choose.
• Wood or Laminate Flooring: If you opt for wood or laminate flooring, try to maintain a contrast between the cabinets and floor. Having too much of the same color material in one space is never a good idea and will leave your kitchen looking flat. Instead, opt for woods or laminates in different tones that contrast each other.

Step Five: Pick Your Cabinets

Now that you've chosen your countertop and flooring, you can select your kitchen cabinets. In terms of tone, custom cabinets can help you match your design vision perfectly. Don't forget to contrast and compliment your flooring and countertops to cabinets.

Cabinet Trends & Flooring That Beautifully Compliment It

If you already know what kitchen cabinets you want, you may need to work backward and pick your flooring that complements it. Here are a few beautiful cabinetry trends that you'll love and the flooring that perfectly compliments it:

• White Oak Cabinets: Once seen as outdated, wood cabinets are making a comeback in kitchens all over the country. Opt for natural finished wood cabinets to add subtle dimension and texture to the space. These cabinets give your kitchen a rustic look and feel and are perfectly complemented with white oak flooring and black countertops for contrast. Due to the flooring and cabinets having neutral tones, you can get bright or bold wall tiles or paint like emerald green, bright red, or royal blue.
• Pecan Cabinets: The beautiful thing about pecan cabinets is that it goes with almost anything. But we suggest finishing your cabinets with a natural finish that keeps the beauty of its color and complementing it with dark wood flooring. To brighten up the room, add wall cabinets with glass door fronts, as well as white marble countertops.
• Blue Cabinets: Add a splash of color to your cabinets with a beautiful blue. As one of the most popular colors in recent years, blue will liven up any kitchen. Add marble countertops, pecan wood flooring, and stainless steel appliances, and you'll have a kitchen that all your friends will envy.
• Light Gray Cabinets: Being a neutral color, light gray cabinets go with almost anything. You pair grey cabinets with light wood flooring like cherry or beech with a high-gloss finish to honestly give the room a luxurious look and feel. Add white subway cabinets, stainless steel hardware, and white countertops to complete the look.