My kitchen floor is light stone as well as my granite. My cabinets are dark. IMO horizontal surfaces in the kitchen should have similar values.

We have dark floors and cabinets, but light counters. As long as your kitchen has good balance between light and dark overall, there's no reason to match the values of your counters and floors. Indeed, I dare say that most kitchen I see here do not follow the floor/counter matchup.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Interesting, my cabinets are medium (Cinnamon) brown, my granite is darkish (Baltic Brown) and my floors are natural white oak, so no, they don't have the same color value.

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen

I have natural birch cabinets, a counter that is light, and a medium tone floor. I think the important thing is that the different elements have unifying colors within them. Our counters have various light and dark flecks that tie in w/the cabs and floor, and the floor tiles, though overall darker, also tie in color-wise.

My cabinets will be cream (with a black island), floors are med/dark laminate and the counters will be dark (Caledonia Dark) granite.

Most of my counters are light gray with medium gray floors. I also have stainless counters and some wood counter on the island, which would be, I suppose, in the medium range. Some of my cabinets are light wood or light paint, but one wall of cabinets are a deeper color. My first color plan included dark counters with the same floors, so I agree with Alku on achieving balance vs any rule or guideline about what items are light and which are darker.

We did darker cherry cabinets and dark peacock green granite with light porcelain tile flooring. I think it came out nice.

As others have noted a balance of light and dark is important, I think we've accomplished that.

The backsplash (that's not yet there) will be a light tumbled marble.

{{!gwi}}

alku - that's your kitchen? disgusting... mine would never be that cleaned up...lol!

i've been wondering the same thing. I think I like lighter floors and I'm going back and forth on dark counter vs light counter...cabinets are medium oak (not golden oak)

I like lighter floors- I picked a lighter toned travertine floor and have medium maple cabinets with glaze. I was planning on Verde Peacock granite with a tumbled stone backsplash bringing out the slightly darker and lighter tones of the travertine and the brown in the granite. Does this sound like good balance? I never once thought about my floor being light and having light granite.

Medium-to-dark cherry cabinets (mandarin orange stain/coffee glaze), dark counters (AB Premium), light floors (beige glazed porcelain). Yellow painted BS...for now. Not sure yet what my BS will be...but that's a year or so down the road!

Our cabs are medium toned cherry(pecan finish) topped with Ubatuba granite. The floor is much lighter- natural cypress. It's a log house so the light floor really helps keep the room from feeling too dark. I agree that the overall balance of light and dark is important.

Maple floor (not stained), medium dark wood cabinets, dark (mostly black) schist counters.

We have soapstone counters with light golden/beige travertine floors and natural cherry cabinets.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I never really thought about it until reading this thread but we have dark floors (Brazillian Walnut) and dark granite (Verde Peacock) with medium oak cabinets. We're not sure exactly when but eventually we're going to have the cabinets refaced to a lighter off white. So I guess we did go with things that match horizonally.

Mine isn't in yet but does it count that demolition of the kitchen took place yesterday & the new kitchen install begins on Monday so my choices have been made?

Even though I craved a darker floor I chose my horizontals to be the same value. Countertop of almost white Bianco Romano Granite, and Floors an almost white rustic porcelain with just a hint of walnut glaze. Cabinets are dark, dark, dark.
My midtone value will be brought in with the wall paint. Backsplash is still ?.

I have dark cabinets, light floors and most counters are light - island and cooktop area are medium.

Yes, both my counter-tops and floor have similar (light/med) value. I really like the look, but have seen beautiful kitchens in all variations. I don't think there's any *rules*, really!

Well this thread freaked me out at first because I never thought about my floor and counter having similar values and I needed to pick out my granite this morning. My colors are very similar to Holligators as far as cabinets and similar to Buehls as far as the floor goes. I went with the Peacock granite I mentioned in a post above, but was more nervous choosing it at first.

The consultant at the granite store really liked the combo and thought too it would be ok with my ligher floors. Maybe I should have done my floors a little darker, but hopefully it will all look great when done. I will bring out the lighter and darker tones out in my backsplash like lexluthor mentioned.

Lexluthor, Buehl, and Holligator- your kitchens are just gorgeous with the tile similar to mine and I hope mine will turn out as well.

My nearly finished kitchen has dark soapstone perimeter counters, soft white cabinets and unstained maple floors. The island (also soft white) top is a maple butcherblock. Never entered my mind to try and get horizontal surfaces with similar color values. Interesting.

Haileysuper,

I think you'll love the Peacock. Our granite salesman also suggested that to us (over the uba tuba) and I think it's absolutely a beautiful rock. Couldn't be happier with that choice.

Lexluthor-thanks for your reply! I had been thinking about ubatuba, but once I saw the Peacock I was in love- it has such beautiful depth and the caramel tones looked good with my cabinets.

As I said before your kitchen turned out great. I'd love to see you post a thread with backsplash photos when it's done!

momj47, I LOVE your birch kitchen cabinets with the cinnamon stain! I love your new kitchen. The white oak floors look great with everything and I like the constrast. Thanks for sharing.