I would also recommend going with hardwood flooring. I used to live on the west coast and we always had tile. It's so common there, I didn't really think twice about it, but I also always hated the grout issues and trying to keep it clean was a PITA. After moving to Michigan, we bought a fixer and decided to install wood throughout the first floor. On the advise of friends, we also installed it in our kitchen and I LOVE it. Although it's just my DH & I, the friend who recommended it has 7 kids ages 7-19 and 2 dogs. Her's is the busiest household I've ever seen! And her floor, an oak is doing fine. Wear and tear is important, but comfort should also be something to consider. If you spend any amount of time in the kitchen, you'll immediately notice how the wood is so much easier on your legs and feet. To protect ours from water, I have a rug in front of the sink. Also, after time, those scratches your DH is concerned about will make a sort of "lived in" patina that will help give the room some character and IMHO it will work better with the style you are going with in your kitchen. Another positive about wood is that when you want to freshen things up, you just sand and refinish them. The 3/4 inch planks have a VERY long life because you can do this several times before they need to be replaced. I would really think twice about the tile, after having both I can honestly say, there's really just no comparison.

Hi there! My cabinets are Cherry with an Amber stain. We have Bianco Antico for our granite. I think the contrast of dark cabinets and floors go well with the lighter granite that has dark streaks running through it. I'm not sure about posting pictures, but I'll give it a try. Hope this helps.

Love that granite, especially with your cab selection. Yummy! I looked at Caesarstone's Creamy Marfil, too. I'm trying to remember if it leans warm or cool but I can't. If it's not quite the right undertone with that stunning granite, you could also consider Caesarstone's Buttermilk. A neighbor installed this quartz in her kitchen with cherry-stained alder cabs. It's really lovely. I found pics of a kitchen with CS Buttermilk, a green granite island and stained cabs, similar to what you're considering. (IMO, the wall color isn't the best choice, but that's IMO and perhaps it looks better IRL than it does from a photo on a computer monitor.) HTH!

Have you thought about something two-toned? Perhaps a dark bottom (black?) and a lighter top in cherry but unfinished so it appears lighter than your cabs? If not, what about picking a color from the granite (taupe, gray). Which granite do you have? Regardless, I think a black base would be really nice. Do you already have chairs or will you need those too?