espresso is too dark if I were doing this. The floor as well...do you want to see every crumb, speck of dust?-pick a lighter shade-caramel or medium brown to use with your white-is it a warm white?

you should look at your layout and figure out what would make sense. balance is important but it's also about highlighting certain areas. i decided to do all of the perimeter white, but pull out the baking cabinet and also the island.

espresso can look lovely in certain kitchens. my stained pieces were originally supposed to be much darker. but when i brought sample doors in, the color was just too stark for me. i've seen it done though and in the right space, is gorgeous. good luck.
{{gwi:1446454}}

I think I would go with a lighter floor if you want to do some espresso cabs for the contrast.

kateskouros... Do you have any pics of your completed kitchen, yet? What are the dimensions of your island? I love it all BTW!

Thanks all.
Did you check out the link I included where dark floors and cabinets are featured? I think it seems to really work in that kitchen. Yes, we aware of the obvious dust and dirt that will present with dark floors. Because of bad dust allergies with my kids I spend a lot of time cleaning the floors anyway, so that will not likely change. Thanks for the warning though.

yes I saw your links: One is Tudor, the other- Arts and Crafts. perhaps you simply mean you are doing and old world/traditional look kitchen. The [really dark with white] to me still is more Victorian/Edwardian...in modern day takes it becomes contemporary.It depends on how true to form you want to be....espresso can be trickier to get right.

I adore your inspiration link. Suggestons you ask?
Honestly the inspiration pic you have is a great place to
start. I would copy many of the tricks used in that link
and create your kitchen.

I personally love dark, dark wood floors. I have medium to
dark floors, think of Chocolate.
If you love dark espresso floors go for it. I had 100s
of people tell me that it would be a nightmare to clean.
Dust would show? Do hair? or I would have to clean more
often. Not at all. I have not changed how I clean my floors from
the old honey oak to dark chocolate. Weekly vacuum and
bi-weekly deep clean and polish keeps them perfect for me.
You will find you will not mind cleaning anything if it is
something you love.

Below is a link to Redroze's masterpiece. Dark floors are
a huge element. Perhaps you might imagine her space having
a mix of more espresso cabinets and this can help you
visualize.

Other than that suggestion I think you are on the right
track to creating a great space. I would be happy to post
any espresso and white combos I have but I feel your
inspiration is the best one I have seen.
Cheers.
~boxerpups
ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: A favorite GW kitchen Redroze's masterpiece!

threeapples...Yes, I did look at your link. For me personally, I would want the floors a little lighter. I am considering a white perimeter with an espresso island and hardwoods, so for me I want a little contrast.... BUT this is your kitchen, so get what you love! If you love the really dark floors go for it!

Our kitchen is certainly not traditional and we do not have any white in it, but we do have very dark wood floors and chocolate stained cabinets. They are very similar stains and the difference is only noticeable in bright natural light. It's not a look I see very often, almost never actually, but it was the only floor color we liked for the whole house and the stain for the cabinets was also the only one we liked of our options.

We did not exactly have a vision in mind when we began (we're young, first-timers), and maybe we would make different decisions now, but we like our kitchen... except for still being unable to decide on granite a year later. It sounds like you have a vision and a very nice one, so I am all for the espresso/white combination on espresso floors. I think a lot of people immediately shake their heads at dark floors with dark cabinets, especially when the stains are very similar, because it's not that commonplace, so it's hard to find an instance of it done right, and fear that the kitchen will on the whole be too dark.

Without a layout it is of course hard to comment on where the white cabinets should be placed, but what I might suggest is placing the white cabinets in the area(s) that don't get as much natural light from windows and such. This will keep your espresso cabinets nearer the pools of natural light and your kitchen looking brighter overall.

Good luck; I think it will look beautiful.

In my opinion, one of the things that makes this lovely kitchen successful is the balance and the usage of the espresso stain on furniture-like portions of the kitchen. For example, the espresso really highlights the gothic fretwork. But, there is also a good balance of white on either side of the kitchen. I wish they showed the other side of the kitchen. Kateskouros and Redroze's kitchens are also amazing examples of a great balance of stained wood and white. You've selected a really stunning inspiration. I look forward to seeing your progress.

I think you need more contrast, with the wood tones. I like those stools at the island, but didn't notice them at first, because they blended in with the island and flooring. It would be too heavy for me...and herbflavor is right...they'd be hard to keep clean.

I don't know if you're interested, but I just looked through some new kitchen magazines (finally got into the store, long story) and color seems to be making a bit of a comeback. Some lovely, soft, creamy yellows, gray blues, and a soft green. Not the bright, cheerful colors (like the turquoise that's been popular) but I think these softer shades are the 'new neutrals' and of course, gray is becoming very popular, again.

White, marble and dark woods are a classic combination, but I'd try a softer wood tone, to avoid such a harsh contrast. Let those stools really show up...and maybe think about a little color. Hope that helps :)

The insipration photo is lovely, and I too have dark floors (dark walnut). They're at our Summer house and I don't find that I have to clean them anymore than I used to when they were the original light oak.
Will you have any sort of hutch? I think what others have noted about the balance being most important is spot on and that the wood works very well on furniture-style pieces.
Will the floors be new wood? Or are you staining existing wood? If existing, you may have to try a few different colors. We found our original choice actually brought out a red undertone, we kept trying various stains until we finally got to Dark Walnut and it worked. So I would suggest you start testing them now so you can be sure you get the perfect color and don't have to rush to figure it out in a 24 hours timeframe like I did :-).

To me, both Redroze's kitchen and the kitchen ShowplaceInsider posted look very nice and I prefer them to the one you linked. Again, to me, there is a better balance of white and dark and perhaps it is b/c unlike your inspirational picture, none of the dark wood is on uppers. Your pic doesn't ever really show the 'right' wall which looks like it is floor to ceiling cabinetry in white. IRL, the two sides might feel balanced, but in the pictures shown, it seems like a lot of dark areas and feels heavy. Perhaps if the island wasn't as deep/big, it wouldn't feel that way, IMHO.

All that to say, figure out your layout first (which can be very difficult and everyone here will tell you function is more important that form) and then go from there to figure out what will be light and dark. You can certainly do dark floors, espresso and white cabinetry but you will just want to do it "right".

Hi,

Thanks for the very beautiful photos and helpful suggestions.

Yes, we will have a hutch in the kitchen and I'm thinking that's the place to use the stained wood and make it look like furniture. The other place to use the dark is on the island and on the french casement window. We'll have floor to wall cabinetry on the wall next to the fridge and then white uppers and lowers on the sink wall and white uppers and lowers on the range wall. But, next to one of the uppers on the range wall we'll have a cabinet that goes from ceiling to countertop (kind of rests on the counter) and the designer is suggesting that look like dark furniture, but I'm not feeling it.

We're also toying around with the idea of doing leaded glass on the hutch and the counter cabinet. Any ideas?

I don't have a layout or elevation to post yet because I keep changing my mind. :/