Well, I come from the idea that all woods tend to work well with each other, the only exception would be the grains, like oak cabinets with oak flooring where they compete too much. Whatever you do, are you planning on changing the Gunstock?

If you don't want cherry flooring, you could go with Walnut. It's a dark rich tone and works with everything. Our Brazilian Walnut flooring has several wood tones in it, some of which are redder in tone, other more brown. Really, I think it depends largely on your budget and what type of flooring you want.

Thank you lukkirrish for your helpful input.

I looked up that color and it does look really nice and warm. I really hate to have the Gunstock sanded and restained as it's in good condition but I may have to so it goes with the cabinets.

I sound like a broken record...but I think the handsomest stain for floors is MinWax's English Chestnut. It's rich, deep, and warm, without the red of mahogany, the orange of cherry, the gray of Jacobean or Provincial, or the yellow of the pines. It looks like a well-kept old floor from the first day.
(The on-line color chart doesn't look remotely like it.)

Thank Bronwynsmom, You don't sound like a broken record to me because it's the first I've heard it. I will check out the English Chestnut as well.

I did a sample of provincial and did find it to be grey, so that's interesting that you said that.

Thanks again, Lukkiirish and Bronwynsmom,

I got a small can of the English Chestnut and Special Walnut and did sample boards. IMO, the English Chestnut goes best up against my cabinets. Thanks for the idea because I would have never thought to try those two colors and I've already tried several others.

We are actually staining the steps that go down from the kitchen area to the basement, so now that I have the color for the kitchen floor figured out, I can stain those steps to match.

Then one day I'll get the kitchen/family room (remove carpet and vinyl and put in new wood floors) done, but I do hate that I'm going to have to get the dining room, entry and hall sanded and restained.

Good! I'm glad it works for you.

You probably already know this...but my floor guy taught me something about staining raw wood. He spritzes the wood with a fine mist of plain water and wipes it with a barely damp rag to open the grain, section by section, right before applying the stain, which makes it take the stain evenly.

And that's all I know about that!

I was researching the colors and looking for pictures online and did read something about "popping" and they were talking about wetting the wood to make the grain not darken as much. I don't know though because with the lack of grain on the maple cabinets, from what I've read, a more grainy look on the floor is supposed to look better. Maybe I should try the other side of my sample board that way and see what looks best. Thanks for letting me know how that is done.

Due to this forum I found out about English Chestnut and did my whole second floor in it. We had it wet first for the popping effect. I just finished putting in all the maple and oak flooring on the first floor (took my husband and I over two weeks!!!) and am having all the oak stained English Chestnut and that leads into the kitchen which will be natural maple. I realy like contrast. We are not sure what kitchen cabinets we are doing yet. So long story short I love English Chestnut!!!and so does my husband which is hard to find something we both like.