I was looking at the first few pics and went "ho hum", but then I got to the hardwood photo! Wow! That really pops! Of course, the backsplash and counter won't be laying on the floor like that, but it sure does make it seem rich! Or maybe grounded is a better word.

Is there an easy point to transition flooring where it wouldn't look awkward? I think the same floor throughout would unify the space. PLENTY of people have hardwood in their kitchen and don't have any problems. I'm planning them in my new kitchen as we change the flooring in the whole living area of the house to wood. I have two young children also.

It would help to see the colors of the cabinets with the rest of the samples. I know plenty of people have hardwood in the kitchen these days but I was one of the scaredy cats that couldn't go that route. Maybe it's because we do so much cooking in the kitchen with gardens and baskets of produce being brought in etc. I was worried the hardwood would get too scratched with the action and the pets. Anyway, I love our chiseled edge travertine because it never looks dirty and I don't have to worry about it at all. I can drip water and not worry, etc. Other tiles do the same but I don't know if they hide the dirt as well. I really like that feature, lol.

I echo breezygirl, #1 - bland, #2 - boring, #3 - nope, #4 - whoah! wow. The hardwood makes everything go wow. But we should probably see the cabinets as well. We have hardwood in our kitchen with 2 boys in their early twenties and 2 cats who run around and, yes, we have scratches, but this is a house that is definitely lived in.

Hardwood is my vote. It looks perfect with your choices.
It is the " Ahhhh lovely wood" vote for me.

I had serious fears about wood. In my last house I had
beautiful large square travertine tile and I thought this
would be ideal. But my current home has wood. No fears.
I love wood floors. I have two large dogs, three obnoxious
kids who forget and wear cleats, or tromp around in high
heels, these same kids also drop heavy books or back pack
on the floors,.. my hardwoods have seen mud, sand, the
ocassional salt from boots, muddy paws, spilled water, dog
hair, dust bunnies that managed to sneak away from the
broom, cookie crumbs, sticky jelly sandwiches, spilled
orange juice, drops of nailpolish, puppy piddle, broken
jars of glitter....

And still I do not regret for a minute getting hardwood
floors throughout. Love them. They clean up easy and are
beautiful. I would recommend keeping the shoes at the door
but I know how hard this can be if you are not home to
police it. And to be honest life happens, we can try to
keep it all perfect but the memories of the fun along
the way and the few imperfections are what make having
wood floors beautiful. For me it is the journey not the
goal.
~boxerpups

I hope you can post back with the cabinet choice because I love the tile choices and though it looks nice I don't think wood floor is a good idea for the kitchen.

Your counter and BS choice make me feel like you're leaning toward more contemporary. If that's the case, I wouldn't go with Red Oak. The tile compliments a more sleek look. BUt... we do need to see your cab choices.

WOOD!

I'm a tile floor person in the kitchen for the same practical reasons as judydel. I have had hardwood in the kitchen and it didn't work for me. The finish below the sink, even with throw rugs, got scratched and started to come off within a couple of years. Now it might have been the floors were cheaply finished or I was especially hard on the floors, but I could not stand the way they looked. Scratched and scuffed and worn. We replaced them with stone and I was much happier. I have the same flooring as Judydel now and I am thrilled with how well it hides things, but continues to look good.

I can't tell very well between the tiles in the above photos. I am having a hard time discerning the colors. (Could be my moniter.) The hardwood looks beautiful too. Which one are you leaning towards?

Looking at the tiles again...I'd probably go with number one. The onyx has a more sophisticated feel to it. So, maybe the smoother looking tile coordinates better than the more rustic looking one? Anyway, that's the one that appeals to me the most.

Thank you all for the input! I don't have any photos of the cabinet fronts but will ask my cabinet maker if he can bring me some samples.

remodelfla, we're leaning toward classic with a slightly modern look. For that reason, the shiny 12x24 grey tile is my least favorite option. I think it would make the space look too industrial and compete with the counters. I do like #1, but I worry that the very light colored tile will show dirt and dog paw prints. The old kitchen floor had a light beige porcelain tile and you could see EVERYTHING on it - I hated it and was constantly having to mop it because no one takes their shoes off in my house (except for me).

I am leaning toward the red oak wood floors for the warmth and the tendency to hide dirt, but the issues judydel and doonie mentioned are giving me pause. However, we've had wood floors in our last two homes in the kitchen and I never had any problems (although we didn't have kids).

Back later with more photos of the cabs...

I vote for wood! We put wood in our kitchen and could not be happier. I tend to stand and cook for long periods of time and find the wood to be easier on my legs than tile (which I previously had). I have kids and 2 dogs. Light tile does show everything... You could ask for an extra coat of polyurtethane (sp?) on the wood...

I would vote for the wood, both for its intrinsic properties -- visual depth and ease under foot -- but also because you are going to have off-white lower cabinets, which are what will be most proximate to the floor. (I am assuming that the kitchen proper has more linear feet of cabs than the "bar" areas.)

If you do decide to go with tile, I would definitely search for pictures of kitchens with cabinets the color of yours with different colors of tile floor and different lighting. What you see in the close-up sample comparisons may vary from the effect of larger masses in your kitchen with natural and installed lighting.

BTW, your backsplash is elegantly smashing.

I wouldn't let off white cabinets stop you from getting light tile. If the colors blend well I think the look is fabulous (that's what I did anyway and I love it).

BTW we also had a beige porcelain tile in our mudroom for years and it also showed EVERYTHING. This chiseled edge travertine is a COMPLETELY different story. I have to remember to clean it since it NEVER looks dirty. Crumbs, dog hair . . . everything somehow disappears on this floor.

That's beautiful Judydel. Your flooring works really well with your creamy cabinets. I like the different size tiles too.

thanks, honorbiltkit! The backsplash changes color depending on what color mastic you use -- with the grey mastic it has darker colors. I had thought for a long time we were going to go with a white subway tile, but when I saw this, I fell in love.

Have you looked at Marmoleum? You get the softness of a hardwood floor and yet is is durable. The colors and designs are limitless and it can go in any style direction.

You should peek at the website and their design ideas.

I also love that it is environmentally green.