Your floors and cabinets will never match. Even if they were the same wood and same exact color because one is being viewed on a horizontal surface and the other is being viewed on a vertical surface.

Because of that, it will always look "off". If you're set on the floor color, either choose a lighter or darker cabinet color or visa versa.

Honestly, I don't see a gray swirl countertop with such warm cabinets and floors.

Interesting! Thanks for the tip.

I don't want or expect the floors and cabinets to match exactly, my question is more how different should they be? I'm not liking a stark difference but if it's too close then it looks like you're trying to match and couldn't. So lets backtrack. If I want white, not-too-busy countertops and a medium tone hardwood floor like in the first picture what kind/color of cabinets would you consider?

I think that's a situation you'll have to choose what to give up on

if you're set on floor and countertop..but still love wood cabs..maybe a compromise: painted cabs(color to be discussed)..but, say, stained pantry, and stained uppers but with lots of glass inserts so they don't feel too heavy?..maybe not even all of them..depending on configuration

yes, will be more expensive, because of glass (unless it's in your plan anyway)

but it might be a cool look if you're willing to pull it off and your kitchen plan supports it

(doing two different paints, or a paint plus stain is not always easy..your set up should support it, so it won't look awkward and too chopped so to say)

Something darker or lighter. I had wood cabinets and wood floors in my condo. I went darker with my floors.

right. also important to know the size of the kitchen, the amount of light that it gets..in my case had to go with painted cabs or else the whole would be too dark..were the kitchen different though, I'd do something like cpartist did

if you decide on painting-that really depends on the style of the house, and your own preferences..and of course should work with your countertop.

"Light and grayish" is a bit too general of a description..mine is also light and a tad grayish(no movement though)..but it's on the warm side of the grayish.

It's important to understand what gray is there..is it cooler, blueish gray? warmer, a bit green(like mine..mine is so light though it's more off white..more white than gray if I explain it correctly)

Different paints would be needed depending on what exactly the countertop is going to be.

Every color has lots of shades..so you can pick a general direction, and then narrow it to the shade that will work with your stone, and that you will like enough to live with it every day.

I agree that it's ideal to have some deliberate contrast. I like reddish, medium tone wood too. I already had red stained wood floors in the dining room, so carried that into the kitchen and did lighter cherry lowers (still in progress).

I did 2 tone, but I have plenty of all wood inspiration pics. In some of these pics, there's not a ton of contrast between the floor and cabinet color, but there are fewer uppers, more glass cabinets and windows. So you're not surrounded by the same wood color in all directions!

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I really like dark counters, but I had a few pics with a light counter. I think cooler marble-look counter is doable, but I'd make sure all the finishes in the room are picked out to make sure it complements.

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Thank you! These are all great things to contemplate.