Are you sure about the timeline constraints? Our contractor just told us that our new kitchen floors (and the red oak in the rest of the house) will be sanded and finished before the cabinets go in. Maybe it's possible for your floors to get finished before cabinets too, so you can get wood without a signifcant move in delay?

We are planning to have the cabinets installed on the subfloor because they include a pretty large square footage.

I kind of like this terrazzo tile... Maybe I could be okay with tile?

That tile is pretty. Maybe budget will allow for under tile heating if temp is a concern?

IMO oak and walnut do not work together so as much as I like the same floor everywhere I would choose something else for the kitchen the terrazzo or the marmoleum would be awesome BTW marmoleum wears like iron it is used alot in commercial interiors becuase of how tough it is.

Install them on 1/2" underlayment instead to make them come out nearly normal counter height when you roll in the "real" flooring. The other thing you can do is check out some of the vinyl sheet goods to use in the meantime - in case it turns into a long time.

A naked subfloor or even a painted subfloor isn't going to last long under kitchen conditions.

I have oak floors and walnut cabinets. i like the look. i think white oak might have been better but tge rest of the house was already original red oak.

Lafayette · More Info

Lafayette · More Info

Run the oak into the kitchen, and install it BEFORE the cabinets. Usually we do a full install minus the final coat of poly, install the cabinets, then do a final buff and coat. Trying to do a full install and sand around brand new cabinets is asking for heartache. The hardwoods have to go under all your appliances anyhow, much faster to install in a wide open room too...

Tile isn't just cold, it's HARD. Every dish you drop will break. Your feet, knees, and back will ache unless you use mats at the sink, oven, and main prep counter. Plus cleaning the grout. I'd rather have a good vinyl floor than tile. Forbo has some nice terrazo-look vinyl floors you might like.

Terazzo is tile though. I used a grey-green slate with my 60-inspired walnut cabinets. Hard. Grout. Nice though.

Do look at linoleum. (Real sheet linoleum, not vinyl, like Marmoleum.) It is the best floor of all and can meld with wood or contrast with it...tons of choices.

In my area, flooring never runs under cabinets. People elsewhere (on this forum anyway) think it's weird. Do what is standard for your area and not what is standard for the Houzz forums because the people working on your house now and in the future will not be these Houzzers. :)

The additional monetary outlay of flooring under the cabinets would be worth it for the convenience of having the floors all finished before moving in.

Plus I, personally, think its penny-wise and pound-foolish to skip flooring under cabinets. It just means that any future renovations will require all new floors if the layout changes.

2nd what Hallett says- you will be so much happier running the flooring in before cabinets, just be patient. we have red oak and did a one coat white bona with matte finish after the cabinets went in, i love the look, not yellowing/orangey at all. i dont think youll be happy having mixed up flooring on the 1st floor and tile, exactly what othes say- tough on feet and everything breaks. ill try to take a photo tomorrow.

Do not add wood flooring after you've installed the cabinets, unless you have the underlayment as thick as the floors will be. The PO did that in my home so there is a ledge at the edge of the hardwoods where both the dishwasher and the slide in range have to clear when pulling them in or out. It is an unbelievable hassle to try to get them in place and get them leveled when they are lower than the abutting hardwoods.

I am in the exact same predicament... what did you decide?? I was thinking grey marmoleum of some kind with my walnut cabinets and white countertops/wall/backsplash... but am now having a difficult time deciding if I want a boring grey floor to not compete with the beautiful cabinets, or if a boring floor will actually detract from them...

Oh Missa the flooring is beautiful! I think those two boys are looking for a meal, lol.

Haha right?! Thank you so much!

@Missa Uhlman Do you have any updates to the kitchen? Loved the walnut look. Can you share info on who designed it, what cabinet maker, cabinet, etc etc? I'm looking to do a two tone walnut kitchen... maybe matte black, maybe glossy/laquer white, idk yet for the 2nd tone.

How do you like it to go with European light white oak floor?

Millennium Whisky · More Info

Here are photos of our mostly finished kitchen. Still a few things yet to be done. The terrazzo floors and walnut cabinets are gorgeous together.

Our cabinet maker is a local guy (https://trickettwoodwork.com) and he did an excellent job with everything. We are loving our new space!

@Missa Uhlman You have my dream kitchen!

Wow...your kitchen is amazing! What floors did you do?

@jentstl Thank you so much! I ended up going with this tile. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ivy-Hill-Tile-Raleigh-Ivory-Square-16-14-in-x-16-14-in-Polished-Terrazzo-Floor-and-Wall-Tile-3-61-sq-ft-Case-EXT3RD105170/313468897

Your kitchen is gorgeous. I love that tile on the wall - could you share what it is?

Thank you! Here it is: Aster 8.63" x 9.88" Porcelain Patterned Wall & Floor Tile
https://www.wayfair.com/home-improvement/pdp/merola-tile-aster-863-x-988-porcelain-patterned-wall-floor-tile-eml10065.html

Beautiful!