I am doing maple with a glaze and the black distressed island, countertops the same on both. We are not building yet but already have the cabinets designed and picked out. I like the look because I want my island to look like a piece of furniture separate from my cabinets and I think it will look more distinguished. I will also have a separate hutch in black and my hood the same. I think it is a personal preference but I personally like it! Go with your gut-

I wouldn't match. When I was considering painting my ceilings the same color as my walls, someone told me it would make the room look like a box. I think you'll have the same issue with all-the-same-white rooms. A slight difference adds some interest, and if they're both whites it will be subtle.

Oh dear. Another "Can't find more of the vinyl floor to finish my house" thread. For this reason, I prefer the 'stone' or 'tile' look of vinyl in a kitchen. That way a wood-look product can be added to the living spaces at a later date and NOTHING will look amiss. But now the wood-look stuff is in the kitchen AND there is no match in the living area. If you want more vinyl, then you will have to work with another 'look'. Like stone or tile. But wait. That looks bass akwards! Stone in the living areas and wood in the kitchen? Sigh. Now the painful part of partial renovations comes into focus. If you want something other than carpet, you will have to stay away from 'wood look' if you want to have your home look nice. You have very, very few choices. If you want continuous flooring throughout the house: 1. Remove the kitchen floor and start again = refinish the entire house in a single floor finish If you want the CHEAPEST option: 2. Replace the carpet with more carpet If you want a NICE finish but do NOT want more wood look: 3. Cork floating flooring (natural cork will match both the oak trim AND the kitchen flooring) 4. Sheet linoleum in some colour you like (it will look like a children's daycare...) If you want SOMETHING other than carpet and don't care about the look of two woods: 5. More vinyl or laminate in a wood-look 6. Vinyl or laminate in a STONE OR TILE look (it looks REALLY WACKY...but totally doable) I'm sorry you had to find this out the hard way. You have essentially painted yourself into a design corner by using wood look vinyl in the kitchen. As for painting the oak finishes (that's a lot of stripping + painting) I would figure out the FLOORING decision WELL BEFORE you figure out the wood features.

Set the nails and trowel fill the entire floor. Then do the final sanding pass. The filler will cover up the joints and nails.