Dark Floors & Light Cabinets OR Light Floors & Dark Cabinets? Q: We're in the process of starting to build a house, and we're totally torn about the floors/kitchen cabinets. Our aesthetic is contemporary/Ikea-ish and we'd like to do wood on the whole first floor. In our current house we have wide-plank very light maple engineered hardwood in a glossy finish, and it makes all the rooms look very light and airy: Our builder is offering prefinished red oak as the standard wood floor (Shaw Floor's Golden Opportunity), but the lightest color looks a bit dark (see pic), grainy, and traditional to us. The darker color looks more contemporary (it's called Coffee Bean, also pictured), but we have young kids and a cat, and I'm wondering if it's going to be a nightmare to keep clean? Anyone want to weigh in on the light vs. dark dilemma? We'd like light maple again (ideally) or pickled oak/white oak/lighter color floors, but these are such a major upgrade that we can't afford it. The other issue is that the wood will be going in the kitchen too, and there's no option for white cabinets, so we can either do light wood cabinets with dark floors, or dark wood cabinets with light floors.

So, which combo would look most contemporary, AND wear the best with kids? Editor: Leave your suggestions for Erika in the comments - thanks! • Got a question? Send us yours with pic attachments here (those with pics get answered first)Antique pendant lights sparkle above an expansive island in this family kitchen. By housing the sink, dishwasher, and other kitchen amenities in the island, storage space is maximized in the surrounding cupboards and cabinets. Sage tones in the tiling and upholstery balance the warm pine cabinets. Floor tiles made from tumbled travertine keep the space rustic and cozy. A clean-lined contemporary kitchen is warmed by light oak cabinetry. Two sinks and modern stovetops emphasize functionality on the island. A mix of materials—black concrete countertops paired with light wood—gives the kitchen a friendly feel. Blanched Wood in a Sunny Kitchen Antique oak beams and a vintage counter from France add patina to this sunny kitchen.

Tall windows connecting to a peaked skylight allow sunlight to spill into the space, keeping it light and airy. A chandelier hanging above the counter matches the blanched wood of the cabinets; French limestone countertops tie the peaceful palette together.Digital Camera Repair Mobile Al Designer: Ann Runyon CarterBlack Prom Dress With Gold Accents Wood Paneled Butler’s Pantry95 Inch Curtains Sale Cabinet doors with wire fronts were backed with shirred fabric for a French country style in this butler’s pantry.  Custom chartreuse countertops complement the walnut cabinets. Painted Wood Kitchen With Island A new cherry island with a bowed limestone top offers seating for two. Maple perimeter cabinets are painted linen white and rubbed with a truffle-colored glaze.

The cabinets stretch up to the ceiling to maximize storage space while preserving the kitchen’s old-world look. The room is unified with Italian travertine floor tiles reminiscent of old European cobblestones. Weathered-finish faucets by Herbeau add charm. Tall Honey Cabinets With Detailing Honey-toned pine cabinetry and dark green subway tile backsplashes give the kitchen the feel of an old English country house. The cabinets are crowned with dentil molding that lends formality to the space. With its beamed and barrel-arched ceiling, this kitchen provides space and functionality for a family of five without sacrificing style. The wooden cabinets are lightly glazed to match the cream granite countertops. Neutral hues allow for more dynamic patterns and accent colors, like the glazed pots on top of the cabinets. Designer: John Phifer Marrs Green design rules in this Arkansas kitchen whose staggered-height maple cabinets are made with wood products containing no formaldehyde or toxic glues.

Concrete floors are stained a caramel color and scored diagonally in 18-inch squares. Zero VOC paints used on the beadboard island and other interior surfaces emit no volatile organic compounds. Architectural Designer: Suzanne Lantz Rich, dark, and elegant, the cabinets in this period-style Georgia kitchen feature doors designed with a simple beaded inset and little ornamentation other than simple hardware. Marble countertops add a gleaming presence, while a 9-foot-tall refrigerator armoire provides dramatic focal point. The floor is crafted from oak with an English chestnut stain. Kitchen Designer: Kim Neilsen Durability and a sense of warmth were the prerequisites for a kitchen whose ultimate occupants would be a Michigan family with teenage boys. Informal without being country, the knotty pine cabinets partner with nearly indestructible granite countertops. Hardwood floors and wood pulls extend the focus on natural materials. Interior Designer: Joseph A. Keenan

Custom-built by the designer and his dad, these mahogany kitchen cabinets feature full inset doors and drawers and brass bin pulls. The cabinet's rich dark color, Craftsman lines, and Black Brazilian soapstone counters suit the overall design goal of choosing everything to suit a Mission Revival bungalow built in the 1920s. Remodeled for a busy family with young children, this kitchen now features custom cherry cabinets with recessed panel doors and Verde Ubatuba granite countertops. The flooring is birch with a satin poly finish. Red leather barstools add dynamic splashes of color. Interior Designer: Bradley Stephens Richly toned alder cabinetry helps this kitchen achieve its goal of presenting a warm Tuscan appearance-even though it is located in Arizona. A brick-vaulted ceiling, stone sink, and limestone countertop help integrate the alder kitchen into the rest of the home and its pigmented, hand-plastered walls. Kitchen Designer: Mick De Giulio Interior Designer Billi Springer

For a fresh take on Victorian-era formality, this century-old kitchen was designed around the existing stately copper hood from the 1930s. Cherry cabinets from Wood-Mode sport recessed-panel doors and a warm finish with hints of gold that complement the hood's copper tones. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets with shirred fabric panels behind glass-front doors resemble an old-fashioned cupboard. Deep green quartz-surfacing countertops add rich color. Kitchen Designer: Florence Perchuk, CKD Stately walnut cabinets with a chocolate finish create a polished framework for stainless-steel wall ovens and wine refrigerators in this New York kitchen. The twin refrigerators were elevated on a stainless-steel panel so they would be the same height as the wall ovens-creating a balanced presentation. Between the appliances, a bar area with open shelving features a white milk-glass countertop for glamor. Chunky glass knobs add a touch of glitz. Kitchen Designers: Robert Schwartz, Karen Williams

Interior designers: Peter Balsam, Jayne Goldstein Part of a Tuscan-style kitchen in New York, this stately island is made from reclaimed chestnut with a tung-oil finish. Buff-color perimeter cabinets feature Giallo Reale marble slabs from Walker Zanger. The beautiful flooring is reclaimed white oak. Sleek maple cabinetry with a natural finish partners beautifully with stainless-steel appliances and a rugged concrete countertop. Full overlay doors sport a modern attitude enhanced by intermittent pieces of frosted glass and silver-tone knobs and pulls. Photo: My House in the Mountain States, McGraw-Hill Companies Cabinets in Poplar and Oak Build for a professional chef, this kitchen features cabinets handcrafted by a local artisan. Upper cabinets are white-painted poplar and lower ones are charcoal-stained quarter-sawn white oak: all with flush inset doors and sturdy satin nickel pulls and knobs. The 14-foot-long island is topped in honed granite. Part of an eco-friendly home project in California, these cabinets are made from Lyptus hardwood, a fast-growing hardwood grown in managed forests in Brazil.

The cabinets feature full overlay, flat panel doors and interiors crafted from a non-formaldehyde plywood. Recycled glass-and-tinted concrete countertops can be recycled again. The translucent IceStone backsplash tiles contain recycled glass. Stately white pillars frame a view of this Massachusetts kitchen whose homeowner was looking for "sophisticated casual" style with limited color and patterns. Oak cabinets with a warm finish were chosen to anchor the look, with crown molding for elegance and black granite countertops for character. The hardwood floor shows off a painted checkerboard pattern. Multicolor Windsor barstools add a touch of whimsy. Quarter-Sawn Red Oak Cabinets Two tall ebony-stained pantries bookend Cloister-style cabinets from Plain & Fancy crafted from quarter-sewn red oak with a black glaze. Shaker-style doors add quiet style to a room designed for a young professional couple. Next to the ceiling, a row of aluminum cabinet doors with frosted-glass insets add polish.