Flooring ideas for dark kitchen cabinets

The size of your kitchen

As a rule, small kitchens should be decorated with light features to avoid overwhelming the layout. If you have dark cabinets, make sure the other elements are a lighter shade. Dark flooring can still work with dark cabinets in a small kitchen, as long as the worktops and walls are a lighter shade.

In a large kitchen, it's easier to use dark elements across your entire kitchen scheme. However, you run the risk of creating a harsh-feeling environment if you include too many dark features. To offset this, implement softer textures, such as wood or patterned tiles, to break up the uniform look.

Design tip: To complement dark kitchen cabinets, create a rustic look by choosing flooring that has undertones of the same colour, like a multi-tonal wooden or stone finish.

Natural light

The amount of natural light that filters into your kitchen will affect which flooring will work with your dark cabinets. Typically, kitchens that lack natural light should have bright units to reflect the little light that comes one.

In this case, opt for light coloured flooring. White is a failsafe option and can have a contemporary look when paired with black cabinets. Alternatively, ash grey provides a subtler contrast, while a pale wooden finish creates a welcoming feel.

Design tip: If you want to incorporate dark flooring as well as dark cabinets, include additional kitchen lighting to boost the brightness, such as plinth lighting or under cabinet lighting.

The theme of your kitchen

Generally, when paired with dark kitchen cabinets, dark flooring will incite a serious mood, while light flooring can make a space feel livelier. If you want to achieve a sophisticated look, pairing dark wood kitchen cabinets with a similar shade of flooring will set a professional-looking tone. Stone tiles in rich colours look especially refined when paired with dark cabinets.

For a more casual feel, bleached-wood flooring brightens up navy or dark green cabinets to create a modern-farmhouse style kitchen. Similarly, patterned tiles will add a cheerful vibe to a kitchen with dark cabinets, helping to break up a monotone colour scheme.

Design tip: Choose flooring in the same finish as your cabinets to create a coherent look across your kitchen. Gloss cabinets and flooring will reflect light around the room, whereas matt cabinets and flooring have a subtler impact.

The best way to find flooring that suits your dark kitchen cabinets and the style of your kitchen is to play around with colours and materials. Check out our kitchen planning tool to see what your dream design could look like, and get in touch with our expert installers to make your vision into a reality.