5 Kitchen Floors that Go Perfectly with White Cabinets

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Wondering what color floors go best with white kitchen cabinets? Let me show you my favourite kitchen flooring choices and why they work so well!

Natural wood vinyl floors with white kitchen cabinets in our Little Lake House. Photo by Tracey Jazmin.

There’s nothing more timeless than white kitchen cabinetry; it’s certainly a favourite of mine. They make small kitchens look larger, and you can add colour through accessories. White cabinets are easy to clean because you can see all the dust and fingerprints. I’ve used all white kitchen cabinets in our Tiny Lake House renovation and in our Little Lake House renovation to help make these small homes feel larger. I’ve also used white upper cabinets in our own kitchen, and in my brother’s kitchen renovation. If you don’t like the look of an all white kitchen, pairing white upper cabinets with darker base cabinets can create the perfect mood.

Many homeowners find choosing the best floor color to pair with white kitchen cabinets difficult… there are so many options! However, I think there are 5 flooring choices that always look perfect with white cabinets. Here are my picks, why I like them, what decor style they work best with, and how easy they are to clean. (Want to find out your home decor style? Click here for my 2 minute quiz!)

By New Africa – stock.adobe.com.

White marble tile floors

For a classic, bright, tone-on-tone look marble tile flooring is an excellent pairing with white kitchen cabinets. If you have a small space, this is a great choice to reflect light and make your space feel larger. And you don’t have to opt for real marble, either. There are beautiful porcelain tiles that look like the real thing, or you can buy durable laminate tiles that look like marble. Just be careful if you opt for a glossy finish tile as they tend to be slippery. They’re also usually more difficult to clean and keep streak-free. Pair marble or marble-look flooring with butcherblock countertops to add a bit of warmth & depth to your kitchen design.

Best for: modern decor style
Cleanability score: 5/10

Natural colored wood floors

My personal favourite pairing is a natural colored wood or wood-look flooring with white kitchen cabinetry. We’ve used this combo in both our lake house rental renovations, and the results were beautiful! I love that the light hardwood brings in some warmth in contrast to the white cabinets. Plus if you stick to a medium, natural tone of wood it’s easy to clean and quite timeless. You can opt for real hardwood flooring in this tone, or go for a luxury vinyl plank like we did. The latter is very durable and a great choice for homes with kids and pets. My favourite natural colored wood is white oak because it’s a little warm but still very neutral in tone. When looking for a a neutral color wood floor, make sure it doesn’t have any obvious undertones. Choose a neutral beige undertone over yellow, red or pink tones.

Best for: modern farmhouse, boho or coastal decor styles
Cleanability score: 10/10

By slavun– stock.adobe.com.

Black & white mosaic tile

For an interesting, vintage-inspired look a black and white mosaic tile is a fun choice to pair with white kitchen cabinets. More detailed flooring like this adds a fun pop of pattern to a space, and keeping it in black & white tones allows it to pair with other colours (like this beautiful blue island). The texture that results from all the grout lines gives this tile some grip and makes it safer to walk on. Mosaic tile can look very busy, so when using it keep all of the other elements in the kitchen simple and streamlined. The grout lines can also be time-consuming to clean, but a statement floor like this is a stunning choice. Pair a mosaic tile floor with a simple white porcelain tile backsplash so that the two surfaces don’t compete. You can also use other black accents in your kitchen to tie into the black tiles of the flooring like like fixtures and/or hardware.

Best for: mid-century modern & bohemian decor styles
Cleanability score: 6/10

By pics721– stock.adobe.com.

Dark, warm wood floors

If you’re looking for a flooring that contrasts beautifully with white cabinets and brings in some warmth, dark wood flooring is a good pick. A dark walnut stained hardwood floor, or even a deep cherry colour offers a grounded look to a kitchen and it’s a beautiful, traditional look. A dark floor is a lovely contrast to white cabinetry, and it can be paired with marble and chrome accents with stainless steel appliances for a timeless design. Solid wood flooring will be the most traditional choice, but you can also find vinyl plank and laminate flooring in dark, warm wood tones. Deep colored flooring can show dust and streaks easily, so keep that in mind when choosing how dark you want to go.

Best for: traditional, transitional, French country & industrial decor styles
Cleanability score: 7/10

By New Africa – stock.adobe.com.

White washed wood floors

If you have a small and/or dark kitchen and really want to brighten it up, white washed wood floors will help make your space feel bigger and brighter. You can choose real wood floors that have a white washed look, or choose a vinyl plank or laminate lookalike. The wood grain will add some dimension, but the light white shade of floors like this will keep your whole kitchen looking bright and fresh. I’ve even seen homeowners use white paint to rescue original hardwood flooring that was too damaged to re-stain. Opt for a vinyl flooring, though, if you’re concerned about scratches and stains on your white floor. White will show a lot of dirt and hair, so be ready to clean it often if you have pets and kids. However, since it’s light in color you’ll be able to see all the dirt and get it sparkling clean after every mop.

Best for: modern farmhouse, coastal & French country decor styles
Cleanability score: 7/10

Budget Friendly White and Mint Lake House Kitchen Design
My mom’s kitchen features natural coloured vinyl plank flooring

So there you have it – my favourite color floors that go best with white kitchen cabinets! I hope this helps you choose a floor if you’re planning a kitchen renovation. In my opinion, you definitely can’t go wrong with any of these. Happy renovating!

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3 Comments

  1. I have luxury vinyl plank flooring in my kitchen with white cabinets. I opted for dark, wood looking flooring. Love it—great with pets (I have two cats with claws). Easy clean-up when they have hair balls.!

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