Can I Use Grey Wood Floors with Cherry Cabinets?

Last Update:

We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Learn more

can i use wood floors with cherry cabinets

If you have grey wood floors and wonder if cherry cabinets will look good with them – it depends.

If your floors have hints of blue or green, cherry cabinets will coordinate nicely. Cherry cabinets also work well for very light gray flooring and gray floors with beige undertones.

If you want to install gray wood floors to go with your cherry cabinets, use some of these tips to make sure the colors flow properly.

How to Coordinate Grey Wood Floors with Cherry Cabinets

cherry colored cabinets and wood floors in old style kitchen

If you love grey floors and cherry cabinets, you can make them look good together. However, you need to be mindful of your design decisions.

Here’s what to consider.

Use the Right Color Grey

Not all greys are equal. While grey is neutral, it’s often either warm or cool-toned. 

A cool-toned gray floor with blues or greens will contrast your red oak cabinets. It’s essential to have a contrast between your cabinet and floors, making this a good option.

A warm-toned gray will likely have beige, pink, or orange specks throughout.

While both warm and cool-tone gray wood floors can work with cherry cabinets, it’s important to use a very light color if you’re going for a warm tone. Since your cherry cabinets are warm and likely dark, you need the color contrast.

The biggest mistake to avoid is going with a dark gray floor. Using dark gray will look very heavy and make your kitchen feel cave-like.

Tie the Look in with Your Backsplash and Countertops

If you’re getting new countertops, they’re the perfect way to tie your flooring and cabinet color together. Consider a natural stone that’s predominately white but has warm and cool hues throughout. (Something like this.)

Avoid using countertops that are solid yellow, gold, or orange. They won’t coordinate well with the gray flooring.

If you aren’t replacing your counters, consider updating your backsplash. Look for a backsplash that coordinates with your counter colors and ties in the gray on the floor. You can do something simple, like a white subway tile with grey grout, or choose a stone with flecks of grey in it.

Use a Complementary Paint Color on the Wall

Cherry cabinets are very warm. Gray flooring is primarily neutral. This means you should use a cooler paint color on the wall to bring balance to the room.

Consider a white with blue or green undertones if you want something light. You can also try green-beige or blue-gray wall color.

If you want a bold paint color, go for any shade of blue or green.

What’s the Best Floor Color for Cherry Cabinets?

cherry colored cabinets and wood floors in modern kitchen

If you have your heart set on cherry cabinets but aren’t 100% sold on gray flooring, here are some other colors that coordinate well.

  • White oak
  • Hickory
  • Maple
  • Ash

Since cherry cabinets are dark, you want to avoid using a dark color on the floor. Instead, use light wood for contrast. 

What’s the Best Cabinet Color for Gray Floors?

If you already have your floors but aren’t sure about the right cabinet choice, here are the top cabinets to coordinate with gray flooring:

  • White 
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Contrasting Shades of Gray
  • Black

While gray floors can coordinate with wood-toned cabinets, they often look best with a painted cabinet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What wood goes best with gray floors?

If you have gray flooring and need a wood to go with it, your best bet is to coordinate undertones.

 If your floors have a cool undertone, white oak or white-washed wood are good choices. If your gray floors are warmer, consider a maple or wood stained in a neutral medium brown.

In most cases, lighter wood choices look better than darker ones with gray flooring.

Is gray flooring a good idea?

Picking what you love for your home is never a bad idea. However, if you’re worried about gray going out of style, don’t choose it. While gray floors were popular a decade ago, super light hardwoods are the current trend.

Get hardwoods in a medium brown stain if you want a timeless flooring choice.

What color vinyl flooring goes with cherry cabinets?

Luxury vinyl planks are a great flooring option for the kitchen. Consider a vinyl plank in a light oak or maple finish if you want a wood look. You can also opt for a predominately white vinyl floor.

Do walnut floors go with cherry cabinets?

The tones in walnut floors and cherry cabinets coordinate. Since walnut and cherry are both dark, they can make your kitchen feel overwhelming. If you decide to use these woods together, break them up with a lighter countertop, lighter paint color, and neutral accessories. 

Can I use gray wood floors with cherry cabinets and white countertops?

If you’re going to use gray floors with cherry cabinets, white is one of the better countertop choices – especially if it has flecks of gray. Avoid overly yellow or orange countertops if you have gray flooring and cherry cabinets.

Final Thoughts

While you can make grey wood floors coordinate with cherry cabinets, it’s not the best color combo. A painted or solid color cabinet works best if you already have gray flooring – think colors like white, black, blue, or green.

If you have cherry cabinets, the best hardwood floor colors are light woods like ash, maple, and white oak. However, if you’re committed to making grey floors match your cherry cabinets, use your countertop and backsplash to tie the two together.

Photo of author

AUTHOR

Katie Barton lives with her husband and three daughters in an 1800’s style log cabin in southern Ohio. She thinks cleaning is relaxing and is considered the organizing go-to person by her family and friends. She runs the blog Cabin Lane where she shares about cleaning, decluttering, and minimalism. See full biography here.

Leave a Comment

11 − three =