Kitchen with hickory cabinets and maple floors

[yoopermom]

The house we're buying is 8 years old, and has a great room (kitchen/dining/ living) basically the length of the front of the house. The entire area has very light hardwood maple floors. The kitchen cabinets are a beautiful hickory. To me, the two REALLY don't go together, but both are in pristine condition, and so we won't be replacing either anytime soon.

Is there any way to tie them together, or should I just be happy with the fact that both are high quality? There is no backsplash, and the walls are just a beige color, so those are two things we could change.

TIA!

Terri

 

[mom2rose&john]

The house we're buying is 8 years old, and has a great room (kitchen/dining/ living) basically the length of the front of the house. The entire area has very light hardwood maple floors. The kitchen cabinets are a beautiful hickory. To me, the two REALLY don't go together, but both are in pristine condition, and so we won't be replacing either anytime soon.

Is there any way to tie them together, or should I just be happy with the fact that both are high quality? There is no backsplash, and the walls are just a beige color, so those are two things we could change.

TIA!

Terri

Congrats on your new home. Each wood is individually beautiful. Try using throw rugs to break up the disconnect. Wall color can dramatically change a room and is cheap to do and redo if necessary.

Do you have pictures that you can post (Not that I am kitchen obsessed or anything) to help with décor? Gardenweb has an awesome kitchen forum that can help with your questions as well as on this forum.

 

[yoopermom]

Sorry for the size, this is the hall leading to the kitchen, but best picture I have of how light the floors are.

 

[yoopermom]

Here's looking down the length. The rest of the house is great, but they cheaped out on the laminate countertops. At least they are dark....

These were taken later in the day, the floors are much lighter as shown in first photo.

All decorations are original owners...

 

[mom2rose&john]

I see what you mean about the light floors. While I prefer dark over light, I think your kitchen is lovely and move in ready. I love that the upper cabinets go to the ceiling. Maybe you can add moulding to the uppers to accent the height. The pictures seem like the kitchen is monochromatic. For the short term I would paint the walls a medium shade because you do have dark counters and add throw rugs that you can wash to create a break between cabinets and floor.

Honestly, I would live with it for 6-12 months before doing anything to the floors or counters. I would also pay attention to the amount of sunlight the kitchen gets during the day. Do you know if it is southern exposure? That gives the most sunlight throughout the day and you can go dark without getting a cave light atmosphere. If you have enough lighting I would re-stain the maple floor dark to create a contrast.

 

[yoopermom]

Yes, it has a southern exposure (over the sink window, french doors, and large picture window all on same side).

The owners are a very elderly German (as in from Germany) couple, so house has a slight old world European feel to it, in my estimation. She liked everything of high quality but monochromatic/neutral.

The Pella windows have the built in blinds, so all there are are valances (plus its in the middle of 37 acres so no one to see in but the bears and deer, haha).

I personally would love a lively backsplash, but will be patient and live with it for six months.

The appliances are coming with it, and we can't afford to replace right now, so will have to live with white (urgh).

Great idea about trim at the top!

Terri

 

[OhMari]

My dh loved the hickory cabinets, but there are to many "knots" in Hickory for flooring. Is it real wood or the quarter inch wood laminate, if it is not real wood, you really can't redo the color. If it is, laminate you get one shot at it. Where did you find a house, we are still trying to sell ours. We just came down 10,000 and still really no offers yet.

 

[yoopermom]

Real hickory, real maple, all done by a local cabinet maker here in the southern U.P. who's known for doing great work, but being very slow.

We have been watching for a "real" (aka year around) house on forested acreage for the past 8 years, called on this on the day it went on the market, offered 160 on the 170 asking, and were accepted right away (literally was on and off the market in two days). It's 37 acres of gorgeous hardwoods (mostly maples), rolling hills, all surrounded by state forest.

Unfortunately, we have to sell our little house, on 1 acre, on a river, and even as cheap as it's going to be priced, I'm terrified how long it may take to sell.

So I feel your pain! Not much sells up here unless it's on a large acreage...

And I love the hickory, too .

Terri

 

[yoopermom]

This is standing in the kitchen, looking the length of the main room. She has tons of "clutter" that make it look smaller than it is. I have a much smaller dining room table, a sectional couch, and a corner tv stand, and that's all I'm putting in it for right now. Want to be able to concentrate on this view out my front window! (Minus the boat...)

 

[minnie mum]

If the floor is solid maple planks, not engineered, then you could have it sanded and restained. But this would definitely not be a diy project. It would take a bit of trial and error and custom stain mixes to get a match to the hickory. Or you could opt to go darker than the hickory.

If you do that, you might want something lighter than what you currently have for your counter tops. And if you think you will replace your counters any time soon, you'll probably want to wait til then to add tile back splashes.

A large area rug in the living area and a smaller washable one in the kitchen will help minimize all of the wood in the room.

 

[yoopermom]

That's a good point about waiting on backsplash if we're going to replace the countertops (yes, I would love lighter ones...).

So funny about "minimizing the wood" because it seems as though everyone who lives in the woods up here wants tons of wood in the house, too! To me, a little goes a long, long ways! Our current wood has maple laminate on the floor, then some kind of real wood (very light colored) on the walls and ceilings! Aaargh! There aren't enough throw rugs in the universe to cover it all up.

I've always been a "cool" color person, and somehow end up with all this wood, all the time...

Terri

 

[OhMari]

Real hickory, real maple, all done by a local cabinet maker here in the southern U.P. who's known for doing great work, but being very slow.

We have been watching for a "real" (aka year around) house on forested acreage for the past 8 years, called on this on the day it went on the market, offered 160 on the 170 asking, and were accepted right away (literally was on and off the market in two days). It's 37 acres of gorgeous hardwoods (mostly maples), rolling hills, all surrounded by state forest.

Unfortunately, we have to sell our little house, on 1 acre, on a river, and even as cheap as it's going to be priced, I'm terrified how long it may take to sell.

So I feel your pain! Not much sells up here unless it's on a large acreage...

And I love the hickory, too .

Terri

Wow, what a great find. You should advertise your house down in the Milwaukee area or the Appleton area. I see all the crazy traffic every Thurs. & Friday heading up north. On Sunday, the roads are slammed with everyone going back home. I have a friend that has a home in Menomonee MI out in the country. The taxes are lower for retired people, than they are in Wisconsin. With 41 and 35 by-passing all those little towns, it cuts off at least 45 minutes now to get up to the UP.

 

[TAX GUY]

I think it looks fine as is..... which is probably why my wife didn't let me help with ANY of the decorations or décor in our house.

 

[yoopermom]

Wow, what a great find. You should advertise your house down in the Milwaukee area or the Appleton area. I see all the crazy traffic every Thurs. & Friday heading up north. On Sunday, the roads are slammed with everyone going back home. I have a friend that has a home in Menomonee MI out in the country. The taxes are lower for retired people, than they are in Wisconsin. With 41 and 35 by-passing all those little towns, it cuts off at least 45 minutes now to get up to the UP.

That's so funny OhMari, because we are originally from the Racine/Kenosha areas, and are extended families (who all still live there) think our prices up here are such a steal! We are in Menominee County, also, so probably know your friend . If you ever come up to see that friend, we could have a very small DISmeet !

Terri

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

One quick suggestion that may help, replace out the drawer and cabinet pulls. Using a more modern design and finish, like an oil rubbed bronze, or satin brushed nickel, may help tie the more modern finish on the floors with the cabinets.

I honestly don't think it's a bad combination, when you said hickory and pictured the usual hickory stain, which is a very 70s-ish dark brown, but this is more of a raw cherry stain color, just hickory wood. I like the combination, but would break it up with some plush area rugs. I don't like the "all woods must be exactly the same" look, the variety adds texture.

 

[yoopermom]

Oh, I definitely want new hardware throughout (bathrooms are nice shiny gold, shudder...).

No, the cabinets are actually a fairly nice color and I know it's an unusual wood choice for up here, could not have been cheap.

Terri

 

[tina.tina]

I know sometimes pictures don't do something justice, but I really don't think it's bad at all. If you tried to match the cabinets and floor, it would really be too much of a monochromatic wood look. The contrast provides interest. I agree that updated hardware would be nice.

Like a PP said, wait a few months before you do anything. I am hesitant to stain my oak floors darker. Oak floors are sort of classic and I'm worried that darker floors are a trend that I won't like in a few years. After you get your own stuff settled in, it will change the look of the house, too.

 

[goofy4tink]

I like it! Just finished my kitchen redo....gutted it and started fresh. I have to tell you....deciding on flooring and cabinetry was the worst! The only thing I would change in your kitchen would be the counter. Make it lighter...that will make a huge difference. Then add a cool backsplash. But....don't do anything for a few months! Live with it like it is...then decide.