Using Light and Dark Contrasts in Your Kitchen

Keep balance in mind when mixing light and dark in the kitchen

Q: The kitchen in my new home is going to have white cupboards and dark hardwood floors – what do you recommend for a countertop and kitchen table?

There are a number of directions you can go in choosing your countertop.

Our preference is to use a light to mid-tone counter material in either a natural or engineered stone.

This creates a dramatic effect that doesn’t break up the contrast you’ve created by choosing dark floors and light cabinets.

When it comes to your kitchen table, we have two suggestions. If you are keen to use a dark table, we recommend pairing it with light-coloured chairs to continue the contrast between light and dark. A second option is to use a light table, preferably in white, to tie in with your cabinets.

In this case, either light or dark chairs would work well, depending on your preference.

Originally published in BC Home & Garden magazine. For regular updates, subscribe to our free Home and Garden e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the magazine.