I am renovating the kitchen/diner/lounge in my apartment. I chose engineered oak flooring, plus a thick underlay with excellent soundproofing properties. Measuring up today with the kitchen company and the flooring company, there was a hearty debate about whether to 1) lay the flooring first and kitchen cabinetry after, or 2) cabinetry installed first, and the flooring around it. I would very much appreciate any advice on this matter. Thanks in advance.

Is this picture taken during the day or at night? If it’s daytime your kitchen must not get much natural light. Go for white cabinets to reflect as much light as possible to brighten the room up. Boring but timeless & always looks fresh. For colour you could do a splash back, or just add colour via accessories such as a bright kettle/toaster set, tea towels etc., easier & cheaper to change if you get tired of it.

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Two slightly seperate thoughts -- -- V Groove may be hard to clean ? Also , it will look a bit 'homestead' -- I don't know if that look is really right here ? -- I suspect anything too white will not look great -- even the existing kitchen looks too much the same IMO , even allowing for ( or maybe added to by ) the avocado olive . The first thing I noticed was the clock , because of the colours . The plaque above the stove , and the stools , also all add to the existing scheme , as they show imagination as well as colour . The things I dislike are the 2 black hanging lights , and the 'nothing' colour of the spalshback -- whilst they wouldn't really work in a red or orange or yellow while there is that avocado , in a whiter or ( ironically ) a black and white based colour scheme , brighter light shades and a complimentary splashback or tiles ( r / y / o ) would really add . In other words , if you went white upper cupboards , do charcoal lower ones , or charcoal benchtops ( or cedar doors if going for natural wood ) ; then add some more colour to add to the overall look .