How to Coordinate Finishes in the Kitchen

Arrange your lighting in the kitchen to accent or draw attention away from certain finishes. For example, if the back splashes don't match the counters as well as you would like, then have the under-cabinet lighting fall away from the back splashes and more on the counter.

Choose the cabinet and faucet hardware to match the finish of the cabinets and other areas. If you have extensive amounts of stainless steel throughout the kitchen, you might not want to use a different-colored metal or one that looks antique for the hardware.

Balance the counter colors between the floor and the cabinets, and have them stand out without being overpowering. Natural wood cabinets and a natural stone counter provide a theme, as would glass and stainless steel cabinets with a high-tech man-made counter surface.

Avoid dark floors, to keep the room light and expansive. A lighter-colored wood floor with darker wood cabinets and a moderate counter color provides easy transition zones for the eyes to pick up visual cues about the room.

Pick appliances according to what best fits your family, and worry about the finish second. It is nice to have the color you want, and that matches the rest of the kitchen, but if you really have your heart set on the door ice dispenser and you choose another model without it for the right color, you might regret it every time you open the freezer door to get more ice.