The bricks and the slate together make the area very busy and while it was a nice warm look many years ago, I think it looks a little dated now. Can you use the renovation to cover the bricks for a cleaner, less busy look? The dark brown/black would be fine with the slate, but it will make the room look heavy. I would be inclined to go for the palest colour (soft white) from the slate rather than go dark, I think it will keep your kitchen looking much cleaner and fresher looking. The slate is always going to be the statement piece in the room, so keep everything else as simple as possible.

Put your photos onto a paint company website where you can "paint" your existing cupboards to give you some ideas of how it will look finished, most of them have this feature now.

Love the first picture Louise, it is very dramatic and you have a well lit room to carry it off - just a pity about the slate as you obviously like the bricks. I must admit I would prefer the bricks than walls that need painting (as in work) any day. Good luck with it all, it is a shame money (and lack of it) plays such an important role in decorating. Do let us see the end results won't you.

Isn't it great the things you learn on Houzz. Such a resourceful bunch.

Big reader - tell me about the floating floor, how does your dad clean it. I'm very keen to have it but I hear very mixed reports when it comes to caring for it.

Louisa - go for the dark kitchen in your first inspiration photo! You have a large space that can handle it and, as in the photo, if you choose white benches and small accessories together with s/s appliances, it will keep the kitchen from looking heavy and oppressive.

Even if you can't/don't want to remove the slate as bigreader has outlined [well done, by the way bigreader!!] I think your kitchen will benefit from taking away the brown cabinetry. To my eye, it's the 50 shades of brown that are doing the injustice [bricks, wall shelves, cabinets, cabinet/bench edging and door pulls]

Thanks big reader, I'm hearing you should not wet them but in my mind how else would you clean them, afraid I'm very much a soap and water person.

I immediately thought of a dove grey to pick up on the tones in the slate and maybe timber benches to pick up other colours in the slate. I think this would also go with the bricks :) Good luck.

One of my joeys is in the US and uses a steam mop on hers and says it is brilliant. Been down about 12 years and she has been in the house for 7. Just not sure of any difference in products between here and the US though. I really can't see products being touted for kitchens though if they can't take water - in theory that is.

Hi Louisa. I found your question interesting as I am currently planning my own kitchen renovation with a slate floor, which looks very similar to your slate. I decided it too expensive to change the floor as it flows through to my dining and family rooms as well. My space is not as large as yours. I have chosen a warm white for my cabinets, and a Caesarstone benchtop in a colour called Linen, which is a soft neutral colour. This will suit my space and the "look" I want for the house. My appliances are stainless steel. I renovated the kitchen in my previous home 3 years ago. It was a large space opening onto the family room and meals area with a lot of exposed brick in the kitchen and family rooms, in a colour slightly lighter than yours. One thing I noticed about the exposed brick was that I had to regularly clean it with a vacuum because the dust stuck to the bricks. Brick absorbs the light in a room, so I kept my cupboards in a light warm cream colour and matched the wall colour to them. This created a very neutral coloured area that wasn't jarring to the eye. I chose a diamond gloss laminate for the benchtops (for cost reasons) that looked like stone and fooled most visitors into thinking it was. It was shiny and helped to reflect light about the room, along with the stainless steel appliances. I have posted a photo of this kitchen.

Louisa - think about those Ikea cabinets those ridges will collect lots of greasy kitchen dust.

Hi Louisa, I had a very similar slate floor in my previous house,which I only sold 18 months ago. I redid my kitchen in that house approx 4 years ago and went with gloss poly cabinets and a black flecked marble look bench top, very similar to the second of your inspiration photos. Although I didn't have any brickwork to contend with, I absolutely loved the look with the slate.

When I sold, my slate had been down approx 17 years. Sealer was put on when originally laid and I think it was redone maybe twice after that. And it was still looking good.

Good luck with your renovation.

Personally, given the sizeable kitchen with so much natural light, I would go bold & dark, the room can take it... I would keep the slate floors, paint all the brickwork a very dark slate colour (almost black) and contrast with light/natural timber cabinets, not sure about the benchtop yet... I know it's a dining room but here's the inspiration...

If you really don't like the slate flooring and it's restricting what you want your dream kitchen to be there's an easy fix. Vinyl planks. All you need to do is get a thin screed laid over the slate to create a new level floor and lay your choice of vinyl planks. They are only about 5mm thick, are extremely hard wearing and really look just like real timber. Don't go with self adhesive - it's a gimmick. I can give you more technical info and web links if you're interested.

Good luck.

Sandi

Not me knackers :))

This thread is over 12 months old now - wonder what Weezy Lid decided on?

If your keeping the brickwork as is and black slate on the floor. I would consider white cupboard doors with a work surface either a Corian or Ceaserstone in a black to with a subtle pattern through it, which will compliment the brick and the black slate floor. Bring in black on the handles even of the cabinetry too.