One thing I love about the graphite cabinet color I want to use is that it is a stain - not paint. The stain is on maple (can also do cherry) cabinets so you still pick up some flecks of the natural wood color in the stain - which I think would draw in the light stain hardwood floors! I'm looking at Marsh Kitchen Savannah 1 cabinets in graphite - made in NC!! I am attaching a picture. This pic is actually the cherry cabinet because the photo is actually much more like the maple, graphite-stained cabinet as it looks in person. The pic of the maple one looks kinda cheap - doesn't do it justice.

Agree wiuth Barbara and anyone thinking iof putting a paint-loaded brush or roller anywhere near a vintage timber piece of furniture..."it would be a... SIN! Seems the compulsion of the mass renovcators is to paint everything....and its the easiest solution. Don't think happy renovators and DIY-ers have changed much over the years either. I have just finished stripping five coats of enamel from the most beautiful set of silky oak french doors with etched frosted glass...how many SINS there!!! Silky oak is an open grain timber so the last coats had to be done by the funny little man out in his bush shack restoration shed...and Oh what a beautiful job! I am over the moon and do not care what it cost...although it was not a lot compared to what I'd have paid in Sydney. Here a tip for any appreciators...(.if there are any left) of fine timbers. All you need is an old enamel bath tub and gallons of metholated spirits....just give it a bath and save yourself hours of scraping and fumes and burns. SORRY about the deviatiuon but this is my latest Soap Box...don't paint vintage timber! About your problem Wendi, I think, with Barbara, wait until you have your whole dining set and then stain the piece to fit in with the timber in that...( unless you are going to get a white one...( tongue in cheek). I've seen some really nice dining sets with the best of both ...legs and table frame in a (cringe) painted colour and table top in timber...saw a really desirable inlaid table top at my favourite little man's shed last week..the rest was painted and had a drawer for each place....with old metal handles. Legs were on castors.. The chair seats were upholstered...but needed recovering and the frames were metal...could have been an alloy of sorts. The combination of unpainted- stained timber..especially in inlay, with the painted parts, the metal frames and upholstered chairs just fitted together perfectly...so best of both. You migh be lucky enough to find the perfect table with a natural timber top...( and I wish you to find one with an inlaid design featurting timbers of different hues....) then your lovely little cabinet/sideboard might fit perfectly! There are some lovely timber stains around today...timber can be stained any colour...as long as its a transparent dye. A wonderful product is FEZLAC...that's the base and it is a shellac. To this you add the stain -colour you want. I've used it to put designs (fake inlay) on the backs of some really lovely old chairs...imitating the different natural timber hues in real inlay....So above are a few words, tales and suggestions that I hope will inspire you NOT to paint that cabinet.

i added a dining room extension 2 years ago and chose cyprus pine flooring to match the existing timber floor of my old cottage. Im near beaches so decided to lime wash the floor. 2 years down the track whilst i really love the look i can tell you the finish does not last. It is not even a high traffic area and you have to keep an eye on it to keep it clean of any little marks so they dont damage the surface of the wash. So my advice would be whilst a really beautiful look avoid because it does not go the distance.

Hi Anna, with your lovely bushland setting my preference is stained finishes that allow the character of the substrate to show through, not paint which will obscure the substrate material. Stained finishes on outdoor timber will be easier to maintain over time too, as you can wash down and re-coat rather than having to sand back. In terms of prep, use an oxalic acid based wood cleaner (following the safety guidelines of course) and give it a good scrub. Don't use sand paper or a pressure cleaner. After the cleaner has restored the wood surface you can apply a penetrating oil finish - at least 2 coats - to enhance the natural colours. If adding a tint, I would look for something that will reflect the bushland tones, probably greys. A strong orange look will not complement the bush tones. For your slab area, I would just give it a good pressure clean then apply a clear sealer, maybe add some grey oxide if the concrete is too light. The aim is to retain some patina and avoid solid blocks of colour like pavement paint would achieve. Sealer will age more gracefully than paint too. All this is subjective of course, but to me working with the colours and textures of the bush is the way to go. Looking forward to seeing your "after" photos when it is done!