One more pic of the door in iverlay style in the darker wood color.

OK: here's two different pictures from HOUZZ that I think show what it MIGHT look like together

And

Both floors are too light in the pictures, however.

Being typically onthefence.... I prefer the color of the dark but think the lighter might work better in your kitchen. I think the dark when you combine upper and lower cabs and a wood floor may be too dark.

Onthefence, that's exactly why I'm on the fence! I tend to agree. My DH is in love with the darker (and it is gorgeous), but I'm worried about a black hole in there, despite good light all day.

OK, I just went back and looked at your photos from your earlier thread. For me, I think the light would work better.

An alternative thought though - have you considered dark cabs for the base and light/white painted for the uppers? Or some combo of dark and light/white painted? Maybe the peninsula light and the rest dark? I've seen photos here and it really seems to lighten up a kitchen.

Hmmm...won't do painted (I just don't like the look), but a combo of the natural and dark stain might look really nice. I'm going to look through and find some things to show my DH. The pics in the old thread are VERY dark, taken at night with a bad camera, btw.

Defnitely want something "classic" looking. My desire is to do this once, and never have it look too outdated, be easily updated with new paint color or hardware, etc.

I'd go light. I went darker in my kitchen, and I regret it. Lighter will be brighter!

Go light! The dark looks muddy against the floor, at least in the picture.

Thanks for that picture! That is a striking combination. The floor is ALMOST dark enough, too, to give a good idea of how it will look with our floor.

This is a picture I keep coming back to as well; I think we might do a subway tile backsplash, or something else light...

The house is from the 80's and has a lot of the 80's craftsman revival influence, so while I'm not going to do a "period" kitchen, it wouldn't look out of place with the bannisters, etc.

I'm so glad the photo helped. It looks like the island in the pic is darker than your chestnut stain but it does help to give an idea.

When I look at your pic #2 of both cabinet options sitting on your floor I think the three really work well together.

Saw this on another thread and thought of your kitchen. Another good photo example:
https://www.houzz.com/photos/5284-mystic-kitchen-v1jpg-traditional-kitchen-phvw-vp~2732798

The three do look good together. Unfortunately, dh strongly disagrees. :) since he cooks as much as I do, we're going to stay single color. He's coming around on the lighter being better, however.

We are leaning towards the natural cherry with a dark counter and a tile backsplash, either white subway tile or something like this pic (see next post):

http://houzz.com/photos/173752

LOVE this tile.

Just noticed your update. Massive congrats on your decision! You really couldn't have gone wrong either way ;-) The natural cherry is going to be great - particularly with that backsplash!

What exactly does dh stand for? I obviously don't have one!!

Grace - it's dear husband. Although some days, the D stands for something else ;-)

Grace...as a guy..I prefer to think it means "darling husband". There are other words that begin with the letter...I've been called those too!

Thanks for clearing up the DH thing for me!