The kitchen floor is one of the most high-traffic areas of any house. There is so much the floor has to contend with that it must be practical. In addition, the kitchen also has a lot of spillage and water droplets while still required to keep its beauty and allure. As an interior designer, I work to find the point where beauty and practicality meet. That is why I always work with the following kitchen flooring ideas.
Kitchen Flooring Ideas
1) Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles
Image Source: avalonflooring.com
Tiles are the go-to choice for many people because it has many benefits that it comes with. Apart from the fact that tiles come in various shapes, patterns, and colors, the material has been explored widely and is one of the most common flooring ideas in practical use.
Tiles are used in spaces like the bathroom, meaning they can handle liquids better than other materials. Since the flooring will be in the kitchen, splatters and spills are bound to happen. I go for tiles to achieve that modern look because many options in the market will potentially match the design I want.
Whenever I pick the tiles for a space, I have to consider the types of tiles available in the market. As a result, I typically choose from three types of tiles each time.
i) Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain is the most practical surface I prefer for busy kitchen spaces. A lot goes on in the kitchen, and the floor needs to hold everything together. Porcelain tiles have a lower water absorption rate, the kind of surface you want in your kitchen. A porcelain tile will absorb less than 0.5% water on the floor's surface.
Image Source: westsidetiles.com
I see kitchen flooring with porcelain tiles last a bit longer and maintains its look compared to other floor types. Porcelain is made of white clay, and that is one of the things that makes it different from ceramic tiles. Also, the tiles are cooked at higher temperatures and become harder and denser.
This ideal kitchen floor material has a great price and high functionality rating.
ii) Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tiles are more like porcelain tiles in a lot of ways. The tiles are made of red or brown clay. In some cases, white clay is preferred. The tiles are not as dense as the ceramic tiles. As a result, the tiles are more available and in more intricate shapes and designs.
Image Source: hanseceramictile.com
I would not recommend ceramic tiles for the kitchen because they do not do well in high-traffic areas and are not as dense as porcelain tiles. In addition, ceramic tiles are bound to break faster, which might be costly in the long term.
2) Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is an option I am starting to recommend more because I love how well it works in a lot of situations. Vinyl is not only one of the best contemporary kitchen flooring ideas I am seeing in the market today but one of the most practical choices you can make.
Image Source: Houzz.com
Vinyl flooring usually comes in three forms: vinyl tile, sheet vinyl, or plank. These three types allow you to choose which shapes and sizes you want for your floor. You will hear that vinyl flooring is referred to as luxury vinyl tiles or planks whenever you are searching through some options. These names are shortened as LVT or LVP.
At the vinyl's core, tile design is wood and polymers, or stone composite core. The vinyl tiles further have a cork backing or foam that will make the floor one of the quietest available options. This is your choice if you like sneaking in for the midnight snack.
One of the advantages I enjoy working with vinyl tile options is that they are water resistant. The water resistance automatically makes them the best choice for a kitchen or bathroom floor with lots of water spilling on them. While vinyl options are not your standard tiles, I would highly recommend this choice.
3) Stone Floors
Stone floors have been the most luxurious of floors since time immemorial. Looking at every other tiling form, they try to mimic the stone floors. You will find ceramic tiles with a stone look, which should prove how luxurious the stone floors are.
Image Source: HomesandGardens.com
Stone floors are highly functional and beautiful. However, I would prefer a marble floor before any other material to get that classic style—most countertops in the kitchen work with granite, proving that the material can handle fluids well.
Stone tiles will work perfectly with your kitchen design and are super durable compared to other materials. There is hardly a day when stone flooring will not look good, even in the kitchen. Natural stone might be expensive, but its durability is worth it. There is a lot that you will enjoy when using tiles.
4) Kitchen Wooden Flooring
The one thing with tiles is that they get so cold, and I have to wear socks each time I walk or stand on them for too long. The problem of freezing floors is one you will not face with wooden materials. You can choose between solid wood and engineered wood planks; both will work perfectly to make your kitchen beautiful and nice to work on compared to other materials.
Image Source: thespruce.com
I enjoy wooden flooring because you do not have to worry about installing underfloor heating like other types that can be freezing during winter.
Using wood is still one of the best kitchen flooring ideas that I suggest for my clients, especially if the kitchen is an open plan and the living or dining room has wood flooring. The other advantage of wood is that it is not affected much by humidity. Therefore, you should not worry about cracking or water absorption. Being a natural material, you must keep it in good shape by regularly maintaining the floor.
5) Kitchen Bamboo Flooring
Image Source: HGTV.com
Bamboo is one of the best flooring ideas in my books. Apart from being rare, bamboo is one of the most versatile and long-lasting natural materials you can ever work with. The floors I have worked on with bamboo look exceptional, and I wish more people knew about this option.
6) Classic Parquet Flooring
Parquet is wood flooring but uses smaller pieces that take more time to arrange and require more precision and maintenance. This floor is preferred by a lot of people who are going for a classic look. However, in my experience, anyone who works with this type of flooring often goes for something specific.
Image Source: Houzz.com
At first, it might look like a lot of work arranging the huge number of individual blocks. However, the results at the end of each parquet flooring are the most satisfying as flooring goes.
7) Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is an eco-friendly option. It is warm, and you will not need to install underfloor heating in your kitchen. The best thing about this idea is that it is the easiest kitchen flooring, and you can install tiles yourself as a DIY project.
Image Source: HGTV.com
While the flooring is biodegradable, eco-friendly, and a relatively affordable alternative, the floor will not be as long-lasting as other materials. In addition, cork flooring will not do too well with water and is one I would not have in my kitchen flooring ideas book. However, the good thing is that your neighbor below will not need to install soundproofing because cork floors dampen sound well.
8) Polished Concrete Floor
One of the things I look at when looking at flooring ideas is slippage. The polished concrete does not have a slippery surface and is consistent. As a result, you will avoid slip-related hazards, and it is easy to clean. Having a low-maintenance and durable floor is one thing that is not very easy to come by. However, the polished concrete floor manages to do this.
Image Source: DesigningIdea.com
The great thing with this type of flooring is that it is easy to install and has an extensive range of possibilities, including installing underfloor heating. A polished concrete floor is a good choice because it conducts heat well.
9) Terracotta Tiles
Image Source: decoist.com
I love the terracotta tiles because of the rustic look they bring to the floor. While terracotta tiles are in the ceramic tiles category, it deserves a special mention because of the advantages it has brought to our floors for hundreds of years. These tiles have been around for way longer than the modern flooring techniques we see today. You can know that the terracotta method was effective because the tiles are still in use today.
You can find terracotta tiles in multiple forms, including glazed and unglazed. The tiles are versatile and will be a good look in your kitchen.
10) Brick Flooring
I have not come across brick flooring in most kitchens. However, the few times I encountered the flooring, the memory stuck with me. There is so much beauty that neatly layered bricks have, and you can be sure the kitchen will have a different vibe from any other you have been to.
Image Source: thespruce.com
Having brick flooring is not possible in most cases. However, if you have a farmhouse or are looking for ideas to design your outdoor kitchen, bricks are the way to go. The brick flooring looks like something straight from a Pinterest search.
Features to Consider when Looking for Kitchen Flooring Ideas
a) Absorption Rate
Image Source: whytile.com
I strongly recommend that water absorption be one of the first things you consider when looking into kitchen flooring ideas. However, you have to be careful, especially when using laminate flooring. If the floor absorbs a lot of water, the surface will always be cold, which is not the best situation for you. You need a floor that dries up as fast as possible and one that will not cost you your comfort.
b) Slippage
Image Source: whytile.com
Having a slippery floor in the kitchen is not a safe bet. Generally, having a slippery floor anywhere is not safe. Therefore, before picking your favorite material, look at the potential of the surface to cause slippage.
c) Stain Resistant
Image Source: stylesatlife.com
The kitchen is where the action happens. However, when it comes down to spills, the floor should be able to handle the stain properly. If the floor stains when any fluid reaches it, the kitchen will soon stop being your favorite place.
A surface that is easy to wipe, like that marble, is one I would recommend.
d) Price
Image Source: sfgate.com
How much does the floor cost per square foot, and how large is your kitchen? Using tiles, you can calculate the floor surface's cost per tile or square footage. When making this calculation, there is a lot to consider, including the material you will use on the floor. These costs vary from one factor to another.
e) Labor
Image Source: HGTV.com
I have seen situations where clients were too stuck looking for the best tiles they could get but forgot the labor part. If you are dealing with the delicate parquet, you want good work done on the tiles for them to last long. If you get experienced labor, they can tell which tiles will develop grout lines with time and other issues that may hinder the tiles' longevity.
Get expert project advice before you commence any kitchen floor upgrades.
f) Design
Image Source: housing.com
You want your tiles to have the vibe that the rest of the kitchen or house has. Everything needs to be thought out. It would be unfair to buy the best 48-inch range with a double oven only to have a floor that looks unattractive. If the tiles clash with the whole house, making a kitchen upgrade will not make sense. After all, cohesion in your space improves its aesthetic appeal.
g) Other Installations
Image Source: RealHomes.com
Does your floor have heating, and will that need to be removed when upgrading your kitchen? Again, you need to work with professionals if you have plumbing, wiring, or any other installation that might be affected by overhauling the floor.
Final Thoughts
The kitchen is one of the places we visit most in the house. We spend lots of time in the kitchen, and the floor needs to be up to the task when many activities are happening on it. The flooring you will get for your kitchen will positively change the house's mood if you consider the best options on the market.
Image Source: interiordesign.lovetoknow.com
