Kitchen flooring choice

by **Dave Burke** on Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:13 pm

Hi

Wonder if anyone has any advice for a newbie on here (so please be gentle !)...

I'm getting a new kitchen installed next week and need some advice on any design rules with regards to floor colour. Details are:

galley kitchen, floor area is probably 1m wide by 3m long.
White, gloss units
walnut block work surfaces

I need some advice on any do's and don'ts when chosing a floor colour/type. I don't really want wood as I think it will clash with the worktops, plus I have stripped floor boards in the dining room (which the kitchen is off) so think that would clash as well.

Should I have a dark/black floor - would this minimise the impact the floor has, thus showing off the wood worktops and white cabinets, or a lighter floor colour ? would this make it look too washed out ?

Does floor colour have an effect on how big the room looks ?

Any advice would be great thanks, I'm terrible at visualising things.

Thanks in advance.

by **Majjie** on Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:11 pm

Hi Dave and welcome to Tim's forum

,

Well, as I've said before, colour schemes are very much down to personal taste and the type of look you're after; there aren't really any rules. Just try to mix the tones of your colours. Imagine your kitchen in a black and white photo. Would it be quite interesting with a lot of different shades of grey ... or would it all be the same boring tone of mid-grey?

You've made a very good start with your choice of white gloss doors with blocked walnut! Very classy.

Personally, I like a mixture of finishes and textures, so I would tend to go for something textured for the floor, with a blend of beigy browns. Paler than the walnut but dark enough (or mottled enough) that marks won't show up too much and to provide a contrast with the white of the units.

Ceramic (or porcelain) tiles which are pretending to be stone would look great and they will vary from very mottled, rustic looking ones to very straight cut, slightly mottled, flat ones. The straighter and flatter they are, the more modern they will look. I personally like diagonally laid tiles in a galley kitchen - but this doesn't look as modern as straight ones.

Don't be afraid of largish tiles just because the space is narrow. They can make it look more spacious because you get fewer grout lines.

If you don't want to lay ceramic tiles you could have a look at some of the good quality vinyls like Karndean or Amtico or Polyflor (they all do a range of prices and there may well be other makes which are good too).

If you think sticking to beiges and browns is a bit boring, you could always introduce some greys or bluey greys or greeny greys or mauvy greys into the mix and then pick out some darker shades of those colours in pots and pans or in wall tiles (if you're having any - or are you having upstands on your walnut top?). If your appliances are steel then soft greys can look good, as well as or instead of, beigy browns.

Hope that helps.

by **Dave Burke** on Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:45 pm

thanks for the advice.

i'd originally thought of having a black porcelain tiled floor as I really like the high sheen look - but will that be a bit too glossy with the gloss units ?

I am going to put a small layer of tiles round the wall, the fitter didn't recommend upstands (not sure why).

by **Majjie** on Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:08 pm

Well, far be it from me to put you off - if that's what you really like - but yes I think it would be too much gloss. And there's no way I would go for a plain black, high gloss finish on the floor. I can just imagine the smears and dust showing up a treat!! I know these tiles are very popualr at the moment, though.

A matt (or even satin) finish to the floor with a gloss finish to the wall tiles would be more to my taste.

by **Dave Burke** on Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:14 pm

ah, yes, didn't think of the dust issue - never was one to take function over form

thanks

by **Majjie** on Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:15 pm

Well, of course, you might clean your kitchen floor more often than I do mine!!

by **danneva** on Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:31 am

Choosing the right kitchen floor depends on personal tastes, but also on some very practical features. Kitchens are rooms where family and kids stay long and foot traffic is intense, and where the floor is exposed to regular moisture and to stains. In choosing kitchen flooring should include ease of cleaning, low-water absorption, and stain and high wear footing resistance.

by **John marrison** on Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:16 pm

Hi,
The most popular and common kitchen flooring is vinyl. It isn't the best at anything but it really doesn't have many glaring weaknesses either. It is durable, resilient and inexpensive; and you can get it in an almost infinite variety of patterns and colors.

Thanks
John marrison

Kitchen flooring choice

Kitchen flooring choice

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