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As your kitchen is going to see some heavy traffic then ideally you are looking for a hard-wearing surface that is low maintenance and affordable whilst being stylish. This is why it should be included in your budget when buying a new kitchen or simply upgrading your existing one. It is often overlooked and can become an afterthought but it is as important in your decision as the cupboards, work surfaces and associated appliances as can transform the kitchen space.
Quite often in the Modern World the kitchen is the centre of the household and not just a place for cooking but as an entertainment space and an area that is widely considered to be the most important style feature of any house, so you have to get all of the elements right for you to obtain that all elusive wow factor.
Whether you have a huge, open-plan affair or a simple galley kitchen you know that the time you, your family and your friends spend there is going to be a large part of your life so please get it right from the top to the bottom.
What makes good flooring in your kitchen, and do I get style over substance?
So, we are going to look at the current trends and hopefully show you the best option when planning your new kitchen floor.
Stone Flooring
One of the classics in the flooring world and you can see why it was the choice of most kitchens for such a long time. Ultimately hard wearing and with the current choices in styles and colours you will be able to find something to suit your needs. As with tiles they can be matched to the colour of your worktops or splashbacks to create a uniformed look.
Gone are the days of small, square terracotta slabs being laid creating a bust look to your floor with current trends aiming at much larger, rectangular slabs laid in a brick bond or random pattern
The colour choice can be somewhat daunting and is entirely dependant on the colour and style of your kitchen. Current trends are for “blonde” or lightly coloured stone. There is nothing to stop you from making a stark contrast in your flooring to the kitchen cupboards which is bold and exciting but the key to any design idea is its timeless appeal.
Some of the most popular of the stone floor materials are travatine which is a natural stone formed from limestone deposits and is usually a light colour and granite has made a big comeback in recent years as it has become more affordable.
Top tip: Once the stone floor has been laid, I would add a sealant that will protect from all of that wear and tear.
Tiled Floor
Again, a hard-wearing surface but due to its manufactured nature can damage is objects are dropped onto it but the possibilities in colour, style and size are almost endless giving great options for contemporary kitchen flooring ideas.
If you are going for a larger ceramic tiles then light, bright colours are where most designers are heading today with porcelain being the material of choice. However, we are seeing a revival of patterned tiles that will be the biggest sellers of 2023 and the makers are going all out to tantalise us with styles and colours. As before you could even use the tiles for your splashback to really accentuate the look.
Top Tip: Keep hold of any spare tiles in case of damage at a later date.
Wooden Floor
Let’s be honest now, shall we? Of all the surfaces you could choose for your flooring real wood will never go out of style no matter what the trends are. It is warm and tactile and goes with almost any type of kitchen from contemporary style to country. The most popular material is a hardwood such as oak or maple and can really make the difference when it comes to the overall design of the room.
Size wise we are now seeing a rise in the wider and longer length of board. If you have a brand-new modern kitchen then a planed timber wood flooring would suit you but if you have a more of a country kitchen the why not try for some reclaimed wood, not only will it add to the appearance but improve your sustainability credentials.
One drawback to consider with any natural wood product is the impending upkeep. It will need to be sealed prior to use and a professional flooring contractor would likely recommend three coats. That said the area in front of your cooker and sink will be prone to more usage so they may have to be re-sealed from time to time to keep your solid wood flooring looking perfect..
Top tip: Darker flooring will give the appearance of being dirty more than a softer, brighter shade.
Laminate Flooring
The afforable option for inexpensive kitchen flooring with a wooden effect. But that does not mean it will look cheap at all. Advances in the technology in the world of lamination means you can achieve the look of wood whilst seriously reducing the cost.
There are now some laminates that are 100% waterproof and stain resistant which is always going to be a benefit in the kitchen as spillages will inevitably happen.
Many flooring contractors are reporting this year that customers are going for the herringbone pattern when choosing a laminate flooring. Much harder to lay but the outcome is much more pleasing to the eye.
Top tip: The laminate will need some for of edging when it reaches the skirting board so I would use a strip that is the same colour as the skirting and not the flooring.
Vinyl Flooring
Before we start, I am not talking about your mum’s old lino here. The advances made in vinyl are unprecedented and trust me when I say you will not be unhappy if this is the option you choose.
Firstly, there are two types that are available to the residential market, and they are LVT or Luxury Vinyl Tile and LVP which is Luxury Vinyl Plank. The difference is the finish.
LVT will give you the tiled effect whereas LVP will be more like a tiled finish with the added bonus of no grouting getting stained chipped corners of tiles.
LVP is as it suggests the same idea yet with a wood finish is an array of colours and textures. At this moment the wood look is very on trend with consumers.
Beautiful patterns can be created from off the shelf designs from most tile shops or even bespoke homemade creations of your own are available.
There is no limit to what you can have if you really want that one off detail.
Top Tip: If you are laying this yourself remember to leave an expansion gap. It is necessary to allow for this expansion by leaving a gap around the perimeter of the floor or anywhere it meets another floor or vertical surface.
Stained Concrete Floor
Not many people associated bare concrete with a luxury household characteristic but the choice that has arisen in this field will amaze you. Like most of us you probably have an image in your head of a cold looking grey surface but not anymore.
The floors are much more polished than previously, and you can ad colour or a stain as it is known, you can even have patterns such as a timber or a tile design and as with all concrete it will come with a 100% waterproof guarantee.
The staining can even be done to existing concrete and with a sealant added you can ensure the colour will remain vibrant for years to come.
Top Tip: It can be cold underfoot so if you have the budget, I suggest some form of underfloor heating.
To Heat or Not?
If you are renovating that tired old kitchen and have gone through brochure after online brochure, I am sure you have reached your decision-making capacity but one more question you might want to ask yourself is on installing underfloor heating.
Now I am aware that the kitchen is where your oven will be and there will be times that the last thing you want is more heat around you but think of those times first thing in the morning whilst getting ready for another hard day at work and that lovely new flooring you have just had fitted will be less than welcoming in those long winter months especially if tiled or stone.
As most of your wall space will be taken up with new cupboards there may not be any space for a radiator so whilst the work is being carried out it may be an idea to get some lovely, comforting heating installed.
All of the above suggestions will work with this type of heating so now all you have to do is find out which one best suits you.
One word of warning, a friend recently did this in just the kitchen area and the same flooring extended into the hall, downstairs lavatory and dining room and he often states you can really feel the difference walking between them and in hindsight he wished he did the whole lot and sectioned it off. So planning advised.
Wet or Dry?
The two systems currently available are Wet in which it is plumbed into your existing heating system via your boiler where hot water is fed into pipes and is highly efficient and great value for money.
Dry is the method that heats via your electricity supply using either mats or individual wires and can be good value if you have solar panels but in the current climate it could prove to be a little more expensive.
Top Tip: It is advised that in the depths of winter, an underfloor heating system should be kept on at all times as it can take up to three hours to reach peak levels.
