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Kitchen flooring ideas to complement your kitchen units
If you’re looking for new kitchen flooring ideas; you have come to the right place. Read on to discover new ways to improve the look and feel of your kitchen.
Good kitchen flooring can make a difference to the overall look and feel of your kitchen. Not only does it have to be aesthetically pleasing, but it also needs to be functional and be able to withstand everyday use.
The flooring you choose can affect the flow and movement in the rest of your home too. For instance, if you have large, open-plan areas, having the same flooring type across multiple spaces can create a seamless appearance.
Once you’ve decided on your kitchen units, it can be much easier to match them to the right flooring. Not sure where to start? Read on for kitchen floor ideas to complement your new kitchen - and discover some stylish flooring and worktop combinations below.
Types of kitchen flooring
It can be hard to know the best type of flooring to choose when there are so many different materials available. Here we explain the pros and cons of each to help you create the perfect finish for your kitchen design.
Stone flooring
Stone floors are a known favourite for older properties, as they offer an original and natural charm, giving your home a unique finish. Your stone tiles may have organic markings that simply cannot be emulated by synthetic materials.
Stone comes in a huge variety of sizes, colours and textures too, giving you incredible versatility in the design phase. With the right care, stone lasts a lifetime, but some varieties may be more delicate than others and will need regular sealing.
In terms of costs, this very much depends on the type of stone you want. There are many affordable options out there, as well as some high-end options.
Wood flooring
Hardwood flooring costs a lot more than some other flooring options, but if you want to create a timeless look and lasting durability, wooden flooring is a worthwhile investment. While wood isn’t as water-resistant as tile, there’s minimal upkeep, making it suitable for busy families.
With so many wood finishes to choose from, you can match this type of flooring to any style of kitchen - including traditional kitchens, country-style kitchens, rustic kitchens, and Scandinavian kitchens.
Marble flooring
As one of the most expensive kitchen flooring options, marble oozes luxury and sophistication. This is a flooring choice that will instantly elevate your room, adding value to your house and giving you a long-lasting design feature that will look great for many years to come.
This natural stone is utterly unique and can be an easy way to bounce light around your kitchen. The glassy effect is cooling, which is excellent for south-facing kitchens in the summer. However, marble can be fragile and will require routine maintenance to prevent staining.
Marble can also be slippery when wet, creating challenges in a family home with children or pets.
Tiled flooring
Generally speaking, porcelain or ceramic tile can be more affordable than some other types of stone or wood flooring options. It’s the perfect mid-range material and can be a fantastic choice when you’ve already allocated the majority of your budget to the parts that matter most - such as your kitchen units and worktops.
Tiled floors are easy to keep clean, are suited to busy family life, and built to last for many years. While tile can get slippery when wet, its strength and natural moisture resistance make it the best choice for households with pets.
Vinyl flooring
This is a budget option that can quickly transform your home without the same level of investment as other materials. Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) have come a long way too in recent years, with many varieties now designed to mimic natural stone or wood.
Get the beauty of marble, the rustic charm of wood or the organic elegance of natural stone, but with the ease and affordability of vinyl. As a material, it handles moisture very well and is considered to be one of the better waterproof options.
However, vinyl may not last as long as the likes of stone or wood, and can also be prone to scratching and damage.
Laminate flooring
Laminate is a versatile kitchen flooring type that combines style, durability, and affordability. It gives you the option to mimic the look of natural wood or stone, achieving a high-end look without the hefty price tag.
One of the standout features of laminate flooring is its resilience. Designed to withstand everyday wear and tear, it resists scratches, stains, and fading, making it ideal for busy family kitchens. Additionally, laminate is easy to clean – a quick sweep or mop keeps it looking fresh.
Whether you’re cooking up a storm or entertaining guests, laminate flooring provides both comfort and style. The only downside is its limited lifespan. Compared with natural stone or wood, laminate has a shorter lifespan. While it can last 15 to 25 years with proper care, it may not hold up as well over time, especially in heavy traffic areas.
Consider underfloor heating
For a toasty feeling underfoot, consider adding underfloor heating to your kitchen. Underfloor heating is an energy-efficient way to heat large areas, ideal for open-plan kitchen-diners. It distributes heat evenly for all-round comfort without cold spots (a benefit in winter if you have a stone floor). And because it operates at a low temperature, it can also reduce your energy bills.
Tiles, natural stone, engineered wood, laminate, and LVT are all suited to underfloor heating. Check with the manufacturer to confirm the flooring is compatible with high heat before going ahead. Avoid underfloor heating if you’ve opted for solid wood flooring, as it can expand and contract with temperature changes, leading to warping (consider engineered wood instead).
Styles of kitchen flooring
The style of your floor is just as important as the material you choose. If you need kitchen flooring ideas to inspire your kitchen makeover, here are some flooring looks to get the creativity flowing.
Geometric flooring
Adding geometry to your kitchen design is a great way of promoting balance and harmony. Predictable, repetitive shapes create a sense of order, which can be pleasing to the senses. With geometric flooring, you can be as bold or subtle as you like too.
Black and white geos bring a show-stopping contrast to your kitchen, while subtle colours like greys, beige and cream keep things low-key, while still adding an element of interest to your space.
If you’re worried that your kitchen design is looking a bit flat and one-dimensional, a patterned floor can really bring the design to life.
Abstract flooring
Going against the need for order, an abstract floor design allows for a little more flair and creativity. If you have a large kitchen and need to add an artistic element to give it that extra ‘je ne sais quoi’, abstract flooring could be a good investment.
You could mix materials, merge multiple flooring types for the purpose of zoning in an open-plan area, create unique features with different coloured tiles, or design bold patterns that form a focal point in your home.
Dark vs. light flooring
One of the easiest kitchen floor ideas to adopt is choosing between dark or light flooring. With light flooring, you can reflect light around the room and make it feel open and spacious. With dark flooring, you can close up larger gaps that seem stark or bare - and at the same time, dark wood, vinyl or tile can help you achieve that cosy and inviting look.
If you want flooring and worktop combinations that work seamlessly, consider the light-dark balance. Perhaps you want your entire space to be light and airy, or maybe you want a contrast with dark floors and light kitchen units (or vice versa).
Kitchen floor ideas on a budget
Kitchen design is a huge investment. When it comes to managing budgets, we know that there are some things worth splurging on, and others that you may want to find lower-cost options for.
For a lot of homeowners, the quality of their kitchen units and worktops can often be the main priority. So it’s not unusual to opt for premium materials in this department, with an aim of making significant savings elsewhere.
With so many affordable and low to mid-range flooring options to choose from it’s possible to achieve the look you desire without breaking the bank. Here are some quick tips to help you save on flooring:
- Be flexible with materials and be open to cheaper flooring that mimics wood or marble (instead of buying the real thing)
- Consider long-term costs (not just initial outlay) so think about durability and upkeep
- Do the installation yourself and try to buy materials in bulk
- Measure your floor carefully to make sure you order materials accurately
- Think about your future plans (if you only plan to live in your home for a couple of years, it may not be worth investing in wood, stone or marble)
- Shop online to find the best prices
Flooring and worktop combinations
One of the biggest considerations when designing your kitchen is how well your floor matches your kitchen worktops. While they don’t always have to match perfectly, it’s a good idea to allow any kitchen flooring ideas you have to be guided by your choice of kitchen work surface.
The best flooring and worktop combinations complement each other, either by flowing seamlessly or creating a stylish contrast.
Matching worktops and floors
With matching flooring and countertops, you can help to bring your design concept together. This is easy on the eye and generates a sense of harmony in your home. For instance, marble countertops can be complemented further with a marble floor, adding another layer of luxury and sophistication.
Or if you have wooden countertops, a wooden floor can continue the theme. To create the right pairing, try to opt for a finish that is slightly lighter or darker than the wood selected for your kitchen worktops. This will ensure a more natural aesthetic while also injecting depth and dimension into your concept.
Contrasting worktops and floors
On the flip side, a design contrast gives your kitchen a point of difference and can add interest and intrigue to an otherwise one-dimensional narrative. In simple terms, contrasting colours or materials help to make your kitchen unique and personalised to you.
For large and open plan kitchens where you’re worried about the space looking bare or unfinished, high-contrast kitchen flooring ideas could be the best way to elevate your kitchen design.
Small kitchen flooring ideas
You might assume a small kitchen can only accommodate plain flooring that blends into the background, but in small spaces, the bigger, the better! Large tiles and bold patterns create an optical illusion that makes the space look bigger.
Consider these small kitchen flooring ideas to create a bright, airy space:
- Bold patterns: Go bold with a geometric or striped pattern to create the illusion that the room is larger than it really is. Diagonal patterns can make the space feel more expansive.
- Herringbone style: Lay out your tiles, wood flooring, or luxury vinyl planks (LVP) in a herringbone style to give the impression that your small kitchen is wider and longer.
- Large square tiles: With fewer grout lines, large-format tiles create a seamless look that gives the illusion of more space. A uniform, cohesive appearance is easier on the eye and can make the room feel harmonious.
- Pale, neutral colours: Shades such as cream and light grey reflect light, creating a bright, airy feel and a sense of space. They also provide a versatile backdrop for other design elements.
Read more: Small Kitchen Colour Ideas: Choosing a paint scheme
More kitchen inspiration
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