Reclaimed Parquet - Modern Kitchen, help !!!

6 years ago

Hi
First time poster and first time renovation project !

We are having a kitchen done as we speak, see the design below. We are having a major wobble re flooring, and we are seriously considering reclaimed oak parquet as alternative to tiles.

This is a large kitchen with a further area to the rear - total size approx 50m2. We are considering parquet as we are using this throughout the remainder of the ground floor.

Any views appreciated - concern is that kitchen is a bit clinical as is, and the wood would warm the design, yet also concerned that by having through the ground floor (100m2) would be a bit samey...

Thanks for your help guys - it's much appreciated

Yours confused...

Pablo

Featured Answer

Jonathan

6 years ago

I think this kitchen design is successful because of the clean lines and the cool colour and the large format tiles sit well with this cabinet choice.
I worry that the parquet will look yellow against the kitchen and the pattern look busy against the simplicity of the kitchen so I would stick with the tiles shown in the plan.

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Comments (39)

Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
Further pics of the design
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Patrina
6 years ago
Go with the tiles it will make your design work. I worry that the parquet will ruin the whole look unless of course if it was refinished with a very pale greyish stain/wash.
A S
6 years ago
I too, feel the parquet will look too busy, interrupting the clean modern lines of your kitchen design. Leave the kitchen as a separate zone/space from the other living spaces.
However, if you do choose to lay the same floor throughout to achieve a cohesive look, it would have to be very light, almost leaning towards grey/white to Co ordinate with your kitchen.

Good Luck
Jacqueline Mack
6 years ago
Agree with comments too, if have parquet in kitchen you'd need to have pale grey/white toned. I think having same flooring throughout is more important if spaces connected and open plan then it does look great. If more separate rooms not such an issue. Also not as hard wearing for a kitchen as tiles would be.
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks so far all - all very helpful...

Any ideas on the tiles, size, colour, if we went for light grey tone - shall we change worktop and darken a little....

Just concerned about it feeling abbot clinical - it's a big space...

Thanks all...

P
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Just to disagree, sorry - I would always opt for parquet over tiles, simply because I prefer a slightly eclectic look and parquet has beauty and character. However, I can see that tiles would also work. It depends on what look you like. At the moment it is lacking any kind of tonal variation and is looking a bit insipid. You need more dark to anchor the scheme.
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks ColourHappy - you put it much better than me, it's the tonal variation, or lack of it, why I thought the parquet may work...

If we went with tiles - how else to make look less insipid ?
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Is it just the tiles that have not yet been chosen? Is everything else confirmed?
maccabee7
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Looks as though it will be lovely. I agree that parquet won't work as water spills could make the pieces swell, and that spills of fluids or fat can mess up surfaces that have any porosity. On the aesthetics front, the colour of the wood would be picked up in the light that bounces of the floor and create a yellow glow on the white cabinets.
With regard to tile choice, I think the first question you should consider is how you will use the space, as this may lead you in particular directions... do you cook loads or occasionally heat up meals? Cooks are going to spill and drop food an equipment- will the floor cope with this?Do you have school-aged kids or preschoolers, pets, or hoards of friends over? If so any thing very pale or super shiny will be really impractical. Unless you want to wash and shine your floor on most days either go for a darker more matt finish, or something patterned with a mix of colours. These could be muted tones or bright ones, but these could be used to add personality or interest, and change the feeling of cool minimalism to something warm or fun.
Good luck - look forward to seeing the result!
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
Could change floor and Worktop's - even wood effect around island...

Happy with the design, and the units colour, it's just the contrast that we think it's missing...
tezz4
6 years ago
I would dive headfirst into the parquet to add interest and warmth as well as for continuity with the rest of the flooring. Should you chicken out of laying parquet then you must go for butcher block countertops or suede quartz in a darker warmer tone.

Eventually appliances, accessories, lighting and possibly some art or other stuff on the walls and windowsills would warm up the rather cold look.
Jonathan
6 years ago
I have been reflecting on the comments about tonal variation as I think colour happy has a trained eye for these things.
However I have concluded that your instinct was to go for a pale kitchen and worktop. There is some tonal variation with the appliances and stools but no doubt the finished kitchen would have more still as you add accessories, blinds and perhaps a wall colour.
I think the kitchen cabinets and work tops reflect your choices and you should stick to your initial instinct.
PRO
OnePlan
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Can you ask the person who did your CAD images to show you the different options on the drawing - as makes a big difference ! ( and is a personal choice ! So very difficult to advice as ultimately it's what YOU like that matters most ! ) I can't add a link at the moment - but if you look on my pro page ( click on my icon to get there ) one project called 'client photo shoot ' has ceramic tiles that look like wood - could be a compromise ?!
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Tone is one consideration, but there is also the contrast of materials to think about. There is such a vast array of tiles out there, it could be that the image depicts very smooth shiny tiles, whereas maybe more urban slightly concrete looking ones will provide some texture. Matt porcelain tiles with a bit of surface texture may break it up a bit. I would also if possibly opt for a much darker tone on the island.
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Tiles such as these....
Haus U in E · More Info
PRO
Linear London | Kitchens, Bathrooms & Tiles
6 years ago
Wood effect porcelain tiles can warm up your kitchen design, yet they are easier to maintain than parquet. Colour/shape/size selection on the market is very wide, some examples:

You can also go another direction, and try something a little bold, such as this:

Or even this... here you have an example of a bathroom, but the idea is to soften up the clinical modern look of furniutre/appliances with a bold colourful mosaic floor and rustic, wooden accessories:
Don't worry about the parquet throughout the rest of the ground floor - there are creative ways to arrange tile/parquet transitions with open kitchens.

Good luck! :)
PRO
Porcellana Tile Studio
6 years ago
Have you considered wood effect porcelain tiles in a paler tone. They

are much easier to maintain & look great with modern kitchens.
User
6 years ago
As others have said it depends on the aesthetic you're going for and if you want the practicality of tiles there are lots of options that can add a bit more warmth and character. But personally I love the contrast of cool minimal with a warmer material like wood in a kitchen to stop it being too clinical. I think parquet would work and provide a nice transition between the different living areas.
Dan
6 years ago
Industrial Grey Antique Oak Parquet (Harley Street, London) · More Info
Dan
6 years ago
I saved this one last night as I've the same idea and I've a similar size kitchen. All these decisions are so hard
PRO
Floor Monster
6 years ago
Hi there,

we have many herringbones and chevron style boards in stock, see full range here.

We would be more than happy to send you out FREE sample if any of them where of interest.

Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any queries.

Kind Regards,

Floor Monster
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks all for the great tips and ideas - sooo helpful...

Still like the idea of parquet though - but maybe porcelain and lighter colour is the way to go.....

Any more options and opinions welcome!
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
So, we can change the wood effect around the island to a darker shade.... see picture below (centre piece is the cabinetry colour)

Decision down to three...

1) leave as is and install oak parquet (sample below)
2) change island surround and replace with darker tone and then contrast with light grey porcelain floor tiles
3) leave as is and go with grey floor tiles ( wood effect porcelain most likely)

This is tough !!!
Dan
6 years ago
I don't see any samples below.....
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
Oops ..... no with attachments
Dan
6 years ago
I do love parquet oak but I'm not sure about practicality in the kitchen. I think 1 or 3
User
6 years ago
I don't know why people get so worried about wooden floors in a kitchen. I think it's much more practical and forgiving than tiles. We have wooden flooring in half the downstairs rooms and have no problems at all. If you drop something on a wooden floor it's not going to do much damage, and can also add to the character. Whereas if you drop something on tiles it can damage them, which are more difficult to repair or replace than a quick sand down with wood.

Sorry to go on, but I am a real wood fan having been talked out of using it in a previous house and regretting my decision later. So a vote for the parquet over here!!
PRO
Cambium Floors
6 years ago
Hi Pablo,

herringbone parquet blocks in the kitchen is a common Houzz dilemma and we have commented on the subject quite a few times now - pretty much always in favour of having herringbone over ceramic tiles, but as a supplier of wooden flooring we are somewhat biased.

Below is a link to a Houzz feature showing a beautiful period house with a modern kitchen that has a herringbone floor (not one of ours but similar)

https://www.houzz.co.uk/magazine/kitchen-of-the-week-a-slick-modern-design-in-a-beautiful-period-space-stsetivw-vs~29829552

There are a couple of common questions that often crop up when talking about reclaimed parquet and they are:-
- the debate around whether the bitumen on the back of the blocks needs to be removed. This used to be the case, but now there are modern adhesives designed to be compatible with blocks that still have bitumen on the back so this isn't a problem any more.
- unless the blocks have been pre-sorted or cut to a specific thickness, then they are likely to have had different levels of wear depending on their location within the original floor. This manifests itself as variations in thickness both within an individual block, and across the blocks as a whole.
  
  For example, hallways and across door thresholds are likely to have had more footfall than say the corner of an occasionally used room. These differences in height may only be slight and so not noticeable when laid. If the variance is significant then the worst offenders should be put to one side - a skilled fitter should be able to compensate for most of this when they lay the flooring.
If you wanted the blocks to look 'old', there are a number of techniques that can be applied to modern parquet in order to achieve this including reactive and coloured stains, as well as distressing/tumbling processes.

This is useful to know if you find yourself in the position of not being able to get enough reclaimed product for the whole of your project, or if you think you might want to lay the same flooring in a different area of the house at some date in the future and have to find a match.

Lastly, if you were worried about the floor being 'samey' then you could use the same blocks but change the laying pattern in another area or maybe even consider using a planked wooden floor in the same colour as the herringbone eg wide board plank in the lounge.

Good luck with the project from everyone at Cambium Floors.
PRO
Cambium Floors
6 years ago
We also commented on another advice question on some of the general pros and cons of both ceramic tiles and wooden flooring which might also help you in your decision.

https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/hardwood-flooring-or-floor-tiles-dsvw-vd~4642382?n=1

Best regards - Cambium Floors
victoria_2_henderson
6 years ago
We have light wooden flooring in our kitchen and love it....so natural looking. It will get the odd mark but you just need to look after it.

I think a light parquet flooring would be gorgeous but not reclaimed. Something modern with a grey wash.
tezz4
6 years ago
The ceramics and porcelains etc chip if you drop something which happens often in my kitchen. The sales people all vow that theirs won't chip but the all do.
Dan
6 years ago
What did you decide to go with?
jasondt
6 years ago
Unless you've got hours of spare time, I would avoid reclaimed parquet. I've just spent untold hours cleaning up a mix of reclaimed parquet I had in the loft (hard bitumen) and recently lifted parquet (wet bitumen) from our old extension before it was demolished. Although you can get glues that work with bitumen, you still need to ensure the blocks are relatively flat and clean. Worst thing is, although it looked like I had more than enough, some of it was unusable due to damage, so I'm now 3-4 sq metres short, and it's proving impossible to find the correct size and wood type.

I didn't have a choice as the whole ground floor is herringbone parquet, so had to match it up, otherwise I'd have gone for new, it's not much different in price to reclaimed, and you don't need to clean it or sand everything level.
PRO
Burchdaume
6 years ago
Pablo - Havwoods have some great reclaimed herringbone which we used in our last project. It does of course need to be looked after, with regular waxing and you'll need a floor polisher such as Karcher, but it is very warm, has beautiful texture and a really classy feel.
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
We thought we had chosen a tile to work in the setting, but like the idea of a grey/light engineered parquet flooring so having a quick pause....

We are going to go for a brown oak floor in the remainder of the house, (whole project being done together, after kitchen is in) and we are worried if we went with the grey/white in the kitchen the the flow would not work and we should not mix our floors??

There will be a double glass door break.... see opening below ( will be a bit bigger than this )....

Walls our down....pics of project to date attached, thanks so much for your views so far....any more pearls of wisdom or critics very much welcomed...

Yours

Pablo
PRO
Aflux Designs
6 years ago
it really depends on the parquet. a greyish oak parquet could be quite chic here. also are you having any pendants over the island? this would warm the place up a little and add a different element to the kitchen
Pablo Fredartoni
Original Author
6 years ago
Yes, most likely pendants over the island, or maybe over the kitchen table....
sloeginfizzz
6 years ago
Any pictures of the finished look? :)