Walnut kitchen - what floor!?

11 years ago

Hi all,

we are fitting a new kitchen in a Regency property in Devon.

The kitchen and dining area are on the lower ground floor leading to the garden.

We initially had planned to have the same natural engineered oak flooring throughout the house... The whole house is to have underfloor heating.

However the walnut veneer, which would front all the kitchen joinery (a 5m wide backwall, and 2 sides of a 2.5m wide island), came back and it doesn't go well with the natural oak floor sample... But it is awesome so we would rather try and change the floor rather than change the kitchen veneer...

The island will have a waterfall effect Calacutta Quartzite worktop, so that's quite light. Walls will be painted white.

Regarding flooring, 2 ideas came out - though we don't know which one to follow.

1) do a concrete 'micro topping' www.koubidesign.com/#!polished-concrete/c199t

looks beautiful, but is much much more expensive than wooden floor. how durable and easy to maintain is it? might be cold on the foot in the summer?

2) perhaps another type of oak finish? Maybe limed... Scandinavian style.. to keep things light and to contrast with the walnut?

pros would be on cost, wood is a bit more flexible so nicer to back/knees. But would we get a wood overdose perhaps? and is a pale wood floor a pain to clean? People have recommended to use Treatex colour tone Spruce on unfinished wood - does anybody has experience of that?

Below are photos of inspiration for both approaches. Maybe there is a 3rd approach we haven't thought of??!

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

concrete floor

wooden floor

Featured Answer

PRO

Hampstead Design Hub

11 years ago

Hi there! I like option of concrete floor. I think in combination with walnut units you'll create very interesting and modern look. Please update Houzz with final pictures.) Very best of luck!

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Comments (13)

minnie101
11 years ago
http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/2014/02/12/polished-concrete-getting-it-right/ I've copied this re concrete floors as may be worth a read. I love polished concrete but it depends if you also want it in the dining room as I'm not sure what style you're after? It is also dear and when I looked a year ago I actually struggled to find contractors. The oak in the industriał kitchen looks good. Have you discounted pale porcelain tiles?
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Hi there, I would check out West Elm (they have two stores in London/Kingston but have a lovely website depending on where you are based). Their focus in very mid-century modern which would complement this space well as many of the wood finishes they use in their pieces are walnut. I would go for a round table here. Consider a rug under the table to brighten the space (there are great indoor-outdoor options that are easy to maintain under a dining table). Upholstered chairs rather than wood chairs may help to break up the dark wood feel. If your budget will allow, using a bright white paint or even an easy neutral light grey (cornforth white from F&B as an example) will brighten this space and give it a bit more of a fresh and modern feel. Some roman blinds on the windows would also give the space a finished look. I hope this was helpful! Good luck!
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dart_man
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi there,

thank you for your help Hampstead Design Hub and minnie101.

It's certain that the concrete looks great, however it is so much more expensive than the wood, I am unsure if we can justify it.

Thanks minnie101 for the link, it does give some food for thought.

One thing is for sure, is that whichever material we go for, we would have it done throughout the LGF, covering kitchen, dining, powder room, and access to the (timber) staircase.

Pale porcelain tiles: I think, after adding up all costs, it might not be that much less expensive than the concrete micro coating, so probably not worth the compromise.
Tani H-S
11 years ago
Could you not just section off the area in the kitchen by the units with the different material-perhaps in a shape rather than a straight edge?

Personally wood would be my preference for living space/dining.

Alternative is to go for a pale washed grey wood which, if it's a harder floor, looks amazing. Lighter floors (if variations of tones/texture) is easier to keep clean than a darker or one tone floor (like pale or black tiles)

So that would solve the colour issue and also comfort underfoot
dart_man
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Tani,

thanks for your reply.

The area doesn't contain the living space, which will be one floor above, with natural coloured oak floors indeed.

Do you have any make/brand suggestion for pale washed wooden floors?

I'd thought that lighter floors would require more frequent cleaning!?
Tani H-S
11 years ago
Hi, I looked at staining my own tbh with a water based grey stain. I could have had it v pale or darker depending on how diluted I made the stain. (I can dig out the details of it if u want to go down this route)

Otherwise there are readymade flooring in grey tones depending if you want laminate, engineered or solid wood.

Colour wise, I'd go for a mid tone that's not too pale and not too dark. As long as the floor has different tones in it ie with wood, you see all the knots etc, then it will hide more dirt.

My parents have white floors upstairs (washed oak effect) and you can't tell what is dirt and what is the 'wood'!

I've also had v dark floors and they were a nightmare to keep clean. Every spek of dust showed up on them.
dart_man
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks! that helps a lot...

So for you, the 'vertical planking' of walnut will go well with the stained wooden floors?

I do think it can work - just hoping for a bit of encouragement :) :)

I would love to get the stain's details, if that is not too much trouble!

Thank you so so much.
PRO
Reed Harris Tiles
11 years ago
Hi, quite a few of our clients like the effect of polished concrete but don't want to go to the expense. These are a really good option Reed Harris Urban Concrete

Or if you like the idea of pale washed wooden floors, have a look at our porcelain alternative Reed Harris Imagine
Tani H-S
11 years ago
I have walnut floors with dark grey wood effect worktops and I think it works well.

You can buy a sample of the grey stain to try on your wood. Make sure it's a sanded sample piece. It does look different once the varnish is on ie not as dull.

I will dig out the make for you.
Jonathan
11 years ago
What about Amtico, Karndean or similar?
cavgirl
11 years ago
I'd like to add that pale floors really are surprisingly easy. I have two dogs and pale floors throughout. Sometimes I wish I'd gone for dark wood effect tiles in my bathroom... And then I think of how difficult it would be to keep clean and am glad of my very soft ’vanilla' grey.
Tani H-S
11 years ago
It's called 'Manns pine floor stain' (they do stains for oak etc as well)
And the sample was from www.wood-finishes-direct.com

If you like the grey then it would be worth getting an expert in to do it properly.

Easiest is to buy it ready done of course
dart_man
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi all,

thanks for suggestions of tiling or Amtico Karndean, but I think we are actually quite set in either of our 2 initial solutions...

Good to know that pale floors are actually better than dark with regards to cleaning!

Thanks a lot Tani for your suggestions, we'll get onto testing!

Will post photos when the project is completed.

Walnut kitchen - what floor!?

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