Floor choice

7 years ago

We're ready to put a new floor down in our extension and have ordered sage green kitchen units. We need to get the floors ordered but cannot decide between a light coloured floor or a dark slate. We haven't ordered worktops yet as we're sourcing these from elsewhere. Any ideas or advice would be gratefully received!

Featured Answer

PRO

Amber Jeavons Ltd

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Hello Peckadoodle,

I like the idea of Sage green and Slate. Then consider a lighter honed marble like granite.. Something lighter than black definitely. It would be nice to have a slate and green vein too if you can find one with an element of the two material colours (should you choose the slate for flooring). I'd say mid colour not too dark here.. . .. Add plenty of textures in the form of accessories.. but functional ones like chopping boards and pestle and mortars.. I love these and so I always suggest them...

Wooden chopping boards will punctuate the scheme beautifully and lend texture, as would a wooden topped table along side a honed light marble like granite as is pictured.. I rather like this idea as opposed to the "Island" and for this kind of look it's highly desirable.. The legs lends themselves to an open feel as the table form is less solid than islands often are.

I have added a slate flooring here with this Sage deVOL kitchen... I think they look very nice together. You'll notice the slate isn't dark which I think works beautifully.. It's subtle and sophisticated and the two interact beautifully.. So you can get an idea of what the two would look like.. : ))

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (37)

minnie101
7 years ago
Hi. Have you actually chosen the worktop yet? A white quartz would look nice with wood
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
That looks lovely and is exactly the kind of look we want to achieve. We were looking at a granite worktop initially in honed black but haven't ruled anything out. We thought that if we got a nice floor then we could work out the worktop afterwards. We hadn't actually thought of having a wood flooring as we've got a lot of wood in the house already.
Related Discussions
polished concrete floor, what choices of colour and should I put glass
Q
Comments (4)
Hi There - have to say we love polished concrete - so much so we put it in our (kitchen) showroom and its been in situ for the last 7 years. Its so easy to keep and maintain. In terms of colour, we had no choice as we were polishing an existing concrete floor. I have attached a picture below - its a grey colour but there is a huge reflection off it so its by no means dark and also quite warm to the foot. best of luck with the project.
...See More
flooring/furniture choice in south facing open plan living space
Q
Comments (12)
We are just fitting our kitchen in a new 8 x 4m south facing extension with 2.4m high x 6m wide bi-folds and have 2 x skylights. I am worried about the fading so we had laminated glass put on the outside of the doors (rather than 2 x panes of toughened glass). It's supposed to block most of the UV rays that cause fading. The rooflights aren't directly over the kitchen furniture but there must be some sheer blinds you can fit that have a UV filter and won't block out the light? Thinking when it's super hot and sunny they would be used. My floor fitted said that as long as you buy a UV stable LVT (should say on the product) and it's fitted with a heat stable glue (to allow for contractions) then there shouldn't be an issue. Not saying it won't happen but will see how our dark kitchen lasts!
...See More
Flooring choice: opinions on natural floorings sought
Q
Comments (5)
Hi, of course we are going to be a little bias, but we will try to remain 'neutral' as at the end of the day it is you who needs to feel confident when making your purchase - new flooring is a big commitment and you have to feel confident in your supplier and the product. There are a few things you should consider though.... We think that the biggest thing to remember when buying any natural plant fibre flooring - whether from us or Crucial Trading - is the characteristics of it. Sisal is normally the best choice for a living room, jute as a fibre is not as hardwearing and really best used in lighter traffic areas such as bedrooms. Coir is also hardy enough for heavier traffic areas but a bit rougher and more rustic underfoot; Sisal is more refined and comes in the most options for weave, texture and colour. However, all natural fibres have to be cared for slightly differently to 'conventional' carpet. You have to be careful with any spillages, being plant fibre they don't like liquids and even water could potentially leave a mark. Most natural flooring suppliers will offer a treatment service (ours is called INTEC) which can be applied to the flooring at their warehouse. These treatments help to not only prolong the life of the flooring but also try to hold any spillages on the surface to allow you extra time to attend to. Of course it all depends on the type of spillage and how long it is left before treated as to whether a mark is left. There are also care kits which are made specifically for natural plant fibre flooring for spots and spills (which we also sell) which are good to have to hand and use as soon as possible after an accident. The quicker you attend a spill the more chance you have of it not leaving a mark. There are also professional 'dry' carpet and flooring cleaners across the country who can offer periodic maintenance cleaning as you would with a conventional carpet. You also need to consider that a natural fibre flooring requires a slightly different installation method to a normal carpet. We would always recommend they are installed by a professional and experienced natural flooring fitter and that they are installed on the 'double stick' method. This means that an underlay is glued to your sub-floor and then the flooring is glued on top of the underlay along with short pinned gripper as extra security around the perimeter of your room. It should also be acclimatised in the room before installation for at least 48 hours to 'settle' - again being natural then when first moved to a new area and atmosphere the fibres may contract and shrink slightly. However a good fitter will allow for this and fit securely so that any further shrinkage is avoided. It may seem like we are putting you off, however quite the opposite. We have found that people who are fully aware of all of the characteristics of natural fibre flooring in advance, actually find it less daunting and fall completely in love with it. They often end up replacing natural fibre flooring with more natural fibre flooring; but transparency from suppliers and preparation is the key! Any other questions then please do not hesitate to contact us. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, and (even if not one of our products) we would love you to keep us updated on your living room flooring project!
...See More
Karndean flooring colour choice.
Q
Comments (17)
The sofa won’t be staying forever, hopefully we’ll change it next year. I’m holding off a bit as my youngest has just turned 2 so want to wait until he understands he’s not allowed food in the living room or to wipe his hands on the sofa.
...See More
minnie101
7 years ago
I think wood somewhere in a kitchen is nice to soften it against all the hard surfaces everywhere. I would definitely look at the floor and worktop at the same time though.

Limestone with lots of colour variation for warmth is also nice with a light worktop. It is however hard underfoot and anything dropped will break! Dark floors (as do very light) also show up the dirt easily. If your walls are staying white, a lighter floor may be better so there's less contrast as it will make the space feel bigger
PRO
Josefina
7 years ago
Both sounds great! However, wood feels a bit more classic - so depends on what look you're after! But if you have wood worktops, I would go a little bit crazy with polished concrete floor. It will be a very nice contrast. Have you ever considered that? I would love to do that in a future house..
PRO
Sagiper North America
7 years ago
Agree with a white quartz worktop and lime
PRO
Sagiper North America
7 years ago
Agree with a white quartz worktop and limestone flooring.
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you for all your advise. It's definitely given us food for thought! This is the floor we think we've decided on.

What colour worktop would be best do you think? We're debating either a black or cream range too. .

this is the kitchen we've picked although there will just be units at the bottom and no higher ones due to the height of the roof.
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
7 years ago
Hello Peckadoodle,

So with a stone style flooring it would still be nice to go with a light marble like granite with again a beige (this time) and sage vein if you can find something. Chrome range would be lovely with the colours.. It would be dramatic without dominating the eye view. So ideally you see the kitchen as a whole.. Exciting times ahead.. :))
Dundrum 16
7 years ago
If that floor tile is textured, consider the cleaning implications. I had a floor very like that in my last house, and unfortunately the grout and indentations became quite discoloured in heavy work and traffic areas. With two dogs running in and out, it was difficult - even with a steam mop- to keep clean.
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
Very exciting thanks AJ Interiors! We've been using a 2mx2m kitchen so far and it's far too small! I think I'm swaying towards having a lighter worktop too.

Dundrum-the floor is travertine which has a few textured bits in but not a lot so it should be OK to clean. We have a baby who makes A LOT of mess so need flooring that is practical too.

Our table (which we have to keep) is oak coloured which will match the beams with dark leather chairs. As much as I'd love to change the chairs, our budget is stretched to maximum! I had originally wanted to go for a rustic look in the kitchen but I think it's ending up as a more polished look.
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Hello Peckadoodle,

Well you can always change things later on when you find those chairs you might prefer... I too am on the hunt for chairs! Enjoy the process of completing your kitchen and then sit back and consider what if anything you might need.. : ))
georgiancottageliving thanked Amber Jeavons Ltd
Victoria
7 years ago
I'd second what Dundrum says about the floor. Travertine or anything with a texture can be a nightmare to keep clean, with a baby in the house I'd choose something with a smoother finish.
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
Ah ok. Thing is we wanted something with a riven surface and not smooth as it's an old cottage. I don't like sleek and shiny! Any suggestions? My husband has ruled out wood!
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Hello Peckadoodle,

If Stone isn't an option either then how about concrete? Microcement can be a fantastic and stylish finish that comes in a variety of finishes and colours for texture and interest... Walls to the floor specialise in this.. I personally love concrete and this might be an idea you haven't considered.. : ))
Victoria
7 years ago
Why has your husband ruled out wood? What about a wood effect porcelain tile?
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
He's not keen on idea as there's already a huge amount of wood in the house. I am trying to persuade him that wooden flooring would look lovely with a sage kitchen!
PRO
Amber Jeavons Ltd
7 years ago
Hello Peckadoodle,

It would especially if you inject some design into it for texture.. It should be a decision arrived at by you both though! :))
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
True! Especially as I'm not paying!
PRO
Natural Stone Consulting
7 years ago
hi peckadoodle. If you haven't already made your minds up, take a look at a couple of the pictures below. All the stones have a smooth surface (so don't trap dirt like someone else has mentioned) and they are also all hard, durable limestone so are great for a busy home. The more grey tiles still have a lot of warmth in them and all of them have aged edges so would fit perfectly in your old cottage. We have many more stones on our website so take a look or give us a call if you want any more advice about how we could help. www.naturalstoneconsulting.co.uk

Chalon Grey limestone kitchen floor · More Info

Chalon Grey limestone kitchen floor · More Info

Bastille Bleu limestone kitchen flooring · More Info

Faringdon flagstones · More Info
georgiancottageliving thanked Natural Stone Consulting
Alecia
7 years ago
I agree with most of the other posters, definitely keep it light on the worktop. Also black is a nightmare if it is a busy kitchen! We installed it in our flat and when we moved back in with our daughter for a few months during a building project, I regretted it!
georgiancottageliving thanked Alecia
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
I think we've decided on a mid grey riven slate. It won't hopefully have holes to trap the dirt and isn't so dark that it'll show up anything that the baby has thrown! The slate has green tints in places too. We'll then look at getting a lighter work surface. I think that when the chairs are changed to something which is a lighter painted colour then they'll look nice too.
PRO
Natural Stone Consulting
7 years ago
Forgive the sales pitch but I couldn't miss the opportunity to give you a link to our grey riven slate page : )

http://www.naturalstoneconsulting.co.uk/slate-dalian-grey-slate-tiles
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
I've just had a look at your website and it looks nice. It's not a website that comes up when you type into Google. What's the lead time on this slate?
PRO
Natural Stone Consulting
7 years ago
Hi Peckadoodle. We only need three or four days to sort and deliver an order of slate as long as we have stock. If you wanted to get in touch directly you can email info@naturalstoneconsulting.co.uk or call us on 0845 5218 700. Are you in the UK?
gillcar
7 years ago
Hello Peckadoodle
I've just stumbled upon your dilemma and I may be too late to add to the discussion.. But here goes!
In our last house we opted for charcoal grey slate-type floor tiles and a black work surface...NEVER again!!! I'm no stranger to mops and a dishcloth... but every single crumb was evident on both floor and worktop and I was forever brushing & wiping- a pain in the neck! The kitchen which was fairly bright, lost a lot of its airiness.

This time round we have chosen pale work tops and pale grey/clay- coloured tiles with a bit of texture. I found it helpful to borrow a tile sample and 'lived' with it on the floor for a while. I even splashed water on it to see if it dried streaky or left water marks.

I also thought very seriously about wood effect tiles for our kitchen floor. Cheaper ones really can look like tiles trying to be wood but any mid-priced ones can look super. I'd have gone for these but my other half despises them so I had to forget about them. Good luck with your choices!
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
Hi. Thanks for your comment! We've just ordered, I'm afraid! We've gone for a lighter grey tile which has patterns too so I'm hoping that it doesn't show too much dirt! I really hope that we don't regret it! As for the worktop, I think we might go for a lighter style top so that it doesn't bring the room in too much. I'm still after a wooden worktop but I've heard that they're a nightmare to keep nice!
gillcar
7 years ago
Oh that sounds lovely! Lighter grey will be very easy to keep clean especially with a texture or pattern.

I've heard mixed reports about timber work tops. I believe they need to be oiled several times a year and may not be the most practical choice for wet areas in the kitchen. That said, I love surfaces with a bit of character and a bit of wear and tear wouldn't bother me! My friend fitted a good quality 'wooden' laminate worktop in her utility room and she's delighted with it.

I've chosen Quartz work tops and with open wooden shelves & have my eye on wooden bar stools to soften the overall look.

Your kitchen looks fab - I love the windows! Would live to see a pic of the finished room
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
We've looked at quartz and granite and just debating them. I used to have wooden worktops in an older house. They were really hard wearing but had a few stains on them and around the sink was awful. I want a bit of character but don't want warped wood!

I'll definitely put a photo on when it's all done. The triangular windows were actually an after thought as it was too expensive to get a beam to brick above and we didn't want any areas rendering. It'd all been rendered before. The builder suggested the windows and made the frames to size. We're really pleased with it. I can't wait for it all to be done as our kitchen is tiny!

We've toyed with the idea of open shelving too but not sure whether I'll forever dusting everything on it!
gillcar
7 years ago
I may well regret my decision for open shelving but only time will tell! I'm hoping that the bottom shelf is the only one I will be able to see dust on....! True benefits of being only 5'2" !!!
ianthy
7 years ago
Personally, I would like a light coloured Oak flooring in that room. I think the slate may look a bit too heavy.
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
We decided to go for a grey/green riven slate in the end and just wanted to show you the finished flooring! We are really pleased with it although it may not be everyone's choosing! Just the kitchen to put in now and skirting!
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
georgiancottageliving
Original Author
7 years ago
gillcar
7 years ago
Oh lovely!!! Your tiles are fab
georgiancottageliving thanked gillcar
Liz Walsh
7 years ago
It looks lovely!
georgiancottageliving thanked Liz Walsh