Which flooring in our kitchen?

6 years ago

I thought I had a while to think about our kitchen plans but now our builder is able to bring the job forward to start next week so we need to make decisions fast! I think we’re going for an off white Ikea shaker kitchen with oak worktops and metro tiles... which floor would you suggest that would suit a fairly tight budget and young kids? The downstairs space leading into the kitchen has an oak effect laminate (not sure exactly what as last owner put it in), so could try to match up with that,but I’m not sure how it would look with the real oak worktop. I love herringbone and patterned tiles, although also wondering if something quite simple would look better. I need inspiration!

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PRO

User

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Good morning Hannah.

It sounds like a very exciting time for you, putting your personal touches to your home is always a lovely feeling.

You’ve had some very good suggestions so far to suit a smaller budget, but just for clarity, could I ask a few questions?

- what is the approximate size of the floor?

- will you be doing the work yourself?

- what is the current floor covering and condition of the floor? e.g. is it very uneven?

- the laminate floor you refer to, is the plan to replace this at a later date, and therefore it is more important the new floor match the kitchen than the existing adjoining floor

- do you have a budget in mind, or will you decide the budget by choosing a floor that meets your needs and that seems a suitable amount that you are willing to pay (I know this is how I choose my budget when deciding my own home)

I hope I haven’t bombarded you with too many questions. If you would prefer not to reply to them on a public forum, please feel free to contact me privately at:

info@eb-and-flow.co.uk

Of course if you do reply publicly, you will have the advantage of a greater variety of responses to choose from.

I remember my own personal very first few properties when my budget was so tight, I would have to sometimes choose between so called essentials and that next pot of paint. Ikea wasn’t so widespread in those days. I think an Ikea kitchen is a great choice, they are reasonably priced and robust, so have faith you are on the right track!

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Comments (19)

A B
6 years ago
How about parquet flooring style? Either LVT or porcelain tiles. Both great with kitchens, oak worktops and kids!
PRO
Keyhole Interiors Ltd
6 years ago
Hi Hannah, have you considered using Karndean flooring? We have used it on both residential and commercial projects since they are perfect for any space with a lot of traffic (children, pets etc.) As far as engineered flooring goes it looks really good, and you can always ask your builder/flooring company to do a herringbone style for you. It is such a durable solution at really good cost.

Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.karndean.com/en-gb/floors
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I think that these cabinets are a nice choice and I think wood has a natural warm ness so hubby shouldn’t worry it will look cold. Most likely he means that it is too pale for his taste but of course you can add colour to the wall later if he still feels that way. Perhaps you can find a wallpaper you like for a feature wall in the snug. I also liked some of the concrete style tile suggestions. For me I am not keen on kitchen layout particularly the oven position and the peninsula. I think the peninsula cuts in half an otherwise spacious room and is a barrier to accessing your fridge and oven. To me it feels like you missed the opportunity to make the kitchen feel bigger and the kitchen is probably occupying a very similar position to the outgoing one even though walls have moved. Personally I think you should be investigating a plan where your oven and fridge are towards the area you have put a breakfast bar. If you have longer runs of units this helps you see the wide drawers which is a particular feature of this contemporary kitchen. You could also increase the distance between the sink and the hob which is of course your working area. Personally I think the room would be feel bigger without the shown peninsula breakfast bar and instead a bistro table by the garden doors.
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PRO
User
6 years ago
If you're on a budget, then Karndean will be out as will a lot of the other LVT products. I wouldn't use porcelain with young kids, dangerous when wet, and lighter colours will show tread marks very easily.

Go for maybe a darker matt tile or perhaps an actual lino like Rhino floor. Great price, good look, excellent cleaning ability, just mop - no joints to get dirty such as you may get with tiles. In fact really practical with children around.

Here's an oak parquet style:- Rhino Floor Oak Parquet at only £11.99 a square metre, you can't go wrong.

I'm a great lover - like many of the same flooring throughout a downstairs. Maybe you could continue this through so that all rooms match eventually? It's a lot nicer to walk on than tiles, especially for small children that tend to run around in socks at best and a lot of the time barefoot!
PRO
Keyhole Interiors Ltd
6 years ago
Karndean flooring costs vary depend on which finish/colour you go for, for example the Knight tile oak planks (which could be a possible option to go with oak worktops) are £3.34 per box, or around £19-£20 per sq m. There are so many colours and finishes to chose from at a lower price range.

I haven’t used Rhino flooring before but I’m sure that’s a great option too! Sounds like it does the same job as the Karndean flooring.
Hannah
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for your ideas, I’ll check out rhino flooring. I love the look of Kardean as well. Do you tend to need a specislist fitter for that?

Still not sure about oak affect with the oak worktop. I’m yet to find a picture of it combined with off white cabinets that I really like. I’m really liking the look of these Laura Ashley tiles. Not sure how practical they’ll be though...
PRO
User
6 years ago
Karndean is much harder wearing than Rhino flooring - although the Rhino floor does come with a 10 year guarantee. However it's around double the price.

Yes you do need a specialist fitter with Karndean otherwise you don't qualify for the guarantee.

I like those Laura Ashley tiles - also 'Mr Jones'

I would suggest a grey grout on a ground floor application as white is impractical.
Hannah
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi, thanks again for your replies. I need to turn on my notifications as I’ve only just spotted them!

Eb and flow, the kitchen is 290x390cm. The floor isn’t obviously uneven but I know it is uneven in parts elsewhere downstairs snd it’s a Victorian property so I expect it’s not perfect. We don’t plan to replace the laminate as it looks ok as far as laminates go and there’s jobs elsewhere in the house we'd always prioritise. However, I’m not too worried about having it all match, especially as I’m not overly keen on oak worktops paired with wood style flooring.

My husband’s just complicated things by swaying me back to my original choice of grey cabinets, so I think we could be going with Ikea grey bodbyn, so possibly a paler floor would work better to stop it being too dark...

Our budget, like you say, is fairly limited but not set in stone if we find the right product.
PRO
User
6 years ago
Hello Hannah. I am currently on a ferry crossing the channel so only have intermittent internet so apologies for the short response, and I will reply with a much fuller response when I have internet again.

If you’re not a fan off wood effect flooring with a wooden worktop, then I’m guessing we are looking for tiles. In a kitchen the slip factor is key, especially when wet. You mention lighter flooring, which personally is a favourite choice of mine in the kitchen as I feel it shows up spillages and dirt easier, and the kitchen is the one room I want that for hygiene reasons.

I will get back to you with my suggestions soon. Have a great evening.
PRO
User
6 years ago
Sorry one more quick question. What direction is the room window facing? north, south etc?
PRO
User
6 years ago
Just a quick suggestion......

These are similar to the Laura Ashley tiles you like. They are £19.95 a square metre, a grey blue colour to compliment but add a bit of contrast to the grey kitchen carpentry, and would also suit the Victorian era of your home.
Hannah
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for your help. I hope your travels are going smoothly. Those tiles are really nice and would work well, possibly with grey grout. Where are they from?

We’re having French doors put in which will be North east facing, with a window south east facing. This is what made me question whether grey cabinets were such a good idea, but we do much prefer the look of them, and the room hasn’t ever felt dark to us so hopefully it will work ok.
PRO
User
6 years ago
Good morning Hannah,

My birthday vacation has indeed started very well thank you. How I am as old as 40 still baffles me, but there we are!

I have added the link to the tiles below. You will have to act quick if you opt for them as they are currently in the clearance. Their original price is the same as the Laura Ashley tiles you like, so you are getting a decent tile at a better price. As you won’t need to level the floor, you won’t have too much additional cost, just grout as you say. I love your idea of the grey grout. This will break up the pattern and also not be so prone to discolouration as white grout is.

As you have windows/door on opposite sides, I believe the grey choice in carpentry will work just fine. I have a North facing lounge in my own home, which is the darkest room in my house. I started off with a cream leather sofa many many years ago which I had brought from my previous house, however, when it came to replacing it I purchased a very large darkest charcoal L shaped sofa. It works really well and doesn’t darken or over dominate he room. The thing with Design is there are rules, but sometimes breaking them actually creates a far better look. It’s your home and should be something you want to let be in. My only bit of advice would be to consider the wall coverings carefully, not only due to the colour of the kitchen, but also wines that will work well with a patterned floor.

Which ever floor you opt for, please post a photo once it is complete so we can all see.

https://www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/harran-tiles-antique-vintage-blue-floor-tiles
A B
6 years ago
http://www.building-supplies-online.co.uk/feature-floors-alfred-grey-matt-floor-498mm-x-498mm-per-pack-bct49302.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1pnSzq2u1QIVSGcZCh2vLQjpEAQYECABEgK-SfD_BwE

I have saved these tiles which I was considering to go with a white and wood kitchen. They'd also look great with grey
Hannah
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you so much for your help, I think we’ll go for those tiles, although the ones Jen has posted are lovely as well. We’ve always had simple metro tiles in mind for the walls, and a shade of white for the walls, although I’m always open to suggestions! I do struggle a bit to picture the overall look.

Hope you have a great birthday Eb and flo. I know what you mean about the 40 thing. It’s on the not too distant horizon for me as well which is hard to believe! I’m also planning to go away somewhere to celebrate.
PRO
User
6 years ago
Do get away, your 40th only happens once in your life after all so spoil yourself!

With regards to the walls, I would advise using kitchen paint rather than straight emulsion. It is one of those products that is actually worth investing in. Crown do one with antibacterial properties and also offer two versions of white. If the tiles you are considering are brilliant white, you may not like the contrast with any shade of white paint other than pure brilliant white.

With the floor tiles being heavily patterned, a more muted tile will be more calming, and create a less busy overall look than multiple coloured tiles. Another consideration is making use of the current trend in hexagonal tiles. This would keep it neutral if using white tiles, but add interest with the shape. The risk, as with any trend, is not being able to predict the longevity of the hexagonal trend, but I suspect you are designing your home for you so if you like the hexagonal trend, go for it. Which ever tiles you opt for, using a different tiling pattern to the floor, ie square grid, will provide a more aesthetically pleasing result.

You are the best judge of the overall style of your home and what will suit this and your taste, just have fun and enjoy it.
Hannah thanked User
PRO
User
6 years ago
https://www.crownpaints.co.uk/products/kitchen/matt
PRO
User
6 years ago
Here are a few tiling pattern ideas
PRO
Andreea De Mirabela Design
6 years ago
We have used natural stone on underfloor heating at this ongoing project in Manchester.

Or, perhaps you could use parquet (herringbone) effect tiles instead of natural stone.

I hope this helps, please give us a bell if you require further assistance.

Much love from Andreea De Mirabela Design.