KITCHEN DESIGN - FLOORING

KITCHEN FLOORING



DON'T COMMIT TO A FLOORING MATERIAL WITHOUT PONDERING THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

• What's your age? (yes, be honest, it's your floor)  Your hips and knees need to be pampered more as you age up, stone and tile  floors are hard on the joints.
• Are you athletic?  Then your bones and muscles can tolerate the harder surfaces better.
• Cook much? If you don't cook much get the floor that's right for the house and the look you want.
• Small kitchen? You'll want a floor that hides more dirt, crumbs, etc...
• Go barefoot often? Then you'll have NO cushion and a softer type floor would be best.
• Prone to being sloppy? Then a floor that hides spills and crumbs and wont stain if something sits on it for a prolonged time would be best.
• Meticulous housekeeper, a slob, or in between? Obviously, if you're anal-retentive a dead white marble floor will make u nuts, and if you're a slob the same thing will happen, get something that wont show everything.
• Is your kitchen open and visible to other rooms?  If so, the flooring is often best if continued throughout all lines-of-sight.
• Is you kitchen one huge rolling family, dining, kitchen, laundry, etc.? Then you almost have to use the same flooring material, otherwise it makes the house look smaller and "patchy".
• Does your kitchen open to a pool with wet kids and friends running in and out all the time? Then a floor with waterproof finish and a non-skid finish must be used.
• Does your kitchen open to a porch, patio or loggia? Consider using the same material for the exterior adjacent flooring as well, creating a larger, more contiguous plane. Make sure the same material is frost-proof if you're in a winter zone.
• Is your kitchen huge and have hard surfaced walls and ceiling? You  may consider something that offers some acoustic value like sisal or PVC carpeting, or even wood.
• Do your family and friends enter your home directly into the kitchen from the outdoors without the luxury of a mudroom or hall?  If so, consider your latitude and make sure the flooring can handle winter issues; salt, slush and standing water. 
• Does an elderly or handicapped person live or visit your home often? Then floors with too much texture, or ones too slick may be a bad choice for their movement.
• Do dirty grout lines make you crazy? Then you want to consider tile or stone with a "rectified edge" which has almost no visible grout. Or, you may want to consider using a darker colored grout.

FLOORING CHOICES

WOOD

RECYCLED WOOD FLOORING

ANTIQUE FLOORS CAN ADD INSTANT PATINA AND A WONDERFUL AGED LOOK. THEY ALSO HIDE A LOT OF DUST AND CRUMBS

STANDARD WOODEN FLOORING

BY FAR THE MOST PREFERRED FLOORING MATERIAL FOR KITCHENS TODAY OFFERING A SOFTER FLOOR THAN STONE. IT CAN BE CONTIGUOUS WITH THE REST OF THE HOUSE AND CAN BE STAINED TO MATCH CABINETS. SHEEN'S AND COLOR CHOICES ARE INFINITE

DENSITY: Hard
MAINTENANCE: Easy with Polyurethane or water-based sealers
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: Medium
COST: $$
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Very
NEGATIVE QUALITY:  Not 100% Waterproof
EASE OF INSTALLATION: Easy
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Good

"BLEACHED" WOOD FLOORING

WHETHER IT'S OLD OR NEW FLOORING, BLEACHED AND WHITEWASHED FLOORS MAKE A ROOM BIGHT AND REFLECT THE LIGHT AROUND THE ROOM. THEY COMPLIMENT MOST CABINETRY AND HIDE DUST VERY WELL.  THEY WILL NEED REFINISHING ABOUT EVERY 7-9 YEARS IN A STANDARD USE SITUATION

DENSITY: Medium
MAINTENANCE: Easy with Polyurethane or water-base sealers
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: Medium
COST: $$$
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Fair
NEGATIVE QUALITY:  Not 100% waterproof
EASE OF INSTALLATION: Easy
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  N/A

PAINTED WOOD FLOORS

SOMETIMES THE PERFECT ANSWER TO GIVING A ROOM SOME PUNCH OR COVERING UP BAD FLOORS CHEAPLY.  IT DOESN'T WEAR FOREVER, BUT THAT CAN BE PART OF THE PATINA TOO

DENSITY: Medium
MAINTENANCE: Easy with Polyurethane or water-base sealers
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: Medium
COST: $
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Fair
NEGATIVE QUALITY:  Not 100% waterproof
EASE OF INSTALLATION: Medium depending on patterns painted
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS: Infinite

RANDOM PATTERNED "QUARRIED" STONE FLOORS

VERY POPULAR OVER THE LAST DECADE,  NOW WANING AS THEIR UBIQUITY IS BECOMING SO BORING.

DENSITY:  Hardest
MAINTENANCE:  Easy
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: None
COST: $$$$
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY: Hard on body joints
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Fair
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Infinite


SLATE FLOORS

RANDOM OR FLAGSTONE PATTERNS ARE ATTRACTIVE.  THIS HAS A MORE "AMERICAN" LOOK TO IT THAN LIMESTONE OR MARBLE

DENSITY:  Hardest
MAINTENANCE:  Easy
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: None
COST: $$$
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY: Hard on body joints shows dust and crumbs when dark is used
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Fair
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Good


POLISHED MARBLE

A BEAUTIFUL MATERIAL WHICH CAN BE USED TO COMPLIMENT COUNTERS, ETC.
YOU ALWAYS WANT "RECTIFIED EDGES" NEVER GROUT LINES

DENSITY:  Hardest
MAINTENANCE:  Easy
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: None
COST: $$$$
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY: Hard on body joints, can be slippery
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Fair
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Infinite


TERRAZZO

AN ANCIENT MATERIAL WHICH IS COMPLETELY MODERN AND COOL
CAN BE MADE IN ANY FULL ROOM DESIGN, ALSO COMES IN TILES AS SHOWN ON LOWER LEFT

DENSITY:  Hardest
MAINTENANCE:  Excellent-none
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: None
COST: $$$$$$
AVAILABILITY:  Tiles easy; custom "whole field" fair
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY: Hard on body joints, slippery
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Hard
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Infinite


BRICK

ANOTHER ANCIENT MATERIAL WHICH GIVES A ROOM PATINA AND AN OLD WORLD LOOK.  PERFECT FOR RUNNING FROM KITCHEN TO PORCH OR PATIO

DENSITY:  Hard
MAINTENANCE:  Easy if sealed with Polyurethane or water-base sealer
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: None
COST: $$$$
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY: Hard on body joints
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Fair
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Moderate



MOSAIC TILES (MARBLE OR CERAMIC)

THE MOST VERSATILE AND ALL ENCOMPASSING FLOORING MATERIAL; THEY CAN BE VERY SMALL TO LARGE PIECES AND THE PATTERNS CAN BE A LOT OF FUN, FROM MODERN TO TRADITIONAL

DENSITY:  Hard
MAINTENANCE:  Easy
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: None
COST: $ - $$$$$
AVAILABILITY:  Very
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY: Hard on body joints, grout lines
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Easy to hard depending on pattern
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Infinite


CEMENT FLOORS

ONE OF THE HOTTEST FLOOR MATERIALS FOR RESIDENTIAL USE; THE TREATMENTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED INTO AMAZING FINISHES, PATTERNS AND COLORS.

DENSITY:  Hard
MAINTENANCE:  Easy
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: None
COST: $$$$$
AVAILABILITY:  Varies
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY: Hard on body joints, slippery
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Fair
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Infinite

MAN-MADE MATERIALS

LINOLEUM

THE HOTTEST NEW RAGE IN KITCHEN FLOORS; A TOTALLY ORGANIC MATERIAL WHICH CAN BE INSTALLED IN ROLLS OR TILES, DESIGNS CAN BE INTEGRATED OR CREATED BY USING TILES



SHEET VINYL

THIS IS THE MATERIAL WE ALL KNEW AS KITCHEN FLOORING UNTIL 1985!  IT NOW COMES WITH ZILLIONS OF PATTERNS.  THE SOLID COLORS ARE THE BEST REASON TO USE IT

DENSITY: Soft
MAINTENANCE:  Little
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: none
COST: $$
AVAILABILITY:  Good
DURABILITY: Good
NEGATIVE QUALITY:  Most patterns are tacky, seams show on some patterns
EASE OF INSTALLATION: Excellent (if sub-floor is good)

CORK 

A VINTAGE 60'S PRODUCT WHICH IS HOT AGAIN COMES IN AMAZING COLORS AND SEVERAL WAYS TO INSTALL, EVEN STRIPS

DENSITY:  Soft MAINTENANCE:  Moderate
ACOUSTIC QUALITY:  Better
COST: $$
AVAILABILITY:  Excellent
DURABILITY: Good
NEGATIVE QUALITY:  Most colors range in the earth tones
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Depends on patterns and subfloor
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS: Fair



SEAGRASS CARPETING

THIS IS FUNNY AS ALL OF THESE PHOTOS ABOVE ARE FROM INTERIOR DESIGNERS OWN HOMES! UPPER LEFT-MY KITCHEN/FLORIDA, UPPER RIGHT-SUE BURGESS/MARYLAND, LOWER LEFT-JOHN SALADINO/CALIFORNIA, LOWER RIGHT-MARIE DIDION/PARIS
SO I GUESS THAT'S ALL I NEED TO SAY...IT'S AWESOME, SHOWS NOTHING.

DENSITY: Very Soft
MAINTENANCE: Vacuum weekly
ACOUSTIC QUALITY:  Excellent
COST: $
AVAILABILITY:  Excellent
DURABILITY: Good
NEGATIVE QUALITY: None
EASE OF INSTALLATION: Excellent
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS: Many choices

RUBBER

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT MATERIAL USED IN SUBWAYS, GARAGES AND OTHER HARD WEAR AREAS. IN A KITCHEN ITS VERY HIGH-TECH BUT CAN GAIN A PATINA OF "DIRT" AS RUBBER DOESN'T MOP OFF AS EASILY AS VINYL. ALSO HAS A PERSISTENT RUBBER SMELL

DENSITY: Very Soft
MAINTENANCE: Moderate, mopping
ACOUSTIC QUALITY: OK
COST: $$
AVAILABILITY: Good
DURABILITY: Excellent
NEGATIVE QUALITY:  Hard to keep clean as bumps hold dirt at edges, and the odor
EASE OF INSTALLATION:  Easy
VERSATILITY OF PATTERNS:  Few patterns, many colors

You can do it, I'm here to help!