You can’t go wrong with durable hardwood, natural stone or trendy geometric tiles.
Aside from making a major design statement, kitchen flooring needs to be durable enough to hold up to everyday use. Kitchens are notoriously messy, which means the best flooring materials are able to withstand stains and spills. You’ll want floors that are easy to clean and comfortable to walk on, plus strong enough to endure heavy foot traffic. Here, we’ve rounded up kitchen flooring ideas that are not only practical, but beautiful — no matter your design style.
Flooring is an investment, so consider a style you love — and anticipate loving for years to come. But, that doesn’t mean your selection should lack personality. Experiment with geometric tiles, checkerboard patterns, colorful terrazzo or even hand-painted hardwood flooring. Or, embrace the natural beauty of light oak hardwood or dark stone. “Kitchen flooring can be neutral or it can be your focal point,” advises Caren Rideau, founder of The Kitchen Design Group. “If you have a busy floor, you’ll want to keep a softer upper aesthetic or vice-versa.”
According to Good Housekeeping experts, some of the best flooring options include hardwood, vinyl, laminate, stone (think marble or slate) and tile. Browse these gorgeous kitchen designs, each with creative flooring, to gather inspiration for your space. We’ve even included a few of this years trend predictions, namely herringbone floors (a great solution for small kitchens).
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THOMAS
Colorful Tiles
Turn your flooring into a focal point with unique tiles, like this red flower pattern. Bold flooring makes a design statement, especially when paired with white walls, a neutral cabinet color and simple backsplash.
SARA LIGORRIA-TRAMP
Classic Hardwood
Solid wood floors — like walnut, oak and maple — infuse warmth and natural beauty into an interior. Plus, hardwood flooring is a great choice for the entire house, so you won’t have to worry about awkward transitions.
MEGHAN BEIERLE-O’BRIEN
Checkerboard Pattern
Take note from designer Caren Rideau and embrace this elegant choice — one that’s been popular for decades. Checkerboard flooring comes in many styles, but the black-and-white look is the most classic combination. Use marble, vinyl or ceramic tiles to recreate the look — the options are endless!
JOHN GRANEN
Dark Stone
Use black slate tiles to inject drama and moodiness into a sunny kitchen, just as Anna Popov of Interiors by Popov does here. Since no two stones are the same, the material introduces texture and personality into a space. Added bonus: Stone is strong and durable.
AMBER ULMER/A BEAUTIFUL MESS
White Marble
Polished white marble floors exude class and luxury. When paired with all-white cabinetry and a white tile backsplash, these veined marble tiles look crisp and clean.
BRET GUM
Hand-Painted Floors
If you’re up for a DIY project, paint a design onto your hardwood floors. Experiment with colors, patterns and shapes, or stick to a classic checkerboard design. “Hand-painted floors have a fresh, bespoke farmhouse feeling for today’s interiors,” says Julia Chasman, interior designer.
COURTESY OF ASHLEY STARK
Herringbone Wood
Not only can a herringbone pattern add warmth and coziness to a space, but it can make a room look larger by guiding the eye in a specific direction. “Herringbone is one of my favorite designs, which dates back to the ancient Roman Empire,” says Ashley Stark, Ashley Stark Home. “The design has had a recent resurgence with designers and architects using it in everything from tile to textiles.”
CALLIE HOBBS
Patterned Tiles
Try black-and-white cement tiles to add charm and character into your kitchen setup, which is exactly what design team Studio McGee does with this geometric look. It pairs particularly well with the forest green cabinets and crisp white backsplash.
MANOLO LANGIS
Trendy Terrazzo
Here, designer Michelle Boudreau lets terrazzo tiles tell a story. A popular alternative to plain concrete flooring, the decorative speckled material has a colorful, textured and playful appeal to it. It’s created using chips of marble, granite and quartz combined with cement.
MEGHAN BOB PHOTOGRAPHY
Natural Stones
A blend of four different limestones, these tumbled stones from Exquisite Surfaces evoke natural beauty. The texture and color variation replicate the appeal of a European cobblestone street. To complete the space, designer Caren Rideau pairs the striking flooring with modern green cabinets and gold hardware.
NELLEG//GETTY IMAGES
Sleek Concrete
Concrete floors are extremely durable and easy to clean, making them a practical choice for kitchens. The sleek style is best for industrial, rustic and farmhouse kitchens, but can also complement a minimalist design.
PHOTO BY STEVEN DEWALL
Light Oak Hardwood
In addition to being durable, white oak looks light, bright and airy. The versatile wood grain suits most interiors, from modern and minimal to farmhouse or boho. Here, light hardwood floors provide warmth in an otherwise cool kitchen, designed by Sarah Barnard.
MONICA WANG
Mosaic Tiles
Get creative with intricate tile designs, whether you keep it neutral (think black and white) or embrace color. Here, blogger Kacey Duprie of Damsel in Dior chooses a hexagon pattern that makes this space feel more personal.
BRE BERTOLINI
Wood-Look Tiles
If you love the appearance of hardwood floors, wood effect tiles — typically made from porcelain or ceramic — have a nearly identical look. Realistic wood grains and colors are designed to create the illusion of real wood. Can you tell the difference in this cozy kitchen by Bre Bertolini?
KAT ALVES PHOTOGRAPHY
Mix and Match
Rather than commit to one flooring material, Kristen Elizabeth Design tries a weave-style pattern by mixing large square tiles with hardwood boards. This is just one example of a mixed media floor, which refers to any look made from different materials.
MEGHAN BEIERLE-O’BRIEN
Terra-Cotta Tiles
Terra-cotta floors have been around for thousands of years, because they’re strong and beautiful. “I like to specify durability — like these French terra-cotta floors,” says Caren Rideau, who mixes the rustic style with light green cabinets and warm wood accents.
TIM LENZ
Dark-Stained Hardwood
Create contrast with dark hardwood floors, which work best in spacious kitchens (as the deep hue can make a space feel smaller). Here, Mendelson Group pairs pale blue cabinetry and light walls with dark wood floors.
LAUREN TAYLOR
Geometric Design
Add a pop of color in your kitchen using ceramic tiles, like this sage green and white geometric pattern chosen by Linda Hayslett of L.H. Designs. Play around with your favorite shapes, whether it’s squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons, diamonds or a combination.
TIM WILLIAMS
Original End Grain
End grain floors are made from timber that’s been cut into square, hexagonal or brick-shaped tiles. While the style isn’t as popular as it once was, the wood tiles give any space an antique feel. Take note from BHDM design and make the most of an original end grain floor, if you’re lucky enough to have them.
STACEY BRANDFORD
Gray Marble
Maintain a cool color palette by matching blue cabinetry with polished gray marble tiles. The veining and natural imperfections bring character into an otherwise minimal space.
Alyssa Gautieri
