I’m still here — and still pregnant! :) The good news is after weeks of hanging out breech, baby girl has flipped finally, just under the wire! Thanks for all your tips and tricks in the comments of my last post. It’s a bit of a waiting game now, but we’re so excited for her to come whenever she’s ready.
I took on a couple of design jobs before the holidays to help keep me busy the last month of my pregnancy and while I’m home with a newborn. Both involve full gut-reno redesigns of the kitchens, which I’ve not done a ton of in the past. It’s been really a really fun challenge and so far, so good! The cabinets are designed and the counter tops and appliances ordered, but I’m a little stuck on flooring.
In both projects the home owners are feeling a little nervous about installing the same wood floors that we’re putting in the rest of their homes, in their kitchens.
I love the look of a warm wood floor against painted cabinets, so it’s hard to not push on this one, but I have to admit I feel some of the same apprehension as we’re getting closer to a big kitchen remodel of our own.
Both clients have considered wood-look tile, but we are having trouble finding a style that we like enough to use throughout the homes. We sort of feel like our two real options are wood everywhere or stone in the kitchen and utility spaces and wood in the rest of the house. Which means transitions…which can be tricky with more open floor plans…which both homes are.
Our favorite stone options are limestone and slate, though we’re still open to pattern. Here are some of the images we’ve been looking at to help us get a sense of what stone or tile can look like in a kitchen space:
It seems like it comes down to personal preference and comfort level in the end, but I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Have you had any nightmare disasters with wood floors in your kitchen? Or is there a stone that you’ve used and loved? Or maybe you have tips for making a more smooth transition between the two materials?
I've had wood in the kitchen with no problems. I had a rug at the sink and in front of the refrigerator (since it had a water dispenser) and we had no problems with water marks. It was so much easier on the feet than the tile I have now. I would definitely switch back to wood again. Beautiful images – hope we can see your 'afters'. And so happy the Baby has turned! Wishing you all the best for a speedy and safe delivery!
I've had wood and tile in the kitchen, and I prefer wood. Much more comfortable particularly if you cook a lot. I agree with Kelly – use lovely rugs! I've also had slate and it is VERY hard and not easy to clean, although beautiful!
I have hard wood floors in my kitchen and have never had a problem. They are a lot warmer under foot.
But i have had laminate wood floors in a previous house which got water damage. I think if they are hard wood there isn't as much chance of damage.
I have wood floors in my kitchen and love them. No fears. Stone and tile are very hard on ones joints. Hoping for a smooth delivery soon!
I have hardwood floors in my kitchen and nook. Love it. Tile and stone can be so hard on feet and joints.
Hoping for a smooth delivery soon!
I've had both wood and tile in my kitchens. Loved the wood and had no issues. I hate the tile – not only is it hard on my body if I'm cooking for any length of time, anything that drops on the floor, breaks. I hope you have a speedy and smooth delivery soon!
I have to agree that wood is far easier in a kitchen and more comfortable on your feet & joints…and dropped dishes! I also think it is nicer for crawling babies and floor games!
I like your choices of tiles you posted and ultimately, the clients have to like it so know they will love what you choose! So glad you are doing well and look forward to meeting your sweet baby girl! Take care.
We have wooden floor everywhere except the kitchen and the corridor. We have tiles in the kitchen and a rug on it. I like very much wood but I prefer tiles in the kitchen.
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We have wood floors in our kitchen too and no complaints here. I love the warmth the wood provides and clean up is a breeze. Can't wait to hear about baby #4!
I put tile in my last kitchen (travertine) and have wood in this one. No real issues with the wood… as long as nothing leaks! I wouldn't do slate. It stains easily and is tough to clean. I considered putting it in a bathroom redo but went with the travertine instead and loved it.
Thoughts and prayers for a safe delivery and healthy baby girl!
My parents had wood floors in their kitchen for about 10 years. They were great, held up well against the wear and tear of teenagers… until the dishwasher developed a leak that then got dramatically worse while they were out of town, totally destroying the floors!
Luckily, insurance covered the cost of replacing the floors and cabinets… they went with tile after that!
Hmm. We have wood floors in our kitchen. Perhaps I am too concerned with spills, but having wood in there really stresses me out! We have a rug, but I am still concerned about ruining the floors. My family specializes in millwork and they all think I am crazy for having wood floors in the kitchen.
We have wood floors over a slab, no basement. Twice we have had leaks that required the floors being ripped up and since there are no breaks in the flooring in the the entire downstairs, the floors needed to be refinished everywhere. This means packing up and moving out of the downstairs. This has happened twice in 7 years. Sure, the insurance paid most but the inconvenience is enormous. We moved out so that the slab could be dried out and the floors sanded, varnished and dried. It was a nightmare, both times. It would have been much different if the house had a basement. No wood in the kitchen!
We've had wood floors in our kitchen for 15 years without incident. That includes replacing unrefinishable pine with hardwood during our remodel 3 years ago. I dont think we'll ever have anything else, we love them so much! We even put hardwood in our master bath 7 years ago! To me, even if we were to experience water damage that ruins the floors, the "good" years of enjoying them far, far outweighs that risk or reality, and even the hassle that would ensue. Best wishes and prayers for a smooth delivery! Looking forward to the announcement that she's arrived :)
I have tile floors and hate them. Very hard and if you drop anything it not only breaks it shatters. I would love to redo my tile and wood would be my choice!
I agree with commenters above. Having had both tile and wood, I one hundred percent prefer wood — even after a leaky dishwasher and a complete reinstall. We were able to salvage some of the flooring, as we caught the leak early, but the pieces never go back together correctly, and a transition had to be placed in an open floor plan to allow for a ripped plank to be installed at proper width due to swelling. All in all it was worth it, though, because if you spend 3/4 of your time at home in the kitchen as I do, wood is so much more forgiving to these 40-ish bones!
We installed continuous raw oak in our entire house a year and a half ago. We finished it with an oil finish by Woca and it has held up more than well. We also have an open space and we considered tile, but after doing research and seeing that it has worked for others, we gave it a shot. Well worth it and very comfy underfoot!
We have solid wood (waxed not polyurethaned) floors throughout our downstairs (aside from laundry room and toilet/tub area). We love them. Our house is almost 30 years old, and we've lived in it almost 13 years and haven't had any issues. I would recommend having sealed rather than waxed floors due to the upkeep. Where the wood meets the tile in the laundry room and toilet/tub area, the two floors are flush to each other, which I like; there is no raised transition molding.
I would never do slate in a kitchen. It is very porous, even sealed. We have it in two of our boys' bathroom and, no matter how hard we scrub, the toilet area is disgusting! In a kitchen, I can imagine what a spill of red wine would do. Ours is a rougher finish, so maybe a smoother finish would seal better. However, with other options I'd stay away from slate. We've had five homes- two with wood in the kitchen and three with natural stone. We didn't have a problem with either
Hmmm…this is a tough one. On one hand, wood flooring with no tile transition is wonderful, on the other hand, wood flooring in the kitchen takes a beating.
In a previous home we were renting, the kitchen had wood floors. Every time my husband or I accidentally dropped something (we're klutzes!), the floor would get nicked from the item hitting the floor. Not to mention, I feel a kitchen floor takes and needs a more complete cleaning on a regular basis. I'd be worried about how that would affect the wood finish.
And, best wishes for an easy delivery and a healthy baby!
I love a contrast tile against the wood floors…I think it can be pulled off when done right in an open floor plan…good luck! Can't wait to hear when the new bambino arrives!!
We are open floor plan and have hardwood throughout. As long as you have rugs in front of messy areas (sink, stovetop and fridge) there is no problem. Love the look and warmth underfoot. Ultimately you have to go with wishes of client, but wood is always my first choice.
I've had hardwood floors in our kitchen since 1987. No problems. And the wood grain helps hide dust and spots. I went with a medium tone and still love it today.
I've had wood in my kitchen for 20 years and have no regrets. It's warmer and easier to stand on. Our granite tiles in the bathrooms have also served us well, but you don't spend hours standing in your bathroom, whereas you do spend hours standing in your kitchen!
We installed pre-finished wood floors over a concrete slab in our kitchen during a reno to match the existing wood floors in the rest of our house. I wouldn't do it again. Ice maker drips and moist air from the bottom fridge vents quickly marred the floor surface. A rug under the front edge of the fridge would have helped somewhat but after a refrigerator leak we now have to replace a huge section, which necessitates removing bottom cabinets and counter to get at all the damage–not fun or inexpensive. With the pre-finished poly surface, there was little place for the water to evaporate and the damage "creeped" to a very large area. I think a natural finished floor might perform differently but I will probably be replacing the wood with tile in a similar tone to the wood.
I have hardwood floors throughout my home including the kitchen. I love them! Sure they have superficial swirls, scratches and the occasional dent but they look lived in. They are warm under foot and cleans up well with Murphy's Oil.
In my current house I have wood floors in the kictchen (seamless with the entire main floor), and I LOVE it. I have had linoleum and spanish tile in the past, and the wood is my favorite. No grout! That's the biggest thing for me: grout can get so dirty so fast, and it just looks dingy.
We have hardwood in our whole downstairs and our family room and kitchen have to be the same because its just one giant space. The wood floors have been in for over 15 years and the flooring just in front of the refrigerator has needed to be replaced with a few extra slats of flooring once (because our refrigerator is old and horrible and it leaks a bit) and the flooring right in front of the backdoor has needed twice but thats because I have never gotten around to putting a rug by the door which would probably eliminate the problem all together. So! Moral of the story—its so worth the warmth and flow that it gives the space but keep a few extra boxes of flooring just in case!
I have wood in my kitchen and love it. But I'd go with the real deal: no laminate or engineered. Solid wood lasts, looks lovely and is relatively easy to refinish. I have lots of littles and have had no problem with it. It's so much warmer than stone or tile.
I love wood floors in kitchens…they are always so warm and inviting. But, I'm okay with a patina developing over time. I could see the hesitation if someone is interested in maintaining pristine floors, but in that case I'd definitely go with something that is obviously not wood – the lookalike tiles just don't do it for me.
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Well I love every picture you've posted up there, so I'm no help there. I cook A LOT, and we have tile in our kitchen right now which I loath. It's so cold, and makes me feet and knees hurt everyday. It sucks some of the joy I usually feel out of cooking. I have rugs everywhere so even though they should be easier to clean I have all these rugs in the kitchen to deal with.
However my in-laws have hardwood, and every time I'm over there my Mother-in-law follows me around with tea towels and paper towel cleaning up the floor after I do anything. She's an extremely clean person and hates seeing a fleck of dust anywhere, but I think policing the wood floor in her kitchen sucks some of the joy out of having me cook for her…. Maybe if I could choose anything I'd pick two colours of tile in a pattern that will obscure mess, and have in-floor heating to warm it up. When I win the lottery.
Vote for wood, satin finish specifically. My in-laws (who we've been living with for 2 years) have wood in their kitchen. A few years ago, the water line to their fridge froze and burst, and the kitchen flooded. They had to call in one of those after-disaster companies who installed huge floor fan-mat things to dry out the floor, but it worked, and they had them refinished with a satin finish. Coupled with a lighter paris-apartment-like stain, nicks and dings feel more like patina and less like problems. A good thing with two kids and two dogs in the house! :) My parents have a less happy story–they had to have sections of their wood flooring replaced in the kitchen, but that was because of a slow leak in their fridge water line that damaged floors/walls etc. over MONTHS. I think that would ruin just about any floor other than concrete! Finally, hubs and I had prefinished glossy wood floors in our last house, and that shinier finish did show more damage. It must have been a softer wood, too, b/c the floor dented a bit when we rolled the fridge out to clean behind it. :( So, HARD wood, satin finish, lighter stain = happy kitchen!
We've had wood floor in our kitchen for 14 years. It's survived babies, toddlers and now teens who cook for themselves. It's been highly durable and still looks fabulous. I have a rug by the sink and dishwasher.
The maintenance is incredibly easy. We regularly sweep or vacuum. Spot clean when needed and periodically wash with water and vinegar.
I too vote for wood. I had tile for years then switched to wood. My feet and legs thank me everyday! Have not had problems but had no disasters either. Hard wood would be better than laminate in a disaster I think.
I love having wood floors in the kitchen and keeping the flooring in my open concept house the same makes the whole place feel much bigger. We chose our wood and my only advice is to go with a very matte finish so you don't see every water mark that hits the floor like we do (we went too glossy and I'm dying to get the sander to them). We have small kids so we have to be good about putting rubber pads on the bottom of their stools and chairs so they don't scratch the floors, but other than that they have held up beautifully for 6 years and they are so inviting. We have concrete counters so I love that there is a bit of natural warmth on the floor along with the cooler finish a few feet above them.
When we built our house, the kitchen/keeping was one long, open room and there was no good way to transition flooring. I used varied widths of solid white oak planking everywhere and absolutely love it. So much more forgiving than tile and easier on the joints as you age. I haven't had any problems with water either. In a previous kitchen, I refloored the entire 1st floor with engineered wood – I don't recommend it in the kitchen. I did have some problems with water and warping/chipping. You can definitely tell the difference between solid wood and the engineered stuff in a heavily used kitchen area (or anywhere for that matter). But the solid wood planks are fantastic! I don't think I will ever choose tile for a kitchen again, if possible!
Real hardwood floors with a top seal (NOT pre-finished) should be fine…I had them in a previous home and wet mopped with no problem. Pre-finished floors are an entirely different issue because the top coat is not a solid seal that protects the joints so moisture can migrate down between the boards. I had pre-finished wood floors in an old rental house and I was young and it was a rental so I wasn't as careful as I should have been and when we left there were a few spots where I could tell I had damaged the floors. But like I said, the real thing isn't an issue. My parents have real hardwoods in their home that are 20 years old and in perfect shape and that's in the country (mud, manure!) with dogs. All that being said my current home has 50's LVT and its the most indestructible stuff I've ever seen. It's insanely durable. Its not the most beautiful but man do i understand why that stuff was in every home 50 years ago!
I have had wood floors in my kitchen. No problems with water but they were new Douglas fir (1920s house) matched to the original hardwoods. I did drop a frozen chicken which left a dent. So as long as your not clumsy like me your fine.
We installed wood floors in our kitchen because we wanted a continuous floor throughout our open concept home. Never again – they have taken a major beating in the kitchen. I love the look of wood floors, but will choose tiles with a wood look for the next house.
We have the same hardwoods throughout the entire first floor (even in the kitchen) with the exception of the mudroom (we have slate).
For transition, we took the tile right up to the wood(no transition) and I wouldn't have it any other way.
That being said, our kitchen gets tons of traffic from hosting and our 3 kids and is really beat up now. It's pretty obvious from the other areas on the first floor.
We have wooden floors throughout our house including the kitchen. And I believe it's been that way since the house was built in the 60s (of course, the floors have been refinished in their entirety a few times since then). Since living in the house, we have had ZERO problem with wood floor in the kitchen. I love it and would absolutely do it again.
I have wood and a toddler (so you know that floor gets cleaned OFTEN, 2 yrs and no issues. That being said, a friend with an AWESOME kitchen reno just done had tiles similar to your herringbone put in just between the island/prep space and sink and it doesnt look bad and is hardly noticable from most other areas in her open
Wood!! Definitely. It feels so much better underfoot, the difference in comfort is really big. Plus, you can usually drop a plate and sometimes even a glass with no breaks, if they have kids this is a huge plus, I think. Stumbles and tumbles (with or without dishes!) are just easier on wood. I plain old wouldn't worry at all about leaks etc. We have rugs too as needed by the sink and in a more open area. Only one leak in years and years and we were able to have a section refinished without doing the whole thing but even if we had to redo the whole thing it would still be worth it b/c living on it is so much better! I think it's a geographical preference too though. In warmer climates there's more tile, in the NE and east coast, not as much, def more wood everywhere – maybe b/c tile is so darn cold?!
My husband and I just bought a house and am redoing the kitchen. We are ripping up ugly tile and planning to replace with cork flooring. Have you had any experience with cork? Seems like a newer material. I would love to see a post about cork flooring to hear what people have to say! My parents have always had wood floors in the kitchen and have never had any issues. They certainly take a beating but that's part of the charm.
I've had tile, laminate, wood and cork in my various kitchens. I would never do tile or laminate again. Tile is too uncomfortable and everything smashes on contact, including the tile. The laminate we had in a rental was nightmare – showed every ding and was nerve-wracking with any water. Wood was fine, but it was an older place, so it wasn't in perfect condition and the little nicks only added to the patina. Cork is super comfortable (I just don't love the colour that the previous owners picked out). If I were to do it for myself, I'd choose VCT tile, a la Karen from the Art of Doing Stuff, installed in a harlequin pattern on the diagonal.
We have wood floors in our kitchen (have for 5+ years) and no problems. We are pretty careful to wipe up any spills or drips right away though. The only "problem" area I have with the wood is right inside our Front Door. We live in Minnesota which means a lot of wet/snowy shoes/boots. We utilize a thick rug that has a barrier backing and a rubber boot tray to try to minimize any damage.
I have now had both tile and wood in my kitchen. I actually prefer the wood- it is more forgiving, warm, cleans easily, and has no grout that gets cruddy. I love the contrast against my cabinets and the continuity. I am sure that whatever you decide will be beautiful though!
Best of luck with delivery! So glad baby turned!
Almost a year ago we did a kitchen/ground floor renovation and replaced tile with hard wood in most of our ground floor. The threshold to the mud/laundry is our transition to tile and honestly it looks jarring, but we really wanted tile in the mud area. We chose ash hardwood which is supposedly hard but we have nicks from dropping things. The wood we chose is sort of rustic so the nicks don't stand out terribly. I love the wood, particularly now when it is winter, but I did miss the tile in the summer when it would have been nice to have something cool underfoot and not worry so much about pool water from the backyard. I guess nothing is "perfect" but we really love the wood and are happy we went with it.