All About Flooring Options for Kitchen and Bathroom Design

Flooring is an essential element of any home living space. It must be durable enough to withstand foot traffic, pets, and spills. At the same time it covers a large surface area and has a big impact on your home’s style. How do you find a flooring material and color that can meet all of these requirements? Our guide to flooring choices for kitchen and bath design is a great place to start! We explore the factors that affect your flooring material selection and the top choices for flooring on the market.

Decide What You Need

There are many flooring materials available to fit every space in your busy home, from a master bathroom design to an entry way to a laundry room. Consider your household, where the flooring will go, and how much traffic it must withstand on a daily basis. Is this a kitchen design that is used every day, prone to spills, and must stand up to kids and pets? Or is it a living room design that won’t have to withstand as much wear and tear? The location of your flooring and the way it will be used on a daily basis helps to inform what type of flooring you need for your space.

Your floor requirements may also be impacted by whether you plan to stay in your home or if you are updating it with an intention to sell. You might decide to invest in hardwood floors for your entire first floor or stick to stylish but practical and more budget friendly laminate or vinyl flooring.

Functionality First

Flooring is an essential surface that must withstand constant wear and tear, so functionality must be the first thing you consider when looking at flooring options. Here are a few of the top practical issues to consider when picking flooring:

• How moisture resistant is it?

If you are installing new flooring in a room that is prone to moisture and spills, then you must take this into account when selecting a flooring material. A busy master bath or a kids’ bathroom design cannot avoid water and steam, so stick to materials known to stand up to moisture like tile or vinyl. 

A kitchen design, especially a large, open plan kitchen and living area, is not as susceptible to moisture as the bathroom or laundry room. Tile, vinyl, or concrete works well in a kitchen design, but hardwood floors when carefully maintained can also fit a kitchen’s requirements.

Consider the texture of a floor in a highly moisture prone area, as a smooth, polished tile surface can be dangerous when water is thrown into the mix. Choose a texture surface like a textured tile or laminate floor to avoid slips in these areas.

• How durable is it?

A busy household, especially one with kids, grandkids, or pets running around, is more prone to scratches and dints in a floor. Look at surfaces that offer more scratch resistance when selecting your floor material.

Some of the most durable options are tile, laminate, or vinyl planks or sheets. Remember tile can be prone to chipping if a very heavy item falls on it, so it helps to have a few extras around just in case you need to replace a tile. Laminate is scratch resistant, but this depends on the quality of the top, or wear, layer. Vinyl is highly scratch proof and durable, so it is a perfect choice for some of the busiest rooms in your home like a kitchen design.

Hardwood floors are beautiful and timeless, but they are prone to scratching. However, hardwood has the distinct advantage of being able to be sanded and refinished over time, thereby extending its lifespan.

• How much maintenance is required?

Maintenance requirements vary widely from one flooring material to the next. Make sure you ask about regular and long-term maintenance needs when shopping for flooring to be certain you are happy with these requirements before investing in a new floor. Some surfaces are very low maintenance and just need a regular cleaning. Other materials require special cleaning methods and substances to ensure the longevity of the surface. Long-term maintenance is necessary for certain floor materials, such as refinishing hardwood floors or resealing tile grout lines. 

Style Matters

Now that you’ve figured out the practical side of your flooring choices, you can select a style that enhances your home’s design aesthetic. There are materials, colors, and textures to enhance any home’s style, from rustic to contemporary kitchen and bathroom designs.

Hardwood is a classic material that is available in a range of shades and brings warmth to any space. If you want the look of wood in a more durable and easier to maintain surface, then consider wood look tile, laminate, or luxury vinyl planks.

Tile is a durable material that comes in an amazing range of patterns colors, and textures. From wood look porcelain planks to white subway tile or boldly patterned or shaped tiles, there is a look for every style.

Flooring is not easily replaced so take time to consider the material that best fits your home and your lifestyle. If you select a bright color or bold pattern, be sure you are happy to commit to this look. If you are unsure, then stick to a neutral or classic material and leave the bold style statements to your accessories that can be more easily changed over time.

Understanding Flooring Materials

There are so many options available for flooring for every space in your home. It can be confusing when shopping for flooring as you may wonder which of these alternatives will best fit your home living spaces. Here is our guide to some of the top options for flooring in your home.

• Hardwood

The natural beauty and feel of solid hardwood floors have a timeless quality that cannot be imitated. It is a classic flooring choice, and with good reason. Hardwood floors bring a cozy look to any room, and they feel warm underfoot. Wood planks are available in a wide range of widths, wood types, and finishes, making it a versatile material that enhances everything from traditional to modern homes. The main hardwood tree species include oak, maple, walnut, bamboo, and others. The type of wood you select will give your floor a unique appeal, no matter what stain or finish you apply to it.

Hardwood floors must be nailed or glued to a subfloor, typically plywood or concrete. This is a specialized installation and so must be done by a professional to get it right and give you the look you want. You must leave hardwood in the room where it will be installed for several days. Natural wood reacts to the room’s temperature and humidity and will expand or shrink, so it needs to acclimate before installation.

Wood floors are not moisture proof, so you need to take this into consideration before deciding to install it in a moisture prone room like a kitchen design. In a high moisture area like a bathroom design, consider installing a more durable wood look porcelain tile. On the plus side, they can be sanded and refinished multiple times, thus extending the life of your floors.

• Engineered Hardwood

Get the beauty of natural wood in a more versatile surface that is easier to install and maintain. This surface consists of a veneer of solid wood over a core of high-density fiberboard or plywood. It comes in planks of varying widths, and the top layer gives it the look and feel of natural wood, which can also be refinished once or twice depending on the thickness of the veneer. Like hardwood, it is not water- or scratch-proof, but it is more durable than hardwood.

• Laminate

Laminate is made up of 3-4 layers, starting with a dense core layer on the bottom similar to that used in engineered wood. It is topped by an image layer that imitates your preferred surface, from wood to stone or tile. This is all topped by a transparent, durable wear layer designed to protect the image layer. Some laminates add in another layer for extra soundproofing.

This surface is durable, easy to clean, doesn’t fade, and cheaper than wood, so it is ideal for high traffic areas with kids or pets. It is not waterproof and can be slippery and affected by humidity, so don’t go for laminate in a highly moisture prone area like a bathroom design. Installation usually includes a soft underlay and then the laminate flooring is glued together or clicked into place. This installation is a floating floor since it does not directly attach to the subfloor. Laminate comes in a range of price options, but cheaper alternatives do tend to look more artificial.

• LVT/LVP

The latest innovations in vinyl flooring are known as Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) and Luxury Vinyl Plan (LVP), which is nothing like your grandmother’s old fashioned vinyl floor. This high-end vinyl flooring is made of a rigid or flexible vinyl core layer topped by a vinyl design layer, which is then covered in a transparent, protective wear layer. The design layer can mimic the look and texture of almost any natural surface.

Installation of LVT and LVP ranges from a floating floor method to gluing the floor down to a loose lay method. This relatively inexpensive surface is highly durable and totally waterproof, making it a very practical option for high moisture areas. It also does a great job of mimicking natural surfaces, making it a truly stylish alternative for kitchen and bathroom designs. Since it is made of plastic, it isn’t the most environmentally friendly option, so be sure to ask about the level of VOCs before purchasing.

• Vinyl Sheet

If you are looking for a truly budget-friendly, waterproof option then vinyl sheet may be the best solution for your needs. It comes in large rolls that are cut to your room’s measurements, making it very easy to install in any space. Available in a wide range of colors and patterns, this material particularly suits areas like a laundry room design or a utility space.

• Tile

Tile flooring has been around for thousands of years, serving as a durable and stylish surface to adorn floors and walls. Tiles come in a wide range of materials, finishes, colors, textures, and shapes to achieve any look to enhance your home’s style. The materials range from stone tile like marble and granite to ceramic, porcelain, and cement. Ceramic and porcelain are both made of baked clay in glazed or unglazed surfaces. They can also be found in wood look options, offering an alternative to wood for high moisture areas. Tile installation is difficult and time consuming, so is best done by a professional. They are cold underfoot so consider including radiant underfloor heating.

Consider Your Budget

The cost of flooring varies widely from one material to the next and is based primarily on a cost per square foot for both material and installation. Some materials demand specialized installation and therefore must be done by the professionals, and many surfaces require extra materials like an underlay. Understand your budget before you shop for flooring materials.

Spending more on this critical element of a kitchen design or bathroom remodel will truly enhance your room’s style and ensure it will last longer. However, if your budget is limited there are many alternatives available that give you a similar look and are at least as durable for a fraction of the price. For example, vinyl and laminate offer budget friendly alternatives that closely resemble natural surfaces like wood and stone.

Start with our guide to flooring options and then talk to a kitchen and bathroom design expert to help you find the perfect flooring for your home remodeling project. Think about the room you want to remodel, how your family uses the space, your design aesthetic, and your available budget. Then browse materials and styles that fit your criteria. Call us today to discuss your remodeling plans!