Best Flooring Options for Kitchens and Bathrooms
One of the most important things to consider when designing a kitchen or bathroom is the flooring, both from an aesthetic and a practical perspective. Choosing the perfect flooring can feel daunting, given the unique demands of these high-moisture, high-traffic areas. The ideal flooring needs to strike a balance between durability, water resistance and comfort while being easy to clean and maintain. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best flooring options available for kitchens and bathrooms, helping you make an informed decision that suits your style, practical needs and budget.
Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Flooring
Especially popular in bathrooms, ceramic and porcelain tiles are one of the most durable and water resistant flooring options. They’re available in a variety of colours, patterns and textures so it’s easy to find a style that works with your design scheme. Tiles can feel cold underfoot but installing underfloor heating is a great way of creating a warm, cosy feel.
Bear in mind that the grout might need maintenance, especially in kitchens where inevitable spills will occur. Choosing a grout in a darker shade and/or using a grout protector will help.
Porcelain tiles are harder so they’re the best option from a durability perspective, being more resistant to chips and cracks. Ceramic tiles are usually the most affordable option though and they’re easier to fit.
In the Edwardian terrace en suite, we chose a patterned ceramic floor tile from Topps Tiles for a traditional feel.
Best brands - Mandarin Stone, Claybrook Studio, Bert & May
Natural Stone Tile
Natural stone tiles such as granite, marble and slate are a great option if you want to create a luxury feel in a kitchen or bathroom. Although they’re more expensive than ceramic and porcelain tiles and they require regular sealing to prevent damage from stains and moisture, they’re a great flooring option for an elegant and timeless look.
Best brands: Topps Tiles, Mandarin Stone
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floors comes in lots of different types but the most popular are sheet vinyl and luxury vinyl.
Sheet vinyl
Sheet vinyl is sold in large rolls and comes in lots of different designs, from tile effect to stone paving and terrazzo styles. This material is soft underfoot and warmer than tiles. It’s also highly water-resistant and easy to clean and maintain, making it an ideal choices for bathrooms. The low price tag and easy installation also makes it one of the most affordable flooring choices.
In this cottage bathroom, we chose the Carrara Bianca Esagono Sheet Vinyl Flooring from Best4Flooring - it’s just £14.99 per metre.
Sheet vinyl isn’t as hardwearing as other options so heavy furniture can leave dents and repairing damaged areas can be difficult. Where budget allows, I’d opt for a luxury vinyl rather than sheet vinyl for high traffic areas like kitchens.
Luxury Vinyl
Available in either Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) or Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) form and with great water-resistance, this is a great option for both kitchens and bathrooms. The most well known brands offer a range of different designs at varying price-points and durability levels. Luxury vinyl is comfortable underfoot and warmer than tile.
Just bear in mind that the higher end ranges can be expensive, and installation costs will also need to be factored in.
In our kitchen, we opted for Limestone Cool from Amtico's Spacia range. Five years on, there are a few scratches here and there but overall it's held up really well. It's also really easy to clean and maintain.
Design strips are thin strips placed between each vinyl plank or tile which mimic the look of grout or gaps between floorboards. They're optional but I always recommend using them for a more realistic looking tile or plank effect.
Best brands/suppliers: LVT floors - Karndean, Amtico; Sheet vinyl - Best4Flooring
Waterproof Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring has come a long way since the '90s. Not only is it more authentic looking because of the more advanced top photographic layer, but it's also much more durable and moisture resistant. Known for its easy installation, it’s a great affordable option for both kitchens and bathrooms. Just make sure you choose a waterproof design.
In the North Wales coastal home, we used the Signature Herringbone Laminate Flooring in Light Oak Parquet from Discount Flooring Depot. It costs just £17.99 per square metre.
This is a basement home bar/family room design that I worked on last year (final reveal coming very soon!) We used Quick-step Impressive Ultra laminate in Classic Oak Natural and it has a realistic wood effect.
Best brands: Quick-Step, Kronospan
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Whereas hardwood floors look great, they're prone to water damage and can warp or swell due to moisture. The bottom two layers of engineered wood floors are made up of a backing layer and a core layer for stability. Only the top layer is made of hardwood, making it more moisture resistant. While it’s not water resistant enough for use in bathrooms, it’s a very popular choice for kitchens - perfect for adding a warm, natural feel.
Here's a first look at another one of my kitchen designs. The existing engineered wood floor was in good condition but it had been bleached from the direct sunlight in some areas. We got a specialist floor restoration company in to refinish it and it looks as good as new! Engineered wood floors can be sanded a limited number of times, depending on the thickness of the top layer. Although they cost more than laminate and vinyl, they're a great option for long-term durability. If allergy or health issues are a consideration for you, low VOC engineered wood flooring is available. For more info and tips on eco-friendly home decor, see my blog post here.
Best brands:V 4 Wood Flooring, Kährs
Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is an increasingly popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms because of its sustainability and practical benefits. It’s comfortable underfoot and adds a lovely warm, cosy feel to a space. Naturally resistant to mold and mildew, you can enhance its water resistance with proper sealing, making it suitable for bathrooms. However, bear in mind that prolonged exposure to water can potentially cause damage and it needs to be re-sealed every few years so careful maintenance is needed.
Best brands: iCork Floor, WE Cork
Restored Floorboards
Restored floorboards are suitable for kitchens and bathrooms as long as they’re properly sealed to create a protective barrier against spills and moisture. When they show signs of wear and tear, they can be sanded and refinished. This can be a really affordable option if you’re prepared to do the work yourself - see my step-by-step guide to restoring floorboards.
In my Edwardian Terrace kitchen project, the floorboards were sanded and painted white to create a light and airy feel.
