PinNicole Cohen
When it comes to designing your dream kitchen, the floor is more than just a surface—it’s a foundation for style, function, and comfort. Whether you’re a passionate home cook, a pro at entertaining, or just someone who likes to enjoy a quiet date night at home, the right kitchen floor can transform your space, setting the tone for all your other finishes, from your cabinetry to your countertop selections. It also adds value to your kitchen. Refinishing hardwood floors returns 147 percent on the investment and installing new wood floors has an ROI of 118 percent, according to a 2022 report from the National Association of Realtors.
With so many options to choose from, it can be tricky to narrow down what’s best for your kitchen’s vibe and your lifestyle. Just like selecting a countertop, your kitchen flooring has to exist at the intersection of form and function, bringing style to the space while holding its own against whatever sauce splatter or wine spill you throw at it. Durability is key, but so is finding a flooring finish that reinforces your design perspective and feels in step with the rest of your home.
From the warmth and inviting charm of wood to the timeless elegance of stone, there’s a material—and a style—out there for every type of homeowner. Below, we’re rounding up a selection of designer-approved kitchen floor ideas that will act as your first step into creating the cooking space of your dreams. Ranging from reclaimed brick and gleaming marble to painted wood and polished cement, these stunning spaces make a case for embracing a bit of experimentation for your kitchen design. Who knows—it just may be your best recipe yet.
More kitchen inspiration:
- This Year’s 20 Hottest Kitchen Design Trends
- Could a Round Kitchen Island Drastically Improve the Flow of Your Kitchen?
- 15 Cabinet Paint Colors That Look STUNNING in Any Kitchen
PinStacy Zarin Goldberg
1
Keep It Classic With Hardwoods
You can’t go wrong with laying hardwood floors in a kitchen, especially if your home boasts an open floor plan. The material has classic appeal, providing a blank slate for design finishes that can sing on their own. Here, designer Janelle Patton of Lark Interiors chose a mid-tone wood that coordinates closely with the base cabinetry for a timeless yet chic look.
PinStephen Karlisch
2
Add Drama With Geometric Tile
In a small kitchen, every design decision has more impact. Instead of playing it safe, embrace a more-is-more attitude by laying a graphic tile on the floor. In this space, the team at Morgan Madison Design opted for a bold three-toned marble tile that almost looks 3D, allowing it to stand up to the other gutsy elements in the space (speaking of, peep that tiled ceiling!).
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinKatie Charlotte
3
Try a Timeless Pattern
When it comes to flooring that will stand the test of time, nothing rises to the top of the pack quicker than a classic checkerboard pattern. Seen here in gray and white in a home by Cortney Bishop Design, it adds a touch of sophistication to an otherwise rustic space.
PinStephen Karlisch
4
Add Warmth With Terracotta
Creating a memorable space is all about juxtapositioning materials in an interesting way, and there’s no better example of that than in the Texas kitchen of designer Shazalynn Cavin Winfrey of SCW Interiors. To create a dynamic yet liveable space, the pro paired inky black cabinetry with a worn terracotta tile floor, which adds warmth and a welcoming sense of patina.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinEmily J Followill
5
Time Travel to a Bygone Era
Instead of worrying about what the next “big thing” in design will be, why not look to the past to inform your kitchen renovation decisions? In this simple yet stunning kitchen by designer Cate Dunning of Gordon Dunning Interior Design, vintage-inspired penny tile acts as a time capsule to a bygone era for the perfect vintage touch (with a little pattern, no less).
PinPeter Murdock
6
Try a Tinted Stain
Dark Walnut or Provincial may be among the most common hardwood floor stains, but that certainly doesn’t mean those are your only options. Instead, why not mix it up a bit with a tinted stain that incorporates low-key accent colors? In this Long Island beach house, designer Alexander M. Reid commissioned a subtle pattern using various stains that allow the grain of the wood to shine through.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinHagan Hinshaw
7
Embrace Rustic Patina
When it comes to adding an air of history and patina to your home, nothing is more impactful than reclaimed flooring. It’s also a great option for a kitchen, which is often the most highly trafficked room in the house—a little wear and tear will nary be noticed on wood planks that have already weathered 100 years. In this apartment, the team behind Shapeless Studio Architecture & Interiors looked to wide plank floors—still touting their original nail holes—to add texture and visual interest.
PinFrancesco Lagnese
8
Take a Hint from Pro Kitchens
If you’re hard on your home, choosing durable materials for your kitchen is a must, from counters that can stand up to slicing and dicing to floors that won’t show wear easily. For this upstate New York home, that meant polished concrete floors that give off a subtle shine but are durable enough to hold up in pro kitchens, too.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinRead McKendree
9
Peruse the Paint Aisle
Paint isn’t the right finish for every type of kitchen floor, but it can be a great option in homes where your original flooring is a bit worse for wear. Not only will it disguise any uglier bits, but the seal that paint provides can also protect against further damage, including water. In this sweet space by designer Kevin Isbell, a painted floor adds a pop of playful color and a dose of country charm.
PinRobert Radifera Photography
10
Lay a Large-Scale Tile
If scraping food gunk out of your grout lines is becoming a tedious weekly task, you may want to consider large format tile. Made from bigger slabs of material (as a rule of thumb, anything with a size larger than 15 inches), large formal tile allows for fewer grout lines, resulting in a more minimalistic—and often, easier to clean—kitchen floor.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinAndrew Frasz
11
Mix Up Your Layout
When it comes to selecting your kitchen floor, it’s not just about choosing a material, but also a layout. The latter decision can impact so much, from how big your space looks to how bold (or quiet) your flooring selection reads. Case in point? This Victoria Hagan-designed kitchen pairs two shades of tumbled marble flooring in a checkerboard pattern, surrounded by a frame of tiles that works to give the expansive kitchen added dimension.
PinNicole Cohen
12
Bring in a Pop of Color
When choosing surfaces for your kitchen, picking one accent color and sticking with can give the room a cohesive feel while maintaining its timeless appeal. In this home, designer Nicole Cohen mixed a variety of finishes—including marble, terrazzo, and wood—with a shimmery zellige mosaic tile floor that grounds the room in verdant green.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinAimée Mazzenga
13
Go a Different Direction
Herringbone floors have a storied history in design, but they’ve certainly experienced a renaissance in recent years as an understated way to add a bit of visual interest to your home. And the good news? They can be a great option in a kitchen, especially if you have an open floor plan but want to slightly differentiate the “rooms” without mixing up the flooring in a jarring way. In this home design by Wendy Labrum, light herringbone floors keep the striking calacatta voila marble and sleek finishes from skewing too modern.
PinAdam Kane Macchia
14
Add Age Intentionally
When working on a new build or full-scale renovation, adding finishes with a patina can be a necessary part of the process to ensure the space doesn’t feel too “new.” In this Nashville home kitchen designed by Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn, that meant selecting a graphic blue and white tile that bears the signs of age to offset crisp white cabinetry.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinDavid Tsay
15
Switch Up Your Sizing
For a collected and unique look, forgo the traditional brick-lay pattern in lieu of something more organic looking. Here, designer Fran Keenan Design opted for a randomized layout of slate tiles for a beautiful and visually interesting way to fill the petite space.
PinPatrick Biller
16
Take a Hint from the Outdoors
Stone can be a great option for a kitchen floor, especially where durability is considered. Unsure where to start? The most resilient options—not to mention the most nature-inspired—hint at life outdoors, mimicking the look of age-worn patio stone or the floor of an old stone entryway. In this scullery designed by Allison Willson, a mix-and-match collection of tumbled stone lends a natural appeal to the surrounding new-build farmhouse.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinKatie Newburn
17
Mix Modern and Vintage
Turn out you can have too much of a good thing, especially when it results in a one-note design that feels too theme-y. If your kitchen skews more traditional, consider choosing a kitchen floor that nods toward a more modern aesthetic. In her home, designer Shavonda Gardner finished her classic cook space with bold canary yellow wallpaper and a modern basketweave brick floor for a layered design that can’t be pinned firmly to one era.
PinEmily Minton Redfield
18
Keep Your Palette Tight
If you prefer a kitchen floor that whispers instead of yells, try matching your chosen material to finishes already selected for the rest of the space. In this project by Truss Interiors, the pale wood kitchen floor closely mirrors the finish of the cabinetry, creating a calming and seamless backdrop for enjoying good food and even better company.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinLisa Petrole
19
Pack on the Polish
When your house has a distinct, era-specific aesthetic—as was the case with this midcentury home in Waco, Texas—it makes sense to consider your flooring options through that lens. For this groovy abode, homeowner Ashley Maddox chose to restore the glossy gray terrazzo tiles for an option that feels in line with the home’s DNA and provides plenty of durability to boot.
PinKara Mercer
20
Repeat a Single Shape
Even the most simple flooring materials can be special, especially when iterated on in an unexpected shape or layout. To create synergy throughout this impactful kitchen, designer Allison Lind mirrored the same graphic octagonal shape of the zellige tile backsplash with the charcoal gray flooring for a look that’s bold yet understated.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinSimon Brown
21
Balance Out Bold Cabinetry
When going big with colorful cabinetry, tone down the rest of your design choices—including your kitchen floor—to allow a punchy palette to take center stage. In designer Kit Kemp‘s home, that meant teaming a trio of muddy pastels with a white-washed wood floor that gives the rest of the room an excuse to shine.
PinLaura Sumrak
22
Go Heavy With Grout
Sure, most of your decision-making will be focused on the tile or flooring you choose for your kitchen, but don’t forget about the finishing touches along the way. Grout can be a surprising tool in helping your flooring stand out (or fade into the background), depending on the color or application you choose. In this kitchen designed by Dominique Delaney Interior Design, over-grouted lines lend an aged appeal to the brick herringbone floors.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinJulie Soefer
23
Take Your Tile for a Tumble
Reclaimed tile is great, but it’s not always a feasible option given the size or budget of your kitchen. To mimic the look of a floor that time has forgotten, look for natural stone tiles that have been tumbled to give them a rough, organic edge, like those seen in this project by Marie Flanigan Interiors. Not only does it make the whole scene feel more natural, but any further wear and tear (like dropping a heavy pot on the floor) will be less noticeable.
PinHaris Kenjar
24
Combine Two Techniques
Can’t choose between two beautiful options for your kitchen floors? Well, why not pick both? In this home by the Landed Interiors team, a rich hardwood floor gets the checkerboard treatment, lending a tailored juxtaposition to the rest of the rustic space, which includes rich marble, reclaimed wood, and brick.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
PinStacy Zarin Goldberg
25
Anchor the Space With a Bold Hue
Sometimes, a quick peek out your window is all the inspiration you need for your kitchen floors. For this beachside home designed by Winsome Interior Design, the surrounding surf informed the ocean-hued floors, which feature a rich stain that appears pigmented but still allows the beauty of the wood grain to shine through.