A kitchen floor has an immense effect on the entire room feel, so it’s no wonder homeowners put more thought and money into making the perfect choice. The floor material needs to be resilient in order to withstand the heavy traffic flow and frequent spills, yet elegant and simple to clean. Luckily, the extensive selection makes it easy to choose a durable surface without sacrificing any style in your new kitchen design.

Hardwood flooring is the ideal choice of any house with an open floor plan. When extended from a living or dining space into the kitchen, hardwoods can help create a cohesive look to the area, while providing a long lasting and durable surface. Recently, bamboo flooring has become popular due to its extreme resistance to dents, dings, and scratches. Hardwood floors are moisture resistant and very low maintenance, and because the look never goes out of style, this type of floor is a long term investment for any home.

The options are endless with tile flooring. Choose from durable porcelain tiles or natural stone tiles, such as granite or slate. Harder, denser stones, such as granite and slate, tend to fare better in the everyday wear and tear abuse the kitchen floor sees. Granite tiles can have a slip resistant surface applied to them to make the tile safer in the kitchen where flooring can get wet without sacrificing the premium look. Slate is another durable choice, but does require a small amount of maintenance to ensure a proper seal. Travertine tiles provide a fibrous or concentric appearance, and are available in white, tan and a variety of rusty colorways.

No longer just for backsplashes and countertops, Cork is becoming more popular as an option for kitchen flooring for several reasons. First, cork is naturally antimicrobial, which is perfect for an area where food bacteria can spread quite easily. It’s also very low maintenance, and the natural cushy texture of the cork makes it much easier on the feet when standing for extended periods of time during food preparation. Since cork comes the bark of trees, it is an eco-friendly and sustainable option for any kitchen floor.