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20 Most Popular Kitchen Flooring Ideas for Every Design Style

You can't go wrong with durable hardwood, natural stone or trendy geometric tiles.

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kitchen flooring ideas
Meghan Beierle-O'Brien

Aside from making a major design statement, kitchen flooring needs to be durable enough to hold up to everyday use. Kitchens are notoriously messy, which means the best flooring materials are able to withstand stains and spills. You'll want floors that are easy to clean and comfortable to walk on, plus strong enough to endure heavy foot traffic. Here, we've rounded up kitchen flooring ideas that are not only practical, but beautiful — no matter your design style.

Flooring is an investment, so consider a style you love — and anticipate loving for years to come. But, that doesn't mean your selection should lack personality. Experiment with geometric tiles, checkerboard patterns, colorful terrazzo or even hand-painted hardwood flooring. Or, embrace the natural beauty of light oak hardwood or dark stone. "Kitchen flooring can be neutral or it can be your focal point," advises Caren Rideau, founder of The Kitchen Design Group. "If you have a busy floor, you'll want to keep a softer upper aesthetic or vice-versa."

According to Good Housekeeping experts, some of the best flooring options include hardwood, vinyl, laminate, stone (think marble or slate) and tile. Browse these gorgeous kitchen designs, each with creative flooring, to gather inspiration for your space. We've even included a few of this year's trend predictions, namely herringbone floors (a great solution for small kitchens).

1

Colorful Tiles

patterned tile kitchen floor
Thomas Kuoh

Turn your flooring into a focal point with unique tiles, like this red flower pattern. Bold flooring makes a design statement, especially when paired with white walls, a neutral cabinet color and simple backsplash.

2

Classic Hardwood

kitchen ideas blue cabinets
Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Solid wood floors — like walnut, oak and maple — infuse warmth and natural beauty into an interior. Plus, hardwood flooring is a great choice for the entire house, so you won't have to worry about awkward transitions.

See more at Style by Emily Henderson »

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3

Checkerboard Pattern

a kitchen with white cabinets and checkerboard floors
Meghan Beierle-O'Brien

Take note from designer Caren Rideau and embrace this elegant choice — one that's been popular for decades. Checkerboard flooring comes in many styles, but the black-and-white look is the most classic combination. Use marble, vinyl or ceramic tiles to recreate the look — the options are endless!

4

Dark Stone

kitchen trends 2023 wood paneling ceiling
JOHN GRANEN

Use black slate tiles to inject drama and moodiness into a sunny kitchen, just as Anna Popov of Interiors by Popov does here. Since no two stones are the same, the material introduces texture and personality into a space. Added bonus: Stone is strong and durable.

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5

White Marble

ktichen with retro appliance mint
Amber Ulmer/A Beautiful Mess

Polished white marble floors exude class and luxury. When paired with all-white cabinetry and a white tile backsplash, these veined marble tiles look crisp and clean.

6

Hand-Painted Floors

kitchen trends 2023 painted floors
Bret Gum

If you're up for a DIY project, paint a design onto your hardwood floors. Experiment with colors, patterns and shapes, or stick to a classic checkerboard design. "Hand-painted floors have a fresh, bespoke farmhouse feeling for today's interiors," says Julia Chasman, interior designer.

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7

Herringbone Wood

kitchen with black and white marble and herringbone floor
Courtesy of Ashley Stark

Not only can a herringbone pattern add warmth and coziness to a space, but it can make a room look larger by guiding the eye in a specific direction. "Herringbone is one of my favorite designs, which dates back to the ancient Roman Empire," says Ashley Stark, Ashley Stark Home. "The design has had a recent resurgence with designers and architects using it in everything from tile to textiles."

8

Patterned Tiles

decor ideas kitchen
CALLIE HOBBS

Try black-and-white cement tiles to add charm and character into your kitchen setup, which is exactly what design team Studio McGee does with this geometric look. It pairs particularly well with the forest green cabinets and crisp white backsplash.

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9

Trendy Terrazzo

a dining room with a large black counter and white chairs and terrazzo floors
MANOLO LANGIS

Here, designer Michelle Boudreau lets terrazzo tiles tell a story. A popular alternative to plain concrete flooring, the decorative speckled material has a colorful, textured and playful appeal to it. It's created using chips of marble, granite and quartz combined with cement.

10

Natural Stones

a kitchen with green cabinets and stone floors
Meghan Bob Photography

A blend of four different limestones, these tumbled stones from Exquisite Surfaces evoke natural beauty. The texture and color variation replicate the appeal of a European cobblestone street. To complete the space, designer Caren Rideau pairs the striking flooring with modern green cabinets and gold hardware.

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11

Sleek Concrete

white kitchen with concrete floors
NelleG//Getty Images

Concrete floors are extremely durable and easy to clean, making them a practical choice for kitchens. The sleek style is best for industrial, rustic and farmhouse kitchens, but can also complement a minimalist design.

12

Light Oak Hardwood

kitchen with oak floors and marble
PHOTO BY STEVEN DEWALL

In addition to being durable, white oak looks light, bright and airy. The versatile wood grain suits most interiors, from modern and minimal to farmhouse or boho. Here, light hardwood floors provide warmth in an otherwise cool kitchen, designed by Sarah Barnard.

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13

Mosaic Tiles

kitchen makeover jacey duprie, damselindiorcom green cabinets
Monica Wang

Get creative with intricate tile designs, whether you keep it neutral (think black and white) or embrace color. Here, blogger Kacey Duprie of Damsel in Dior chooses a hexagon pattern that makes this space feel more personal.

14

Wood-Look Tiles

kitchen with light wood floors
Bre Bertolini

If you love the appearance of hardwood floors, wood effect tiles — typically made from porcelain or ceramic — have a nearly identical look. Realistic wood grains and colors are designed to create the illusion of real wood. Can you tell the difference in this cozy kitchen by Bre Bertolini?

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15

Mix and Match

tile kitchen floors
Kat Alves Photography

Rather than commit to one flooring material, Kristen Elizabeth Design tries a weave-style pattern by mixing large square tiles with hardwood boards. This is just one example of a mixed media floor, which refers to any look made from different materials.

16

Terra-Cotta Tiles

a green cabinet with a table and plants on it
Meghan Beierle-O'Brien

Terra-cotta floors have been around for thousands of years, because they're strong and beautiful. "I like to specify durability — like these French terra-cotta floors," says Caren Rideau, who mixes the rustic style with light green cabinets and warm wood accents.

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17

Dark-Stained Hardwood

kitchen paint colors, baby blue
Tim Lenz

Create contrast with dark hardwood floors, which work best in spacious kitchens (as the deep hue can make a space feel smaller). Here, Mendelson Group pairs pale blue cabinetry and light walls with dark wood floors.

18

Geometric Design

white kitchen with hidden hood
Lauren Taylor

Add a pop of color in your kitchen using ceramic tiles, like this sage green and white geometric pattern chosen by Linda Hayslett of LH.Designs. Play around with your favorite shapes, whether it's squares, rectangles, triangles, hexagons, diamonds or a combination.

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19

Original End Grain

bhdm design
Tim Williams

End grain floors are made from timber that's been cut into square, hexagonal or brick-shaped tiles. While the style isn't as popular as it once was, the wood tiles give any space an antique feel. Take note from BHDM Design and make the most of an original end grain floor, if you're lucky enough to have them.

20

Gray Marble

Gray Kitchen
Stacey Brandford

Maintain a cool color palette by matching blue cabinetry with polished gray marble tiles. The veining and natural imperfections bring character into an otherwise minimal space.

Headshot of Alyssa Gautieri
Alyssa Gautieri
Associate Lifestyle Editor

Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.

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