The modern kitchen is the epicentre of the home – it’s where we gather with family, experiment with cooking, and socialize with friends. It’s also the top improvement area in a house that can impact positive market value and, understandably so, be a focal point for home renovations. At the foundation of each kitchen is, of course, the flooring. When choosing the best material for a kitchen, it’s important to consider things like decor, high traffic areas, exposure to moisture, and the material’s predisposition to scratching or warping.
Our clients will often ask, “What material is best?” There are hundreds of options to choose from, which can be overwhelming. And ultimately, the choice should always come down to personal preference and cost, but there are considerations when deciding on the perfect floor for the most popular room in your home.
The Pros and Cons to Map Out Your Decision:
See also: Thinking of Selling? Get A Pro’s Advice About Staging Your Kitchen
Marble
Pros: Perhaps the most desirable material with a timeless aesthetic – complemented against other marble accents in the kitchen, this can feel extremely luxurious. As the hardest material, marble is the most durable, and regardless of how you design your kitchen, this can match a variety of styles.
Cons: To maintain the quality, the floor will require regular maintenance. It can also stain, is hard and cold under your feet, and is recognizably the most expensive floor surface.
Wood
Pros: With a variety of choices from oak to maple, cherry to walnut, all wood floors are softer under your feet than marble and add warmth and unique texture to the space. Another bonus is that wood absorbs sound so noise won’t carry through floors as it might otherwise.
Cons: The material can be less durable, requires regular maintenance and thorough cleaning, and will easily show scuff marks and scratches.
Porcelain
Pros: This material requires the least maintenance, it is the least expensive, and can guarantee uniformity
Cons: Sometimes, it’s a lack of uniformity that makes the floor special. If you choose the cheapest porcelain you can find, the quality will show!
The Best of the Best:
The king of kitchen flooring is Thassos marble, named after the small Greek island where it is quarried. As such, it is highly regulated by the island’s government and is only retrievable from 10 quarries on the island! This marble is one of the most expensive stones available, and it is the epitome of luxury and high class.
We recently restored this Thassos marble floor in South Hill. The process involved with bringing a floor like this back to its original brightness (from 10 years ago) involves several steps of sanding the floor, beginning with heavier grit buffing pads and finishing with very fine grit pads until the floor looks like white glass. This is usually a two-day process and we recommend doing this every few years to maintain the quality, brightness and full effect of the marble!
Where to Go From Here?
Reflect on your kitchen for a moment – do you regularly track in dirt and spill food and drinks? If this is the case, the floor can get grimy quick. To minimize time spent on maintenance, consider a material that’s easy to clean, water-resistant, and not prone to staining.
Harder materials like stone and porcelain are probably best for high-traffic or service kitchens. With the evolution of engineered hardwood, this material is ideal for kitchens in open floor plans to highlight the space and flow.
There is value in every floor type – the most important considerations are the functionality and style. Ensure your final choice supports not only how the space is used, but the aesthetic you’re looking for!
GV&Co is a Toronto-based luxury design-build company that provides forward-thinking, detail-oriented, and transparent solutions for home building and renovations. Specializing in high-end residential projects throughout the GTA, GV&Co combines modern detail with the quality of traditional craftsmanship. With headquarters in Summer Hill, GV&Co has current projects in Toronto’s most desirable neighbourhoods, including South Hill, Rosedale, and Forest Hill.
Featured Image: South Hill Homes
