With so many materials, colours and finishes to pick from, how do you know which is the best choice for you? Use our easy-to- follow guide to ensure you make the right decision

The kitchen is the busiest room in the house and flooring in this area will be subjected to high levels of wear and tear, from food and liquid spillages to plates and glasses being accidentally dropped on it. Investing in a flooring that can withstand all of these knocks and scrapes is a vital consideration for any project. Whatever your budget or kitchen style, there is a huge range of options to suit every scheme.

Stone For hard-wearing, easy-clean designs with natural good looks, it’s hard to beat the beauty of natural stone. From a classic pale limestone to the dark and dramatic tones of slate, there’s something to complement your overall kitchen look. However, these designs can be slippery when wet, so consider a textured effect for added safety.

Porcelain or ceramic Tiles offer an equally long- lasting surface as stone, but both can feel cold underfoot. A wise choice is to combine these options with underfloor heating.

Wood A firm favourite, adding warmth to a sleek, contemporary scheme. Bear in mind that heat and water can make wood shrink or expand, so a better option for a kitchen is often engineered boards. With a real-wood layer on top of an engineered base, they offer the same look, but are better equipped to deal with a kitchen environment.

Rubber or vinyl Offers a cost-effective solution that’s soft and warm underfoot. Designs can replicate the look of natural stone or wood and require less maintenance than the real thing, while others offer a modern twist with a mix of vibrant hues and textured looks.
If you have an open-plan kitchen-living area and want to use the same flooring throughout to create a coherent look, think about what will work best for the entire space. Stone flooring might be great in your kitchen, but would you prefer something softer in the living area? Take your pick from this selection of latest flooring options.

Top image Neutral option Heritage tumbled limestone floor tiles (60x40cm), from £64.62 per sqm, available in various sizes, Indigenous (01993 824 200; indigenousltd.com)

Ash Sandvig one-strip ash wood floor with a matt lacquer, white prefinish, from £66.13 per sqm, multi-layered with glueless Woodloc joint and available with a choice of durable satin lacquer or oil prefinish, plus 30-year guarantee, the Sand Collection at Kährs (02392 453 045; kahrs.co.uk)

Usefull links
Blue Evolution, www.blue-evolution.com
Future Floors, www.wonderwoodfloors.co.uk
Farmhouse Flagstone, www.farmhouseflagstones.co.uk
The Cork Flooring Company, www.corkfloor.co.uk
Super Screed Ltd, [email protected]
Eco Decking Tiles, www.ecodeckuk.com
Floor Heater, www.floorheater.co.uk
Marlow Flooring Ltd, www.flooringbuckinghamshire.co.uk
Osmo, www.osmo.com
New Image Stone, www.newimagestone.com
Orlestone Oak Sawmill, www.orlestoneoak.co.uk
Robbens Systems, www.underfloorheating.co.uk

Words Beth Murton