What is the best flooring for a kitchen?
Choosing the right flooring for your kitchen means the perfect balance of aesthetics, practicality and, of course, budget.
Depending on your lifestyle and the flow of your home, your kitchen might be a high-traffic thoroughfare, a hub for busy family life, a frequent party venue, a regular haunt of pets – or a combination of all these!
There’s no doubt that your kitchen floor will work hard – as well as being durable, it will need to complement your cabinetry and worktops, stand the test of changing trends, as well as fit in with the configuration of your home.
When designing a handmade kitchen, we guide our clients through flooring choices that balance practical performance with long-term aesthetic appeal.
Here, we explore the most popular kitchen flooring options, form timeless natural materials through to modern and alternative finishes, with expert insight from trusted local suppliers, such as A J Rogers & Sons in Bromley and Naos in Tonbridge.
Stone flooring
Natural stone remains one of the most luxurious and enduring choices for kitchen flooring. Unique, natural character is intrinsic to every stone, meaning that no two floors are ever exactly alike.
Naos are experts in stone flooring, supplying exceptional stone from around the world to achieve stunning results.
From the soft hues of tumbled limestone, traditional rustic flagstones, hardwearing Belgian Bluestone, or timeless black and white marble tiles, there is a beautiful stone to suit every interior design.
Benefits of stone flooring
- Offers exceptional durability and longevity
- Adds a sense of permanence and luxury to a home
- Works very well with underfloor heating – natural stone is an excellent conductor of heat
Considerations
- Natural stone requires sealing and ongoing care to prevent scratches
- Irregular stone surfaces can be more difficult to keep clean in high-traffic areas
- Can feel cool or hard underfoot
Solid and engineered wood flooring
Wood flooring brings texture and natural character into the kitchen, helping to soften the overall look of the space and provide the perfect complement to painted cabinetry.
Whether used in a simple tongue and groove format or as classic parquet flooring, wood always brings warmth and charm.
Understanding the difference
As you’d expect, solid wood flooring is constructed from a single piece of natural, solid wood – therefore, it doesn’t contain any composite materials, such as plywood or HDF (high-density fibreboard), making it naturally strong and hardwearing.
Engineered wood flooring is made from a base of softwood, plywood or HDF, which gives it excellent strength and stability. This base is covered with a pure wood veneer.
Unlike solid wood, which naturally expands in humid environments, engineered wood provides stability at changing temperatures and is also a more cost-effective alternative to solid wood.
Benefits of wood flooring
- Adds warmth and visual depth
- Ages beautifully, developing character over time
- Offers natural warmth and flexibility underfoot
- Wood flooring can be excellent for kitchens that form part of an open plan living space
Considerations
- Requires particular specifications in kitchens, such as a sub floor
- Sensitive to moisture, and may stain or scratch if it is not carefully sealed
- May show signs of wear in high-traffic areas
The sustainable nature of responsibly sourced wood is an important factor according to A J Rogers & Sons:
Sustainability continues to be a major driving factor in home design, and flooring is no exception… eco-friendly materials such as reclaimed wood are predicted to gain even more traction. Additionally, recycled materials are finding their way into more flooring options, making it easier to find sustainable alternatives without sacrificing style or durability.
Luxury vinyl tile flooring
Luxury vinyl tile flooring (or LVT) continues to be one of the most practical and versatile kitchen flooring solutions available.
The premium luxury vinyl brands include Amtico, Karndean, and Moduleo, who are renowned for offering products with exceptional durability, scratch resistance, easy maintenance and comfort underfoot.
LVT flooring is ideal for busy, hardworking kitchens, and the design options are truly limitless.
Benefits of luxury vinyl tile flooring
- Highly water-resistant and durable
- Comfortable and warm underfoot
- Low maintenance and easy to clean
- Available in realistic stone, ceramic, concrete and wood designs
Considerations
- Professional installation is essential for best results
- Not all LVTs are equal – the supplier and specification matters
Read more about the minimalist modern kitchen in Beckenham.
Read more about the stunning shaker kitchen in Sidcup.
Porcelain tiles
Porcelain tiles offer exceptionally durability with a huge range of design possibilities. From geometric patterns and traditional ethnic designs, to tiles that accurately emulate natural stone, porcelain tiles provide superior performance for kitchen floors.
Large-format porcelain tiles are particularly on trend for 2026, creating a seamless, uncluttered look that works beautifully in open-plan kitchens and living spaces.
Naos offer an excellent choice of porcelain tiles, which they source directly from Italian factories.
Benefits of porcelain tiles
- Extremely hard-wearing and resistant to scratches
- Highly water-resistant and easy to clean
- Ideal for use with underfloor heating
- Available in a wide variety of finishes, including stone, concrete, marble and wood-effect designs
Considerations
- Can feel cooler and harder underfoot compared to LVT or wood
- Grout choice and installation quality are key to the final look
- Tend to be a more expensive option
Laminate flooring
Modern laminate flooring has evolved significantly in recent years, offering a practical and budget-conscious option for kitchens.
Benefits of laminate flooring
- Cost-effective solution that’s easy to maintain
- Wide range of finishes and styles
- More durable than earlier laminate generations
Considerations
- Less water-resistant than LVT, stone or porcelain
- Shorter lifespan compared to natural materials
- Not suitable for all underfloor heating systems
Other flooring options: herringbone brick, poured resin and polished concrete
For homeowners looking for a flooring option that’s more distinctive, alternative flooring materials can create a strong design impact.
These finishes work best when specified early in the kitchen design process to ensure they integrate seamlessly with the overarching layout and aesthetic.
Herringbone brick
Benefits:
- Characterful and unique
- Perfect for period or urban-inspired kitchens
- Adds texture and visual interest
Considerations:
- Requires sealing
- More textured underfoot
A J Rogers & Sons comment on herringbone design:
Timeless and sophisticated, herringbone flooring is set to continue its reign as a flooring favourite. This iconic pattern, which can also be used with both wood and luxury vinyl tiles, adds texture and visual interest. Herringbone is particularly popular in living rooms, kitchens, and even hallways, as it effortlessly adds character and a sense of craftsmanship to the space.
Poured resin
Benefits:
- Seamless, joint-free finish – ideal for ultra-modern design
- Highly durable and water-resistant
- Available in a range of colours and finishes, from matt to high gloss
- Works well with underfloor heating
Considerations:
- Subfloor preparation is critical to achieve a flawless finish
- Lacks the character of wood or other natural materials
- It will scratch but can be repaired through sanding and re-sealing
Polished concrete
Benefits:
- Sleek, contemporary appearance with an architectural edge
- Extremely durable, toughens with age and use
- Ideal for large spaces
Considerations:
- Feels hard underfoot, so perhaps not ideal for young families
- Requires professional installation and planning
Choosing the right kitchen flooring for your home
The best kitchen flooring is one that suits your lifestyle, your home and your design vision.
Whether you’re drawn to the elegance of stone, the warmth of wood, or the practicality of luxury vinyl, expert guidance makes all the difference.
We work closely with trusted suppliers such as A J Rogers & Sons in Bromley and Naos in Tonbridge to ensure your flooring complements your kitchen beautifully and performs effortlessly for years to come.
Whilst we don’t currently work with them directly, there are also other local flooring suppliers you may wish to explore including Freelands Tiles of Dunton Green and Chelsfield Flooring.
Visit our gallery to see how different flooring choices have transformed our recent projects, browse our blog for more interior design inspiration, or please call us to book a design consultation.
