Must-See Kitchen Flooring Design and Material Ideas

Kitchen floors work overtime enduring spills, stains and lots of foot traffic. Ensure yours is right for the job by choosing a material that's strong and durable — such as engineered hardwood. Seen here, engineered planks have a top veneer of real wood backed by a layer of plywood that make the planks stable and the flooring less susceptible to humidity and temperature. Because most planks come with interlocking edges, this is a great option for DIYers to install.

While flooring material is a top priority, don't forget about design as well. This transitional kitchen boasts high style with fumed oak flooring in a striking chevron pattern. Dark blue lime-washed oak cabinets provide contrast against the light floors to create a visually appealing space.

Notably seen in farmhouse kitchen designs, encaustic-look tile is at the top of the trends list for not only backsplashes but also flooring. Encaustic tile is made by sealing clay and powdered glazes together via heat. Whether you choose ceramic or cement as the base of the tile, both are durable, high-style options.

The floors in this sunny, colorful kitchen are made from sustainable cork and laid out in a playful checkerboard pattern. Cork flooring is water-resistant, comfortable and resilient but needs to be resealed every three to four years to prevent scratches and stains.

Bold and eye-catching, the graphic black-and-white tile floor adds serious style to this mostly neutral kitchen. Designer Tiffany Brooks placed the tile on a diagonal, mimicking trendy Southwestern patterns.

For open-concept floor plans, classic hardwood is a great option to extend the flooring from the kitchen into its surrounding spaces. Long-lasting and attractive, solid hardwood floors are much warmer than tile flooring but can be susceptible to water damage and scratches. Here, hickory hardwood flooring and wooden details throughout amp up the coziness factor in the bright white kitchen.

Cook up an enviable kitchen design with the addition of floor tiles made from a natural stone — like quartzite. Quartzite tiles come with a hefty price tag but are worth the investment when it comes to their durability and longevity. Each tile is unique and, when installed as flooring, creates a high-end design.

Look down in this kitchen and you'll see a wow-worthy patterned floor. Combined with a herringbone pantry door at the back, the wooden accents in this space are the star of the show.

Often overlooked, concrete is a low-maintenance flooring option that delivers on toughness and affordability. Though its hard surface may be seen as a downside, decorative rugs or gel mats help add a soft and cozy underfoot to areas where fatigue may occur, such as the stove or sink.

The vinyl hardwood-look flooring in this kitchen is 100% waterproof and features an attached cork underlayment that is naturally resistant to odor-causing mold and mildew. It was constructed to be a softer, warmer and quieter floor, which makes it a great fit for the high-traffic space.

Designer Matthew Lanphier turned his once old-fashioned kitchen into a wonderfully serene cooking environment. The unexpected hexagon floor tiles keep things interesting while a trio of alternating colors adds a playful element in the space.

For a kitchen that's full of color or pattern, a neutral floor is ideal for grounding the space. Here, an eye-catching teal backsplash is able to steal the show thanks to neutral-hued elements such as the cabinets and flooring.

Make any space feel cozier with the addition of richly dark flooring. This modern open-plan kitchen features an overall white look that allows its details to stand out. Gold hardware accentuates the white cabinets while a dark floor helps keep the space from feeling too monotone.

Give your kitchen an industrial look while remaining polished and clean with epoxy flooring. In this kitchen, the glossy sheen of epoxy adds a fresh-faced brightness to the darker mahogany and color block cabinets.

In this chic kitchen, marble flooring is laid in a large-scale chevron design for an attractive addition. This well-recognized material might not be the best option for the kitchen as it needs to be refinished every year and is prone to staining, but the elegant look well makes up for its cons.

Farmhouse design style has been all the rage the past few years and is here to stay. Embrace the trend in the kitchen with rich wooden elements — like the reclaimed wood flooring and raw wood beams seen here.

In this kitchen, terra-cotta tiles are a pretty and warm color pairing with the room's wood details. The natural materials in these tiles are very durable and create an attractive underfoot — ideal for Mediterranean and Southwestern designs.

For a look that's all its own, consider a playfully patterned floor in the kitchen. Here, shaker-style cabinets boast a beautiful hue of blue that coordinates with the eye-catching buffalo check flooring below.

A hot trend for cutting-edge kitchens, bamboo floors blend style and durability. Though it's technically a grass, bamboo is actually harder than many types of wood. Bamboo comes in tiles or planks and is available in a variety of sizes, colors and patterns — such as the dark plank flooring seen here.

Scandi style is at its most chic in this polished kitchen. A bold graphic pattern livens up the back wall while the concrete floor adds to the simplicity of the textures and tones in the space.

Attractive brown marble floors swirl underfoot in this chef's kitchen — a graceful pairing with the sleek light brown wood cabinets. White countertops and upper cabinets add an element of crispness to the room.

This zesty mint-green kitchen gets a much-needed pattern punch with a fun cement tile floor. The rest of the elements in the kitchen are serene and calm, allowing the graphic tile to stand out as the true superstar.

A classic choice for high-end kitchens, travertine is a flooring option that doesn't necessarily stand out but will perfectly complement with its subtle sophistication. In this kitchen, honed Italian travertine adds uniqueness with its natural earth tones and marble-like texture.

This open-concept kitchen is equal parts airy and artful, with crisp white walls and unexpected details. Saltillo floor tiles add a dose of rich, warm color to the mostly-white space while thick grout lines between the tile groupings echo the lines found on the ceiling overhead.

Create a cohesive design in the kitchen by utilizing the same tones and textures throughout the space. Seen here, rich dark hardwood floors match the base of the marble-topped island for a sleek, magazine-worthy look.

For both durability and good looks, porcelain kitchen tile flooring is the way to go. It’s an upgrade to regular ceramic tile because of a manufacturing process that makes it harder and less porous — ideal for kitchens where spills are likely. Here, white porcelain tiles ground the space while complementing the quartz countertops and range hood.

Pattern is a simple way to liven up the visual impact of a space while still maintaining a unified color scheme. Here, a subtle diamond design is featured on the flooring. The gray hues of the design complement the cool-toned palette throughout the kitchen.

Gray, gold and black linoleum floor tiles echo the colors found in this galley kitchen's backsplash while also adding a playful touch throughout. Available in a rainbow of colors and designs, linoleum flooring is affordable, durable and easy to clean — ideal for highly-used spaces such as the kitchen.

The country touches in the kitchen are subtle and charming: gingham-print shades, wood and iron barstools and warm hardwood floors. The flooring beautifully contrasts with the darker wood on the island while lighter wood lines the ceiling above.