Kitchen island design ideas: Tips on choosing flooring

Kitchen flooring in most households has to withstand a lot of wear and tear. While tile and vinyl are certainly easy to clean, wood flooring is highly durable.

• Wood brings a warm, authentic finish to a kitchen, but is more expensive than some other flooring options.
• Laminate and vinyl come in a range of styles and finishes, and it's an affordable alternative to wood or stone but arguably without the longevity.
• Stone has a luxurious effect and adds a level of individuality to your design scheme, but is a premium option when it comes to price.
• Ceramic and porcelain are more affordable alternatives to stone and come in a range of different patterns and finishes.

For more information on flooring types and styles, we have dedicated kitchen flooring design guides.

The best shade of flooring will depend on the colour of your island and units, and the overall style you want your kitchen to achieve.

If you have a dark kitchen island, flooring in a similar shade will help to achieve a sleek look across your scheme. Alternatively, contrasting a dark island with light flooring will help to brighten up your kitchen and highlight your starring feature even more.

The shade of your flooring will also help to define your kitchen's design scheme. If you want to achieve an ultra-modern look, dark wood flooring or monotone vinyl will instantly create a sophisticated impression.

For a country-cottage style kitchen, opt for a warm shade of wood or bright white tiles, perfect for complementing a more traditionally coloured island. You can also find a point between and combine modern and vintage influences by offsetting a wooden island with neutral tiles in slate and beige.

The flooring you choose will depend on what colour your island is, but there are a few things you can do to create a good look.

• Uniform colour: Matching the colour of your island to your flooring is an easy way to get a contemporary effect in your kitchen. A dark grey island with grey flooring instantly looks modern, while a wooden-themed island with flooring that has a wood finish can give your kitchen a rustic feel.
• If you're wary of matching too much, consider breaking up the look with contrasting cabinet doors or a worktop in a different colour.
• Opposites: Contrasting two complete opposite colours, like black and white, will create a statement in your kitchen. If you have an unusually coloured island, choose an unexpected shade of flooring to really make it stand out - navy blue looks stunning against glossy white, whereas wooden flooring can beautifully offset a rich red island.
• Complementary colours: You can still make a design statement in your kitchen without overly bold colours. Many subtle island and flooring combinations will bring major style points to your kitchen. Muted blues look especially striking set on dove grey tiles, while a marble-effect island can be stunning when situated on matt, off-white vinyl.
• The best way to find this perfect match is to get curious with colours and textures - check out our kitchen planning tool to get started.
• Play with patterns: If you want to achieve a fun look in your kitchen, consider pairing your island with a patterned tile floor. Choose tiles in a pattern that features the same colour as your island, but make sure it's only used sparingly, as you don't want to overwhelm the room.
• Depending on the size of your kitchen and the 'busyness' of the tiles, you may want to style them across the entire floor or use them create a border around the island.

Choosing a style of flooring that suits both your personal style and the theme of your kitchen can help to make your island the starring feature in your kitchen. By considering what sort of look you want to achieve, and what flooring material best suits your lifestyle, you can narrow down the wide range of choice to find the perfect match for your dream kitchen.