If you currently have a cheap floor covering in your kitchen, or any other area of your home, you will be amazed at the transformation that a natural stone floor can bring. A floor covered in cheap ceramic tiles, vinyl floor tiles, linoleum or laminate flooring can never be a patch on the beauty and quality of natural stone floor tiles.
Best of all a new floor can completely transform your kitchen without the expense and upheaval of a whole new kitchen. You might decide to go for limestone, slate or marble floor tiles to replace the dated or worn floor covering currently gracing your kitchen floor, but whatever you choose you can create a completely new look (maybe emphasised by a few select accessories) without spending a fortune.
Flooring is a fundamental part of the design of any room so you need to be careful to make the right choice as you will have to live with it for a long time. Take your time searching for the right type of natural stone floor tiles because there is a huge range out there and it can be confusing to try and make a decision. Ask for advice in tile showrooms and bring home samples to see how they look in your home. Showroom lights are very different from the lighting we have in our homes so it is important to see the tiles in both the natural daylight and artificial lighting in your home.
Some of the points to remember to check on are:
- Durability
- Ease of installing
- Ease of cutting
- Need for sealing
These are important details you need to know before making your selection but once the practicalities are sorted you need to decide what you actually like. Some natural stone tiles can be very “busy” and this is a look some people love and others hate. Others floor tiles can have a plain, smooth, high gloss finish. There really are so many choices that to help you make a decision think about what style suits you and your home best before even venturing out to look at tiles.
Many people love the look of marble with it’s typical veining, others love the rustic colours and texture of slate, whilst yet others are fans of the neutral calm of limestone. It is a very personal choice and also dependent on the type of home you have. Contemporary homes are better suited to smooth surface stone tiles whereas period or cottage homes can really suit any type.
Travertine floor tiles are impressive and, like slate, can be aged to fit better with a period home, while still retaining their elegance but not looking brash and new. They are also very durable. Limestone tiles can also be hard-wearing but check this with the supplier because certain types are not durable but, in fact, rather soft.
The versatility of slate floor tiles make them a great option if you want to extend the flooring into the hallway, dining area or conservatory. As a key design element you could use the flooring to pull together all these linked spaces. From a safety aspect the rough surface of some slate tiles provides a non-slip surface in areas prone to become wet such as kitchens, hallways and other rooms with direct access to outside. Slate is available in smooth (honed) finishes if you like the colours, but not the finish, however, honed tiles are not as slip resistant as the natural finish.
Hopefully this overview will help you make up your mind which natural stone is the right choice for you; now just go and get your hands on some samples…