50s strikes me as linoleum. I did a quick search and came across a site with some examples. Man, I could almost see that black flooring with your color choices (except that black would likely show streaks and dirt).

Here is a link that might be useful: website with linoleum examples

Definitely linoleum, especially since you're having fun. Check out Forbo--they have some wonderful choices nobody (including me) has the guts to use.

It's a really nice flooring, also.

I was all set to use Marmoleum until the contractor mentioned that it does stain, darn it. I'm messy, messy so I doubt it will work for me.

Your kitchen sounds like it will be a fun one to follow! I was reminded of this pic posted recently in the skirted sink thread by westiegirl:

I don't know what the flooring is (it may lean green or that may just be my monitor), but I think a yellow similar pattern could be fun in linoleum. Or a confetti-looking one, if they still make it! My dad's family ranch house had some kind of confetti or starburst multi-colored flooring in the laundry room. I remember being fascinated by it as a child.

Here is a link that might be useful: More 50's linoleum patterns from retro renovations

My parents built their nice house in 1954, and used cork, which I recently installed in my own kitchen: love it, comfortable underfoot, so many patterns and colors available (look at Durodesign, among others). Linoleum is great, too.
Lynn

Here is my vote:

Here is a link that might be useful: more examples in this thread

Sjerin, I bet your contractor had no experience with Marmleum. It doesn't stain. I extra-tested it because it took me over a year to finish picking a countertop and I used a Marmoleum remnant on my counter during that time. It sure as heck doesn't stain with typical kitchen stuff--not even straight food coloring left on it for a week (okay so I didn't notice it went under the mixer....).

Forbo will send free samples and like anything else, one should torture test flooring.

I agree with everyone that a checkerboard vinyl or linoleum floor would be fun, but I just wanted to tell you that if you want to add a little hardwood to match what you have, it should be no trouble. The little bit of floor I can see in your picture looks very similar to ours (late '40's house). We have had new HW installed in a couple of different places and it looks pretty much identical to the old. You might not need to even add any, depending on your layout. Our new cabinets are actually a bit deeper than the old ones. So I think it really depends on how much you like your oak floor. I hate the thought of taking up good HW, but it's your house :) and you might prefer a different look. (I know resale is not a consideration, but in my neighborhood, at least where real estate sales are concerned, HW in the kitchen is considered desirable and linoleum/vinyl less so... nobody much knows the difference between real linoleum and vinyl unfortunately. A pity really, because sheet flooring is such a practical choice in a kitchen.)

I'm using Forbo marmoleum in several rooms of my house. Sounds perfect for what you're going for. It ain't cheap, though. But what is anymore?
And you'll have the added benefit of it not off-gassing nasty PVC type fumes, either that you'd get with vinyl flooring. Basically it's sawdust and linseed oil....

Like others, I immediately thought of a checkerboard linoleum. I was thinking black and white, or black and yellow. If you don't want stark black and white, or are worried about it showing dirt, there is Marmoleum's Grafix series, which are all black, white or gray in various mixes. I'm thinking something like Scrabble and Domino. Or gray and yellow, like Butter and Concrete.

Here is a link that might be useful: Marmoleum Sheet and Tile

Thank-you all very much for your replies.
I'm happy that most of you suggested linoleum (or vinyl tiles). That's really what I want to use.

I'm thinking about colours now. I'm sort of leaning more toward black and white, because the walls and backsplash will be yellow...(So basically, I would be doing a reversal of the kitchen that Angie DIY posted.

@northcarolina: actually, the wood floors in the kitchen are not original. They are the pre-finished box store kind, and were laid over peel-and-stick tile, which was laid over sheet vinyl. There might be other flooring under that, but that's all I can see. So I don't feel bad removing the third layer of flooring. (Although keeping it isn't a bad option. Just not my favourite option.)

angie DIY: thank-you for posting that kitchen. It has almost the same dimensions and layout as mine. The linoleum looks fantastic, and it's nice to get an idea of the scale of squares. Also, I really like the black door. I guess that's chalkboard paint? I wonder how well it works, and whether it's dusty...

@jessicaml: I love that sink! and the floor. You know, I think that might be vinyl tile, which looks great too.

@deedles: no, it's not cheap. Sigh. That's really my only reservation about this flooring.

@westiegirl: I love the idea of cheap. And I think you get roughly the same look as linoleum with the vinyl tiles. But I am slightly hesitant about gluing down flooring, and I guess I'm a little bit concerned about the waxing. Do you have to wax it often? Do you have to buff it? All of that said, the price is hard to ignore.

@cawaps: I love the scrabble or domino idea. I sort of have a snaking domino pattern in mind...

Our floor has been installed since September and it was only waxed the once, right after installation. It has seen very hard, muddy, farm traffic since and still looks perfect. I just vacuum the dried mud and dirt regularly and occasionally hit it with the mop. DH used to deal with commercial waxes when he did maintenance work in college and said we should only have to rewax it approximately every two years.

There was no buffing involved. Because our mudroom was small enough, DH applied the wax by hand with a rag, but he said you could have just as easily mopped it on. You just apply it and let it dry well before applying the next coat.

I have a sample of the marmoleum butter and it's really gorgeous.

Another vote for Marmoleum. I have similar colors: white cabs and yellow walls, and we put in Marmoleum Asian Tiger, which is predominately orange, but includes 7 other colors. It's a warm counterpoint to all the white and silver in the kitchen, and it transitions beautifully to the red oak hardwood in the living room.

Here is a link that might be useful: White kitchen with Marmoleum

Fori--Thank you; I even have some samples and will get some tomato paste and red wine sitting on it asap! No, the contractor has not used it but did a little research. I also googled "marmoleum and stains" and found the same thing (of course!) I'll report back on how the stain test goes.

I used Marmoleum in my previous kitchen (color: Rosato) and it does not stain. It is extremely tough and can be waxed if you want a shinier look. I would do Marmoleum again in a heartbeat.

"Like others, I immediately thought of a checkerboard linoleum. "

Preferably with asbestos containing tile.

It was de rigeur back then.

And then wax it every week to keep it looking shiny.

Those fancy schmancy liquid floor waxes are years in the future, so past wax and a floor buffer.

At least twice a year you use sudsy ammonia to strip the wax and start over again (between stripping the wax just builds up).

Or you can step up at least a few years and use asbestos free vinyl floor tile with a decent 'no wax' (better described as low wax) surface.

Oh I didn't think I had to mention the red wine test...we ran that one more than once. Do find Dianalo's posts about her Marmoleum disaster though. She had some bad stuff happen with hers (not stains though) that was totally unlike most folks' experience with it.

It made a really nice counter.

Vinyl was always the biggest conveyor of asbestos into people's homes, not linoleum. Be sure to research health and environmental concerns of PVC before deciding.

Ok, tomato paste (no red wine open right now,) on the off-white sample and not a speck of red after being washed. Guess that solves that! I suppose the acrylic layer keeps it from being stained.

How about various shades of cork - not a true 50's but could use cork tiles and keep your pattern.
Easier on your feet and back...

@iroll: Your floor is great! Yeah, I can see that there are a lot of different colours in the tile. It seems to give it some depth. I really love the uniform look. Do you notice seams at all?

So i *think* I've decided on thick stripes running across the width of the galley. I got a quote for the yellow and off white marmoleum ("natural corn" and "barbados"). @deedles: maybe the butter colour you mention is the "natural corn"?

The yellow is a perfect yellow. Yes, expensive, but really lovely and more vibrant that the vinyl.

My thought process around the use of stripes is that I can use the 3X1-foot pieces, which are less expensive than the 1X1s.

@a2gemini: the marmoleum is cork-backed, I believe, but don't quote me on that. The dealer I talked to also recommended a cushy underpad for it, so it seems like it would be pretty easy on the back. My mother is telling me to get cork ;-)

The "Click" Marmoleum is cork backed. The sheet stuff isn't and gets glued down to a very flat subfloor. Mine was the sheet stuff but still adequately squishy.

Stripes would be wonderful. Yellow stripes even better!

Love the yellow stripe idea!

I have two seams, you can see them if you look, but they are quite subtle. The flooring contractor told us that the newer welding material they use now is color-matched, it was actually multicolored like the floor.