Matching or contrasting tile for wood floors?
We are replacing our floors on the first floor of our townhouse and have settled on a natural maple hardwood for the kitchen, dining area, and living area, all of which connect.
We are having trouble deciding on tile for three small areas that adjoinin the main living space: a short entry hallway and closet that are perpendicular to the main living space; the hearth; and a short back hallway and half bath (the side wall of the kitchen forms the hallway wall). The smaller tiled areas total about 90 square feet, while the hardwood totals about 600 square feet.
One question is whether to try to match the maple flooring in tone and intensity or go with a contrasting color. Here's a porcelain tile by Unicom Starker called Quartzite Green that's grayish with peachy tones that play well with the maple. There's another color that has less gray that would blend well with the maple. We'd probably go with 12x12 since the areas are fairly small. It has a textured stone like finish that is gorgeous but might be hard to clean.
The alternative would be a darker gray matte hexagon tile (about 8x8) that would offer more contrast as well as textural / shape interest. The darker grays would connect with the black of the fireplace and define the different areas that adjoin the main living space. I really like the hexagons but wonder if it's a good idea to break up the space. But it would be easy to clean, and did I tell you I love the shape? (The wood pictured in both images is not what we select d, just an approximation )
i will try to post a sketch of the floor plan but in the meantime I'd love to get your advice!
thanks!
Comments (13)
Mrs. S
7 years agoDonna G
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Contrasting inset to trim a wood or other floor?
Comments (7)It would work, but maybe think about it. In our 1920's house, they did two bands one board apart in each doorway area as a transition from room to room, the band is continuous around each room but doesn't directly connect. So the Entry has separate bands from the living room which has separate bands from the dining room, etc. Lesser rooms, like a bath, closets and kitchen had nothing. In the kitchen, generally a lesser grade of flooring was used due to expense, but was usually softer and easily replaced without disrupting the flooring in other areas. So, think about perhaps running bands in front of the kitchen in the eating area, treating the entire "G" as if it used to be a separate room. Then run a separate band around the inside of the "G". Other choices - completely stop the fancy floor at the kitchen "wing". Don't do the inset floor in the kitchen but put either dots or a plain square of the contrast color in the four corners inside of the "G". I wonder if banding the kitchen could make it look smaller and more busy?...See MoreFloor Color - Match or Contrast Cabinets?
Comments (5)You will probably get more responses if you post photos or links of your choices. We don't know all these products off the top of our heads. We considered the countertop first when we chose our floor tile. We used a quiet, almost solid colored quartz countertop and color-matched it with a porcelain tile which had some movement and variation. If you have solid planes of color and pattern in cabinets, countertops, backsplash and floor, it gets a little boring. So plan for some pattern somewhere....See MoreContrasting wood floors next to each other?
Comments (52)@ erett The travertine-look tile is too blue for your kitchen. Sorry but that's going to be one BIG clash. The more marble-y looking one is the best match to the counter tops AND the cabinets. Right now the cabinets are driving everything towards the creams (yellow based white). As for running right over top of the current tile, I am going to caution you to think about this one. Please take the time to purchase an 8ft long level (the metal things with the glass bubble in it) and stretch it across your current floor. See how FLAT and SMOOTH it is. Vinyl is highly flexible. It LOVES to dip down into hollows (grout lines and pits in the tile) and hump over edges (each edge of each tile). We call this telegraphing = horrible thing to have happen when you spend money on a 'perfect' floor. I can tell the tiles have some texture to them. That texture has to be 'knocked down'. That is to say you need to grind them (all that dust you were trying to avoid = still going to happen). And then they have to be filled (leveling cement = SLC). But before you do that you probably have to prime them. Each and every 'high point' of the tiles (normally seen at each and every grout line) has to lie flat against the next tile = filling all grout lines. Whew. The cost of doing that = $2-$3/sf (depends one where you live). The cost of removing the tile = $2-$3/sf. The benefit of removing the tile = you never have to deal with them ever again = very good thing....See MoreContrasting wood floors
Comments (4)IMO all the floors should match and honestly add a light colored area rug where you feel the floors are too dark I am not sure what you find weird about a log cabin on a river it would be IMO a perfect spot for one but the flooring in the great room is what I would try to at least match in color and width...See MoreMrs. S
7 years agoDonna G
7 years agoMrs. S
7 years agoDonna G
7 years agoMrs. S
7 years agoUser
7 years agoDonna G
7 years agoDonna G
6 years agoMrs. S
6 years agoUser
6 years ago
Donna GOriginal Author