I wonder if “high quality” would be more accurate than “unique” for the title. Laminate, wood, tile, etc. are all common flooring options and none of these have designs that vary that drastically from mainstream ones. But they are certainly of a higher quality, or use patented designs for a variety of elements like how they waterproof the material or the exact chemical composition.
A beautiful, functional kitchen can serve as a thriving center to your home, making meal-prep and family time fun and streamlined instead of stressful. As a high-traffic area, a great kitchen needs strong flooring that can hold up against spills, falls, bacteria, and more.
Unique, high quality flooring not found in your average home improvement store can transform your space, increase the value of your home, and last for years to come without the need for repairs or refinishing. But with so many kitchen flooring ideas out there, how do you find the gem in the haystack?
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best flooring manufacturers who use cutting edge technology to create beautiful, resilient flooring options which will make your kitchen stand out! Keep an eye out for our DIY flooring ideas too – many stunning floors can be installed yourself, which will help save your budget.
Engineered Wood Panels
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors
Stoddard, New Hampshire
I had to replace this manufacturer since I accidentally listed another luxury vinyl company before instead of engineered wood. So please check to make sure this one is still satisfactory.
Engineered wood panels are a popular flooring option as they are more affordable, yet more durable than hardwood. Engineered wood planks are made by layering, heating, and pressing multiple types of wood together for greater strength.
Carlisle Wide Plank floors creates planks with a strong engineered core, topped by the hardwood of your choice. Engineered wood holds up better against moisture, because the tighter grain expands and contracts less, making it a perfect choice for your kitchen. Carlisle is known for their extra wide and extra long planks, which create an even more beautiful floor due to fewer visible seams. Choose from oak, ash, pine, hickory, and more for a custom look.
Ease of Installation: Professional Required
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: No
Price: Medium
Reclaimed Antique Hardwood
James and Company Reclaimed & Recycled Timbers
Collinsville, Alabama
Reclaimed and antique hardwood is all the rage for its unique quality and naturally worn finish. Old growth wood is truly incomparable and will elevate your space regardless of your design aesthetic. Reclaimed Antique Hardwood sources high quality Heart Pine, Oak, Chestnut, Walnut, Black Ash, Maple, and more.
You can completely customize the shape and sizes of your panels and even order matching trim, stair parts, and more. Be aware, though, that you will have to refinish hardwood occasionally to protect it from moisture.
Ease of Installation: Professional Required
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: Yes
Price: Medium-High
Engineered Stone Tiles
Tenacity Flooring
Augusta, Maine
With engineered stone tiles, you can achieve the look of natural stone, for a much lower cost. Tenacity Flooring creates waterproof, PVC-free, and scratch and stain resistant tiles or planks. They are as durable as ceramic tiles, but much easier to install, clicking together and coming apart if you ever need to replace one.
The tiles come in various sizes, including extra large, which saves even more time during installation. Their natural color options look stunning in any space. The company has committed to using recycled bottles to create the backings for their products, helping make this a more sustainable choice!
Ease of Installation: Beginner
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: Yes
Price: Medium
Natural Stone
Stone Impressions
San Diego, California
Natural stone is timeless and luxurious. However, it is pricier than other options and requires more frequent refinishing to protect the surface from chips and wear. If your kitchen does not see heavy foot traffic, however, it is well worth the investment.
Stone Impressions creates a wide range of natural stone mosaics and solids, in multiple shapes. Choose from marble, travertine, limestone, and more, and select their pre-designed stones mosaics or work with their team to customize your own designs. They provide detailed instructions for installation so you can spend your budget on picking your favorite pieces, rather than on contractors.
Ease of Installation: Intermediate
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: No
Price: High
Porcelain Tile
Wonder Porcelain
Lebanon, Tennessee
Porcelain is favored for its durability, easiness to clean, and relative affordability. Less porous than ceramic, such tiles are hygienic, splash and stain resistant, and highly customizable. Wonder Porcelain creates beautiful porcelain tiles with gloss or matte finishes, and in square, rectangular, or hexagon shapes of various sizes and dimensions.
Choose from solid colors and textures, or mimic the look of marble, concrete, or wood. Recently, designers have favored extra large tiles as they add a grand feeling of expansiveness to a room.
Ease of Installation: Intermediate
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: No
Price: Medium
Laminate
Arborite
Montreal, Canada
Laminate is more scratch and stain resistant than some non-synthetic choices, with a huge range of styles and an appealingly low price-point. However, be aware that that is often does not hold up to water as well as other options. Ask the manufacturer about water resistance for the specific product you’re interested in.
Arborite specializes in fire-rated and high wear laminates that are perfect for a high use area like your kitchen. They offer over 250 patterns with options for realistic wood, stone, or terrazzo finishes or boldly colorful, abstract, or metallic prints. DIY laminate flooring is a very achievable project.
Ease of Installation: Beginner
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: No
Price: Low
Luxury Vinyl
Adore Floors
Woodbury, New York
Did you ever imagine you’d hear the words “luxury” and “vinyl” paired together? Well, the day has come, for vinyl is of a higher quality than ever. Adore Floors creates multiple patented lines of luxury vinyl through sustainable methods. They employ unique microbiostat technology for extra sanitary power, micro ceramics for extra durability, bamboo composite, and surface hardening tricks.
Their wide variety of wood and stone grains look incredibly real! They provide panels with multiple installation methods, including ones with self-adhesive, ones which click together, or can be glued down – perfect for a DIY vinyl flooring project!
Ease of Installation: Beginner
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: No
Price: Low-Medium
Bonus Alternatives
Linoleum
Linoleum has made a surprising comeback as people realize its worth as a sustainable material. It’s made entirely of renewable materials – linseed oil, cork dust, sticky gum, and pigments. Durable and waterproof, comfortable to the tread, cheap, and highly customizable, this material, forsaken as a sign of the 70’s, is suddenly trending again! Best of all, its incredibly easy to install on your own – just buy a roll of it, cut it to size, and glue it down.
Ease of Installation: Beginner
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: No
Price: Low
Concrete
Despite its commonality and affordability, concrete has solidified its place in high design due to its versatility and Eco-friendliness. Mixing in dyes and using high quality finishes can result in a beautifully colored, custom final product. Concrete requires little energy to produce, does not deplete natural resources, and can be reused. Installing concrete isn’t a project for beginners, but with some practice and study, it is possible to create your own floor.
Ease of Installation: Intermediate
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: Can be
Price: Low-Medium
Epoxy
Epoxy can create some truly stunning, one-of-a-kind floors. Waterproof, incredibly long-lasting, and resistant to chemicals and contact damage, epoxy continues to grow in popularity. The material is expensive, but will rarely need to be replaced, making it a great long term investment. It is more affordable than natural stone, yet can create a compelling imitation of the most luxurious marbles. Installing it yourself is fast and relatively easy.
Ease of Installation: Beginner
Customizable: Yes
Reclaimed/Recycled: No
Price: Medium-High
P.S. Many of these options would work wonderfully as DIY bathroom flooring ideas, as they hold up well against moisture, bacteria, and high traffic!
Which type of flooring would you choose for your kitchen? Share your unique kitchen flooring ideas and DIY flooring ideas with Built for Home on social – Facebook or Instagram You may even get featured in a future Built for Home article!
About the Author
Caylah Coffeen is a writer and editor sharing her insight on unique home products that help readers make their homes feel more like home. She also mentors fiction authors at her publishing company, Creative Cornerstones, based in Huntsville, Alabama.
