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Yesterday, I started a series of posts on Kitchen Design, today is the second in the series.  Today I am taking a look at the options that are available in countertops and floors.  Like I said in the previous post of this series, check out the Better Homes and Gardens - Kitchens Dream it. Plan it. Remodel it. for a more detailed discussion.  We all would love to have granite/marble counters and floors, but what other options are available.  In countertops there are quite a few choices ranging from laminate to granite.  Let’s take a look at laminate first.  Laminate is a very cost effective option at $15 - $50 per linear foot, however, there are many potential problems with laminate.  Laminate is not heat-resistant and is prone to knife cuts.  If you are good at remembering to use trivets and cutting boards, this may be a good option for you.  Laminates now come in a variety of colors and styles to suit any kitchen.  Another choice is ceramic tile.  Ceramic is durable and comes in a variety of colors and styles.  The cost for ceramic is between $10 - $15 per linear foot, with self-installation the price can be even less.  Ceramic dulls knives and cleaning grout lines is no fun.  Next up is concrete.  Concrete counters are very durable, can be stained easily, and are easy to clean.  Concrete counters run between $60 - $130 per linear foot.  One thing to consider with concrete is the difficulty of replacing or removing your countertops.  For $70 - $200 per linear foot you can get granite or marble.  Granite and marble are stones.  Stones resist stratching by knives, can withstand hot pans, and water, and are easy to clean.  The major drawback here is the price.  The color choices are limited to those found in nature.  These counters must be installed professionally.  Homeowners, who want to have the durable surface with more color choices than natural stone may pick Corian.  The price for Corian is similar to granite and other natural stone.  These counters are durable, but can be damaged by hot pans and knives.  The final major option is stainless steel.  Stainless steel counters are beautiful and modern looking, but can scratch.  They are durable and easy to clean.  Stainless steel counters run $65 and up.  Most people don’t use stainless throughout their kitchens, but in selected areas.  Okay, so those are the major choices in counters, let’s move on to flooring options.

Flooring options for your kitchen are seemingly endless. Probably, the most popular of all kitchen floors is ceramic.  Ceramic tile is durable and stain reistant.  The price for ceramic isn’t too bad at $3 - $12 per square foot.  Ceramic has a few flaws - it’s cold, hard, and the grout can be difficult to clean, just like on your counters.  Many homeowners are using laminate floors in their homes now - usually with a wood grain pattern. I would not recommend this flooring around the kitchen sink.  Water can seriously damage laminate flooring.  These floors also have a tendency to show wear with time including scratches, dents, and chips.  The cost is relatively cheap at $4 - $11 per square foot and the look is quite nice.  I think this is a great floor in the rest of your house, but I would have hesitations in recommending someone use it in their kitchen.  Another inexpensive option in flooring is the classic, vinyl.  This flooring is very cheap, but as we all know has some serious problems with wear.  These floors tend to dent, can be burnt, and seem to be harder to clean with age.  The price is right though at $1 - $5 per square foot.  These floors also have many color and styling options.  You can use stone for flooring just like it can be used on counters.  Granite, marble, and slate can all be used.  The pricing ranges from $3 - $12 per square foot for slate to $5 - $30 per square foot for marble or granite.  These floors are beautiful and durable.  The only real minus is the price.  If you like the look of laminate flooring then you would love wood flooring.  Wood flooring can be refinished and lasts a lot longer.  Hardwood has the same problem as laminate in the kitchen, water damage.  The price isn’t too bad at $6 -$14 per square foot.  Concrete is also available for flooring.  These floors are extremely durable, but are also very hard and cold.  The price is less than that of hardwood at $4 - $10 per square foot.  The most famous of all kitchen floors has to be linoleum.  Linoleum is more durable than vinyl and it is easy to clean.  These floors also tend to not age very well.  The price can be $45 or more per square foot.  The final major option available in flooring is cork.  Cork resists moisture, is easy to clean, and is pretty resilient.  The downside of these floors is the urethane finish that needs to be replaced every couple of years.  The price is pretty good at $4 - $9 per square foot. 

As you can see, there are many options in flooring and countertops.   When looking at the options it is best to consider what you intend to do in your kitchen. If you are a baker, you may not want to invest in ceramic counters, they make rolling of dough very difficult.  If you don’t cook a whole lot and your kitchen is just a showroom then there are lots of cost effective options out there to make your kitchen easy on the eyes. 

If you like this series of posts stay tuned for tomorrow’s post on kitchen appliances (the options are endless, but this is the good stuff).