The kitchen floor is an important visual area in the house. As you plan a kitchen remodeling, beware of these common kitchen design mistakes when selecting flooring.

Ignoring Kitchen Cabinet Design

Some people buy flooring without taking into account the kitchen cabinets. The result is a floor that seems to float out on its own, separate from the overall kitchen design. Instead, take your cues from the kitchen cabinets and buy flooring that coordinates. Among the options are:

• Hardwood flooring - in oak, maple, cherry, pine, birch and others
• Laminate flooring - in a wide selection of colors and patterns
• Ceramic tile - look for earth tone tiles and stone-look patterns
• Porcelain tile - terra cotta is big, as are stone-look patterns
• Natural stone - slate, marble and travertine are popular

Here are a few kitchen design examples:

• When splurging on cherry cabinets, spend the extra money on hardwood flooring. Less expensive materials will look out of place.
• With rustic pine cabinets, look for flooring that fits the style, such as an oak with a natural stain, a wide plank pine or a natural cherry. A high-gloss ceramic tile will look out of place.

Buying Flooring Without Considering Lifestyle

There are a variety of flooring materials, each with its own characteristics. Some are easy to maintain and some take hours of work to keep dirt and water spills away. Consider:

• Avoiding hardwood flooring if you have a house full of kids and large dogs.
• Using ceramic tile if you don't plan to stand on it for hours on end.
• Buying natural stone if you don't mind a little extra maintenance.
• Trying vinyl flooring if you want low maintenance and lots of patterns to choose from.
• Avoiding light colored hardwood floors or ceramic tile in high traffic areas.

Coordinating Flooring as Part of Kitchen Design

During a kitchen remodeling, there are many ways to blend your flooring with the other major elements in your kitchen design. You can:

• Match the same stain color, type of wood or texture found on your cabinets.
• Use a ceramic tile floor with a pattern and color variations that coordinate with the wall tile above your countertop.

Your kitchen design should pull together:

• Kitchen cabinets
• Wall tile
• Door and window trim
• Paint colors

About the Author
Allison E. Beatty is a syndicated real estate writer. She has been a writer of home improvement columns for 15 years. Her articles have appeared in numerous national newspapers and magazines, and on home improvement web sites.