To wood or not to wood. That is the question.

Kitchens are typically the center of the action in a home, so they require a durable flooring surface that can withstand heavy use.  I get asked all the time….would you use wood in a kitchen?   Absolutely I would (hehe). So many floor plans that cross my desk have wood in the great room and tile in the kitchen, sometimes this can chop a room in half. The same flooring throughout can give the illusion of space.  The trick is to choose a wood that has little to no light reflection or shine on the surface.  This will ensure that a scratch or dent from that can of tomatoes falling out of the pantry, will not be as evident as a surface that has reflection.  When you choose a mat finish or a hand scrapped look it will hide the multitude of sins that an active family can throw at a floor.  You might want to consider a wood with grain such as oak, hickory or ash. Maple and birch are beautiful surfaces but more likely to show a scratch or imperfections because of the clarity in the wood or lack of grain.  Oak has made a huge resurgence in the flooring world. Once known for its golden /orangey tone of the early days of modern home building, it is coming on strong because of its hardness and the way it holds so many fabulous stain colours. Remember too that in new construction, most stairways are made from oak which makes a very easy transition for staining the staircase to match oak or hickory seamlessly.  If you are still not sold, remember that there are many wood look options like porcelain tile or luxury vinyl plank that have true to life wood looks. To wood or not to wood….