Goomba wrote:
>
> I've mentioned here that we're updating/improving our kitchen. We've
> ordered the cabinets and granite, and just purchased the new range (the
> top rated gas model listed in Consumer's Reports recently) and over the
> range microwave oven/hood. I'm looking for a bottom freezer refrigerator
> but we can live with the old one until I find the perfect appliance at
> the best price. Lighting changes and flooring are still undecided.
>
> I'd love to hear input from folks who have tile as to how they love or
> hate it? I currently have vinyl, but have had heated tile in the past. I
> was younger then so might have been less aware of problems, but am
> concerned with the "hardness" of the floor for comfort? I am getting
> older now (sob!) and don't want to find tile floors are ergodynamically
> poor choices down the road after standing in the kitchen for extended
> periods. I recall my mother explaining how good dance floors are wood
> and impact absorbing properties over hard cement floors that are more
> jarring to your body. Yet wood floors aren't too practical in kitchens,
> are they?? I'm also interested in linoleum as I keep reading that it
> might be fairly "green" as well as good cost.
>
> The floor choice would need to be practical for the kitchen, breakfast
> room, mud room, laundry room and guest bathroom. The rest of the
> downstairs is hardwood.
>
> Thanks for any input
> Goomba

Just a short few months ago, my kitchen & laundry/bathroom floorings
were replaced. So I was in the same predicament, so to speak. I went
to every carpet/flooring store in my area, including the 'big box
stores', to choose what style, pattern, and color I liked and wanted.
The price differences at the local stores were rather significant, e.g.,
plus or minus $1+change per square foot! Then I shopped at the on-line
vendors to also price-compare the specific floorings. I was rather
astonished (I probably shouldn't have been!) at the vast price
differences between local and on-line vendors, even when shipping was
added. BUT, the on-line vendors do not include the labor/price of
installation nor the typical 'guarantee' provided by local stores.

Don't rush your decisions. If possible, take large samples home for a
few days or a week and lay them on the floor in various areas of the
kitchen during different times of days and nights with different
lightings (natural & electrical) to compare the colors. It's amazing
how the 'looks' and colors will change in appearance and may or may not
match the surroundings when these environmental variables are
considered.

Read Consumer Reports <g>. Also read some of the newsgroups about home
repair and remodeling. Some floors are better or worse than others
depending on many conditions and circumstances.

Since my flooring was replaced by the general contractor doing the
repairs for an insurance claim, I just gave them the specific
information about my flooring choices, then the contractor obtained
them. I'm sure the contractor used a sub-contractor for installation.

The previous floor in my kitchen was cheap sheet vinyl flooring, as was
the laundry/bathroom flooring. The old floorings were probably
25-plus-years old I would guess. It took me a few months to select
which floorings to get as replacements because I found the choices to be
very limited with regard to design, pattern, and colors. Due to
budgetary considerations (insurance replacement costs), my choices were
limited and could not include some types of floorings (unless I coughed
up more 'dough').

The old and cheap sheet vinyl flooring in my kitchen was abominable. It
had permanent wheel marks/ruts where the portable dishwasher had
traveled across the floor to the sink faucet. I eventually selected
Mannington Adura vinyl tile (16"x16") in a particular non-tile pattern
-- it was the 'only' kitchen flooring pattern within my budget that
appealed to my sense of design. The Adura tile is supposed to be very
resilient to wear & tear and heavy-duty use. Now the portable
dishwasher makes no marks on the floor when it traverses the kitchen
floor. I am very happy with the results (so far!).

The laundry/bathroom flooring was even harder to choose. Since the
traffic/use there isn't nearly as high as it is in the kitchen, I simply
replaced it with more sheet vinyl. BUT, finding a pattern that I liked
was the hardest part! Again, the patterns and color choices were quite
limited to my sense of decoration. Practically everything was shades of
white, off-white, and brown (ugh!) with large tile markings of various
sizes. Thankfully, the sheet vinyl flooring of today is better in
quality than it was a generation or two ago.

Good luck with choosing a floor you like. It's a subjective decision
that only you can make. After you're 'armed' with price information
from many sources, perhaps you can try to bargain with the company of
your choice if their price is higher than can be had with a different
vendor in the area.

Sky, who hates to decorate interiors!

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice