I am confused about your remark about not having the subfloor for real tile. Vinyl tile requires almost as much work as real tile does in preparing the subfloor or it will telegraph any imperfections to the surface.

If you prefer actual porcelain, there are plenty of ways of creating the structural stiffness that it will need, from just applying a second layer of plywood and cement board to using the Kerdi system if you need to keep the height to a minimum.

hollysprings, I took out that comment. I guess I just prefer the Alterna. Any opinions please???

Always difficult to tell from a picture, but honestly I don't like any of them with your cabs. The undertone looks off. All look pinkish next to the color of your wood.

island, seriously, you think so? Gosh, I had an interior designer from the flooring place come to my house to help me choose these. She didn't give me a whole lot of guidance, though, I have to admit. Is pinkish a hard color to live with?

I can see island's point about a slight pink undertone but we are looking at photos, so it is hard to tell. Of the two, I think the one you regard as more busy actually goes better, because the darker tones align with certain tones in the countertop. It is not too busy to go with your counter, as your counter is pretty high contrast. just an opinion...

I think the pinkish tone maybe a combination of photo/lighting effect?? In any event, I can see the same tones in the counter and floor tile.

I prefer the Alterna. It seems to pick up the lightest color in your counter. Since your counter is separated from your floor by the cabinetry as opposed to immediately adjacent, I don't think it's too busy at all. I also like the increased contrast of it as compared to the beiger tile with your cabinets.

It's always hard to tell exactly from photos. I always have a heck of a time getting mine to reflect what I am actually seeing in real life! Anyway, what does your instinct tell you about the tiles? Which one do you prefer?

Could be the photos, but keep in mind that the store designer will try to sell you anything in the end, even if nothing is a really good match. They also might not even have training. Just someone who works there or thinks they have a good eye, iykwim. A flooring store designer doesn't sound like someone I would put a whole lot of stock in, myself. Not the typical ones I've been to anyway. Ask your friends, lol.

That's how it looks on my monitor, but like I said, hard to tell from a picture, especially in close ups with nothing but the tile and cabinet in the shot. Of the 2, the multicolor tile is better and will be more forgiving. You'll see every mark on the beige one.

Oh good. I'm glad someone else mentioned the pinkish tone because I also noticed it. You mentioned you are a conservative decorator so you might not like this idea but what about a navy blue tile of some sort. it would ground the space, give some bunch and probably be good with both your cabinets and counters. Just a thought.

i don't really care for any of your choices but it isn't my kitchen so my opinion is worth about 1/2 cent.

Assuming the color's right (I never trust my screen), I like the plain beige better with your counters. The swirly thing seems to fight the speckles a bit to me. In fact, I just like the plain beige better altogether, and I would definitely set it on the diagonal: such a gentle way to add a little energy and avoid a static look.

Navy blue, BF?! That's way out there these days. I thought I was only one who liked it. I'd do a navy floor in my white kitchen if my heart wasn't already set on butter yellow. :)

rosie- i have a white kitchen and would have loved navy blue lowers to go with my mid-tone maple floors. Unfortunately I was the only one who liked the idea. There's always my next kitchen.

I prefer the multicream :)

I prefer the multicream (and I'm not seeing any pinkish tones on my monitor, FWIW). I think the basic beige looks a bit better with the counter, and the multicream looks much better with the cabs. Given that the floor abuts the cabs but not the counter, I come down for multicream.

I second what cawaps just wrote. As soon as I saw the multi cream and the wood tone of your cabinets, I liked the way there was a hint of that wood tone color in the multi cream. The multi cream does not look pinkish to me but the beige does appear to have a very slight pink undertone.
Good luck in your decision

Well, gosh, thanks for all of your opinions. But, it's sounding to me like nobody really thinks either of them is a "good" choice. Can you think of another color that would look nicer? I know gray would work, but I really have always disliked gray. Now I am rethinking my whole decision. Is the multicream going to look nice? This is costing me a bunch of money and I want it to end up looking nice. I sure wish someone had some pictures of their similar tiles, Alterna or real. Should I be going with a completely different color, although I think for me the blue would be a little too out there--sorry. Opinions? Thanks.

This post was edited by pam533 on Sun, Jun 2, 13 at 0:12

Okay, I posted a couple of new pics showing the tiles closer to the corner of the kitchen where you can see the cabinet and cupboard better together. I am going crazy picking these out. Please help!!

I vote for multicream on the diagonal. The beige reads a little pink to me, and I agree with cawaps and badgergal's comments. And island is right about it hiding dirt better. It will not draw attention to itself, I think it is a good choice and not something of which you'll tire.

Okay, but does anybody think the multicream will actually look "pretty"? Oh, and thanks kksmama for the good advice on not tiring of it. I guess I just want someone to tell me that it is going to look nice since I'm spending so much money. Or else give me some other suggestions maybe?

This post was edited by pam533 on Sun, Jun 2, 13 at 10:10

I really like the multi cream. Remember, it is YOUR kitchen....so YOUR opinion is the only one that really counts!

Is your countertop Silestone Sienna Ridge? That is what I am having installed in my kitchen next week, and it looks just like yours.

Yes, I think it will look pretty. I prefer, and have, wood floors and will get white cabinets. Given that you have wood cabinets, I think non-wood floors make sense. I don't care for hard tile, I stand a lot it in my kitchen and doing so on hard tile was somehow much worse than doing so on engineered wood over the slab foundation (shrug). I think you want more assurance than we can give from pictures. Can you have a different flooring rep come to your house to provide ideas or help confirm the first was on the right track? Can you buy returnable squares, or boxes of squares, from Home Depot or Lowes so you can get a better idea of how it will look when the whole floor is covered?

Weedpuller, since you are having the same counter installed as me, still curious what floor you are thinking f getting? Do you have any idea? Maybe it would give me some guidance? Thanks. Still no Alterna floors out there? Come on guys, somebody has to have them???

If you want to know if anyone has that brand consider starting a new thread titled: Anyone have Alterna tlle floors?. You may get more hits that way. Good luck.

As you know, I have the Multistone pattern in white in the bathroom. It was laid May 1. I like it there where it doesn't get a lot of foot traffic and dirty shoes and spills. I'm not sure it's such a great choice in a high-traffic area. I recently read where someone had it throughout the house and it looked brand new in the baths but was wearing in the other areas after four years. It definitely won't have the ease of cleaning like porcelain tile. I had to rub some construction dirt with a cloth, whereas with my kitchen porcelain tile, it's a breeze to mop.

I wouldn't be afraid to go with a little darker and more patterned tile with your honey-colored cabinets and the small pattern and warm tones of the counter. I also live in the PNW and have my main living areas facing north. I use darker tones and just treat it as my warm, cozy space for November to July. My upstairs is sunny and bright.

may-flowers, could I see a picture of your warmer tones you use? It would be so helpful. Maybe you already posted them someplace on this site and I can't find them. Sure would be helpful! It's really that hard to clean, huh? Bummer.

Just finished installing the flooring this morning, cabinet installers will be here any minute! We chose wood-look vinyl planks for the floor, in the gunstock oak color. I had a thread here on GW a few weeks ago asking for recommendations and after doing a lot of research, this is what we decided on. GWers recommended Novalis brand from Lowes, but I couldn't find it here or on their website. We did buy ours from Lowes, It is just not called Novalis....it is "style selections". It is a peel and stick product and intended for DIYers. It is easy to work with, but requires some serious prep work.

Just finished installing the flooring this morning, cabinet installers will be here any minute! We chose wood-look vinyl planks for the floor, in the gunstock oak color. I had a thread here on GW a few weeks ago asking for recommendations and after doing a lot of research, this is what we decided on. GWers recommended Novalis brand from Lowes, but I couldn't find it here or on their website. We did buy ours from Lowes, It is just not called Novalis....it is "style selections". It is a peel and stick product and intended for DIYers. It is easy to work with, but requires some serious prep work.

Weedpuller1954, oh, I would love to see some pics of your new floor! My husband would love to have DIY floor since this Alterna is costing us a fortune. Do you think they look real in person? Pics, please! Thanks!

It looks like you are trying to keep the floor light...but I would go darker and pick up the tones in your counter... I think it will ground the space...excuse the pun!

Here is a pic of the floor when we laid the last plank this morning. Yes it looks like real wood. It has a wood grain pattern embossed in each plank. It is not a glossy finish. The photo looks a little more red toned than in real life. As the cabinet installers have begun working, I am almost wishing it was a lighter color, as it seems to be showing every speck of dust....but.....I'll worry about that another day!

Don't know why the photo is sideways??? It is not like that in the original

I can understand that you want to do it right. Somehow, I think that a color that's so much like the counter may not be right. How about something darker like the flooring right above?
I wonder if someone could photoshop different colors in?

Or something creamier beige?

Wow, I love your floor! You don't think my beige tile is similar enough to that to work? Honestly, in your picture, it looks like your tiles match your counter really, really well. But, you say I should try to get away from that? Maybe it's just the lighting. The darn lighting from cameras is always off a little. I love the diamond pattern you have. That's why I thought I might get away with my beige if I did it diamond-shaped. What kind of real tiles are those? So pretty. Yeah, it would be great if someone could photoshop my tiles in. I have not techno-savy at all! Anyone...please?..

The tiles look like they have pink undertones and the cabinets look like they have yellow undertones. Are your walls yellow too? Pink and Yellow are not suppose to go well together and will always look off according to color expert Maria Killam (see link).

I like the color of the floor you have right now or look for a beige or cream tile with more of a yellow undertone.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.mariakillam.com/

Homeblessings, you may not be able to see it from the pics, but the plain beige tiles actually have a very strong gray undertone. You can actually see gray through the beige. That is what I didn't like about them. But, do you think the gray is a good thing? I know photos are misleading. But, yes, with a gray undertone, will that work?

nosoccermom, are those your floors? I love, love them! That is the look I am after.

I am not really seeing any grey on my screen. Chances are your tile looks different then how I am viewing it online.

I'm actually putting in grey tile today. It's about 1/2 way done and looks beautiful. I plan on painting or refacing all of the cabinets white. Right now my cabinets are a honey oak color. Is that what color yours are? I'd say the two colors don't go well together. The grey is a cooler color and feels more modern.

Your kitchen with the baskets looks a little more country, farmhouse, or cottage style. It looks very warm and inviting to me. Is there a reason you want to change the color of the floor as it is now?

I know you are talking about a tile with grey undertones, not the whole thing grey so that may make a difference in the feel. I hate to say if it will work or not without seeing it. If you don't see any pink in it at all, then it's possible it would be just fine. Maybe ask a few people who can look at the actual tile what colors they see in it. Can you buy several of them and see how they look together. It is sometimes hard to see the overall look with just one tile.

Maria Killan offers color consultations. I'm not sure what she charges, but it may be worth it when you are putting down a big chunk of money on the floor. I'm sure there are design and color experts on these boards, they just might not see your post. Maybe you could post over on the decorating forum.

Best of luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: This is what we are putting in:

Pam, no those aren't my floors. I just searched for Sienna Ridge counters and a cabinet color similar to yours.
It's so hard with the color on monitors, but on mine, your tile choices look slightly pinkish. That's why I suggested something with cream/yellow undertone.

I found the picture here:

Here is a link that might be useful: sienna ridge and floor tiles

What about these:

http://www.mannington.com/Residential/Adura/AduraTile/Manhattan/AT141.aspx

nosoccermom, can you believe I originally brought that Adura sample home and it looked yellow (a really weird gold-yellow) in my lighting. I immediately had to rule it out. The colors online are very, very misleading. It looks gorgeous there, though. I appreciate you trying to find something better!! You are very sweet. But, yeah, it was yellow (and not a pretty yellow). I think I am going to go with the multicream. It does not read pink in person and it is light enough that it won't darken up my kitchen too much. I think if you could see it in person, you might agree, too. If not, I'll chalk it up to a very expensive mistake and probably live with it for many years (or cover it up with a lot of rugs!).

My vote is for the multicream

You have hardly any pattern in the kitchen. I wouldn't be afraid of adding some to the floor. I agree about the tone being too pinkish and both tiles are too plain. I don't know what size tile you are planning, but I would use a larger tile like 16" or 18". I would like a multitoned light porcelain slate tile with your country look. Would add some needed pattern and character to the floors.

I like a creamy color in your kitchen too. On the diagonal would be my preference.

This post was edited by snookums2 on Wed, Jun 5, 13 at 8:23

I think we're no good picking colors on our respective monitors. You'll just have to make the decision on what it looks like in real life. I noticed that the BM colors from the official BM site, especially the yellows, look completely different online. So, best of luck!