With your dark expresso cabinets I would do light neutral floor tiles...what design style are you wanting to achieve? Traditional ...modern ....contemporay?

I like the transitional style. My heads going more towards doing vinyl or laminate planks but I’m open to stone/tile options.

Oh....I would do real tiles no question with the beautiful new wood cabinets..so you like traditional and modern mix= transitional is that correct?

Yes, could you post pictures of what kind of tile you think would fit?

why would you pick a laminate that looks like wood, but not real wood flooring? Cost would be the same for a quality laminate.

otherwise, do a large porcelain tile (24x24 or 30x30)

what style kitchen is it? any inspo pics? what color countertop?

I need the waterproof quality that laminate flooring gives. The style I’m wanting is transitional. Here’s a similar countertop to the one I picked out.

Tile is the most practical and durable surface for a kitchen..and it looks beautiful

Ok, so you picked Fantasy Brown marble countertops. (it is marble and not a quartzite) and are having java stained oak cabinets? and you want a laminate floor or tile? I'd go w/the tile. I wouldn't like the looks of your cabs right next to the faux wood laminate.

this color would work, but I don't know about the competing wood grains. I'd have to see your cabinets.

I'd do a porcelain,, maybe this Misty Gray from Tilebar.

Or, I love this Limestone-look, porcelain, also from tilebar. and it's on sale right now. would be a perfect match to your countertop. same coloring

super easy to care for, and super thin grout lines.

or this Cavatina Corda

or, The Lines Greige Matte. all of these are Tilebar

How do you think grey tiling would look?

and what’s the best way to do a tile and vinyl floor transition?

what tile? you can't just say, 'gray tile'. lol.

I posted a few pics of 'gray' tile. how do you like them?

did you go look at Tilebar and see all of their gray tile choices?

https://tilebar.com/collection/porcelain-tile.html#/filter:filtertileuse:Kitchen$2520Floor

look at the larger sizes. (don't do a 12x12)

this is the one I suggested. (and it's on sale for less than $3 a sq ft! Tilebar also only charges $10 for shipping. great deal)

https://tilebar.com/basic-limestone-grigio-24x24-matte-porcelain-tile.html

(comes in a 12x24 if you want the rectangle)

The below is also the Basic Limestone, but it's the Ash color. I like either one these w/your countertop

https://tilebar.com/basic-limestone-ash-24x24-matte-porcelain-tile.html

you like this one?

https://tilebar.com/basic-cement-silver-24x24-matte-porcelain-tile.html

i also like the Marbela Pearl

or maybe you like the darker color ?

I’m sorry guys I’m not very professional, I’m only 17, just trying to get advice for designing our house for my parents. I like this tile, however, I don’t know if it’s too busy for the countertops or if the tiling should be more plain.

If your cabinets are a very dark expresso you cold do something like this from Home Depot...

I love that!!

No worries Ashley you are doing a great job! I am sure your parents really appreciate you!

Great! Good old Home Depot😉

Ashley, that's very nice of you. Instead of doing 'wood look tiles', which really aren't going to stand the test of time (design-wise) why not do something less trendy? The pic you posted with similar tiles w/the dark kitchen, I think it's too busy looking. Your countertop is going to have a lot of movement in it.

I keep trying to post a pic of these tiles for you because I think they would be a perfect match.

Plus, they're cheaper than the Home Depot tiles,(almost a dollar a sq foot cheaper) and larger, which means less labor in setting them. AND, smaller and less grout lines, means it's easier to clean.

https://tilebar.com/basic-limestone-ash-24x24-matte-porcelain-tile.html

Ashley, I also posted links to other tiles I think you'd like. all you have to do is click on the links.

Sorry home interiors, I think these would look 10X better than the home depot wood look tiles.

here's the Springwood Beech tile. It's not bad looking. But you have to look ahead. Will this flooring still be trendy like this 20 years down the road? Is this something they'll still like? Putting in 24x24 neutral floor tile has a longer 'decor' life than these 8x48 faux-wood tiles. Why don't you show pictures of these wood look tiles, and the other tiles I posted, and ask your mom which look she likes better? If these gray wood look tiles work w/all of her furniture and decor, then go for it! just make sure you pick a tile guy that knows how to install these 48" long tiles. they have to be set a certain way.

this is the 2nd one HIWE posted. the Watercolor Grigio. (I don't like the thinner one. at all)

and the 12x24 isn't much better. See how busy looking it is?

Here is a pic of Fantasy brown countertops, dark cabinets, and a faux wood tile. do you like this look? would your mom? show her a picture

I just think a more neutral lookin tile will last a lot longer and be easier to decorate with.

ignore the backsplash, but this more neutral looking tile floor doesn't compete w/the cabs or counter

Both of these are fantasy brown countertops, darker cabinets, and wood flooring.

Ashely, one other thing, what will this floor tile butt up to? do your parents have carpet, wood or tile in another part of the house that the kitchen tile will be next to?

Beth you can take off your boxing gloves....just trying to help Ashley achieve what she has pictured in her mind and close to the image she posted and loves.....the tiles I posted are very subtle and the second one is not wood grain..it is just a soft neutral plank tile..very pretty I have seen it in person....it goes with everything...will Give a beautiful transitional style...

lol no gloves. Kim, why would you say that? No need to take it as a personal attack on you.

I like the first one you suggested. However, since Ashely is unfamiliar w/tile floors, I'd thought I'd give her some more info. Maybe she's not aware of how that 48" tile has to be laid. Or maybe she isn't aware that once it's down, the pattern can really be overwhelming. Or maybe isn't aware that some have large grout lines that can be a challenge to keep clean. Why would you jump on me for educating her on all of those issues?

Being a designer, you have to recognize that this particular tile trend is going out. Flooring is a major expense and should last for decades so I wanted her to see the other side of the coin.

as for the 2nd one you posted, it's 6" by 36". A 6" wide tile is very thin to use on a floor. (And also brings in a ton of grout lines.) Did you take a picture of the kitchen you saw with it? Because in this picture, it seems like this tile would be better suited for a more modern style kitchen, because of its size.

I merely mentioned the cleaning aspect that goes along w/these tiles. You can't just suggest a 6" tile but not advise people of all the grout lines that's going to bring. That's the only reason I suggested the 24x24 tile w/1/16" grout lines. Im sure her mom would appreciate that aspect of it.

(Ultimately it's moms kitchen, no? That's why I mentioned that she show her mom some pictures. Ashley may love the look, but what if mom doesn't? That's all I meant by that one)

Sorry if you think I was throwing shade on your tile picks. I wasn't. I even prefaced my comment with 'sorry', but it's my opinion a larger format tile would look better. Why would you get mad at that? You posted this picture w/this tile floor. But what's different in her kitchen? notice the countertop in this one. it's solid. Show her a picture w/Fantasy Brown and this type of floor. It's not going to look as good as using a more solid, larger format tile. it's my opinion and I still believe it's the better option

Ashley may not be aware of other tiles out there, and the pros of doing something else.

In any case, since you have this, I'll just back off. I don't want to step on your toes anymore.

Ashley, Good luck with your choices. Oh, and to answer your question about the tile to vinyl transition, you would use a transition piece. either something like this Schluter metal piece

or something like a transition strip

if the floors are going to be different heights, you'll have to do a Reducer Transition

Beth...no worries..it just sounded kinda like you where scolding us😞...plank tiles are a trend for sure no matter faux wood or not...but I think pretty safe for the next 10 years...us designers and people who work with tile see it everyday do we are all ready to move on from that style but as a designer for the average home owner... they love it and have never had it so to them it is a new style..so sometimes we just need to push them softly towards more subtle options that will achieve the same look they love and want no matter if it is a trend or not...Beth you are so full of information and I certainly did not mean it literally...was just a quick response that was meant in a fun way..please don’t leave we need your wisdom!!.

whew, no problem kim. thought you were mad at me. I greatly value your choices as you have fantastic taste! I just wanted to open up Ashleys eyes a bit as to what else is out there. We're good.

Hey Beth it’s me Julie..not Kim...girl you know I love you🥰🥰🥰

oh crap. I'm so used to talking w/you and kim on the other post, switched names. Doh!

Thank you guys. I appreciate it, I need all the help I can get. This is a board I created with the tiles you gave me Beth! I think it looks great. None of this is set in stone at all, the only thing ordered right now is the oak cabinets, so we can change anything up at this point still. Also, my mom loves everything that I’ve been showing her. She’s really leaving it up to me to design it, which I’m having fun with. At the moment we don’t have a certain laminate flooring picked out for the rest of the house (as we are remodeling everything) but I want it to look good next to the tile. We’re basically starting from scratch, so decor, furniture, and everything else will be newly picked out once we figure out all these details. So, with the picture attached, what would be a good backsplash? and would the greige walls we have right now look good or should we repaint?

Ashley did not realize you are doing laminate flooring in the other rooms connected to the kitchen..what laminate are you doing? Saw this image thought you may like it if you continue laminate into the kitchen...but if you did the laminate needs to be a LVP

Found this kitchen thought it was so pretty...

Also in the image you can see they just run the countertop as the backsplash one of my favorite backsplash ideas..no backsplash tiles.

ashley, I like that combo a lot. It will basically resemble this color combo.

Julie has a good point about the LVP. If you plan on doing LVP in other parts, then you don't want to put a wood look tile next to it. Either continue the LVP into the kitchen, Or, do a neutral tile like I showed.

What about engineered wood flooring? is that an option? your parents don't have to worry about it holding up to kids and pets, do they? wood flooring is a better option for future resale, and real wood will last longer than the vinyl. 20 years from now engineered wood will still be "in" whereas the LVP prob will not.

this kitchen isn't as dark as you want, but a natural tone oak flooring looks great w/it.

I'd consider doing a wide plank oak, maybe a French Oak, engineered wood floor.

I like Julie's photo she attached. The only thing w/running the countertop up the back is cost (they will have to buy another slab) AND this particular marble has a very distinct veining. to try and match the directional veins by doing a slab backsplash can be challenging. It would take an experienced fabricator to do it. It looks cool, but if not done correctly, will look horrible.

here's a good match, (see how the pattern continues up the back?)

here's a bad one. See the obvious seam and janky pattern match over the stove?

I'd advise you to look at some pics on Pinterest of this type of countertop and see the other options. And again, Fantasy Brown is a marble and will need sealing. Your mom will have to be cautious when using any acidic products on it, or anything red that could stain. Just want you to know that this stone is NOT like granite.

btw, don't know if this color combo is a thing, but dark floors and light cabs look great. Or maybe consider doing a two tone cabinet