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milly_dallazannaferronato

Transition from granite floor

last month

Hi, we are about to start our kitchen renovation and we plan to have a combination of medium white oak cabinetry with a off white/light cream cabinets on top and a light cream Silestone quartzite countertop
I am stumped on what to do for the kitchen floor.
In our family room, we have medium wood floors and grey granite coming from the entrance so the transition tile in the kitchen is still undecided.
My husband is adverse to putting wood in the kitchen floor so that suggestion is out, unfortunately.
Please help me by suggesting what kind of tile floor I should use. It’s been suggested we should use a herringbone style, which I like. What color though?

Comments (16)

  • last month

    Sorry for the poorly edited post – I wasn’t able to correct it for some reason.

    I would like to add that in the one picture you can see the flooring in the entrance and in the second picture, you can see the transition that we already have going on from family room to kitchen.

    Re: second pic there is a step that matches the granite in the entrance. This picture also shows a small sample of the kitchen countertop and it is placed on one of the tiles that we might consider.

    Thanks for your help!

  • PRO
    last month

    Obliterate the granite out of existence first. Then rethink continuity.

  • last month

    Oh, I am so tempted to do that, but my husband would never have it.

  • last month

    Would getting rid of the granite on that one step from the family room help? Then we only have to worry about that one transition from the entrance. I had thought about putting a 6” wide brass inlay tile between the entrance and the kitchen to give it a visual break.

  • last month

    What’s your husband’s objection to wood floors in the kitchen? I have wood floors throughout the house, including the kitchen. So easy to care for, and so much better for the cook’s back and legs to stand on. The visual improvement of one flooring throughout, should not be ignored.

    If he is concerned about a water leak ruining the floors, we put water sensors at all water sources (fridge, dishwasher, sink), connected to an alarm and automatic shutoff valve at the entry point into the house. Ten years, one leak (dw hose)…the system worked perfectly. No damage to the floors. The water never got that far.

  • last month

    I'm another who likes wood floors, and I'd prefer your kitchen to match at least one of the surrounding rooms. Maybe dig a bit deeper into your husband's concerns about wood.

    The granite is very bossy, as you know. Much as I like a herringbone pattern, I think putting any pattern next to the busy granite would be too much (unless maybe you use a very uniform color tile and matching grout.) If you plan to use tile, I'd look for something with a variation level of V1 or maybe V2, and use grout that isn't much of a contrast.

  • PRO
    last month

    Drop something really heavy on that granite. Repeatedly. Until its broken. I like natural stone, and I really do not like that. It's too much in too many ways, If it were matte, maybe. But being shiny and veiny and shiny, and veiny in all directions, it's a big NO.

  • last month

    @darbuka yes exactly his objections. He’s very worried about water. Although everybody seems to have wood floors nowadays, and even tiles can crack with water damage I just can’t seem to reason with him.
    Maybe I should work on that with him and mention your water sensors. Can you tell me more about them or a very fairly common?

  • last month

    Another vote for wood floors that match the wood floors in the rest of the house.

    The best choice for looks, comfort and resale.

    I am on my 4th house with wood floors throughout the house (except bathrooms, mudroom and laundry). None had a leak in 27 years.

    Show your husband this post.

  • last month

    Water sensors and shutoff valves are very common. My son is the one who selected our system, he’s an attorney with superb design and engineering skills. Your contractor should be able to point you in the right direction.

    This is the first home I’ve lived in with wood floors in the kitchen. It’s been 10 years now, and I can tell you I’d never go back to tile or vinyl.

  • last month

    The product used is engineered hardwood. The top layer can be 3mm or 1/8", 4mm or 1/6" or 6mm or 1/4". The core should be hardwood, birch or eucalyptus plywood, not softwood like popular.

  • last month

    I've had wood floors in most of my kitchens and would not have it any other way. So easy to clean, so much better on back and joints, and less kitchen echo. I'd never thought to be concerned about water damage because it never happened in all of these years. If it did, I'd be thankful for how easy it is to replace wood.


    I have a water shut off sensor on my washing machine. It is extremely easy to install. I'd take that route towards convincing him on wood floors.

  • last month

    thank you, everyone. I came hoping somebody would be able to suggest something different for the kitchen. But everybody seems unanimous and getting rid of my granite lol – not at all what I came in here for! Still don’t think my husband‘s going to want to get rid of that granite. And I still don’t know what to do.

  • last month

    Same as chispa - I've always had wood floors throughout my homes (including the kitchens) - except for laundry/mudroom/three upstairs bathrooms (my powder room even has wood floors).


    I've had one water issue - right after the water line was connected to the fridge (we were out of town for three days). There was a little damage - however, after a few weeks of drying out, the boards evened out - no one notices the three boards that have a little bit bigger gap between each board (the boards are located in the hallway that heads from the kitchen to the garage/laundry room/mudroom/powder room).


    I also have added water sensors. Your husband may be more comfortable after he does a little research about them.


    I also wonder if the granite might look better if it was honed instead of polished?


    I LOVE herringbone patterned tile - but I would not install tile in a herringbone pattern next to your super busy granite floors.

  • last month

    @dani_m08 thanks for your comments. I didn’t even know honing and polishing the granite floors was an option. What an interesting idea.

  • PRO
    last month

    You don't hone in place. Honing involves copious amounts of water and diamond polishers. You hone a polished slab in a fabrication shop. You NEVER hone anything on site.