You have a nice kitchen. I do not think you need a renovation. And especially since you are happy with, and do not plan on altering the layout- I do not see the point of a major renovation. Your cabinets look good and wood is ”back”. The counters also look good, and the white appliances work well with the counters and kitchen.

Demoing a tile floor is not fun. And honestly, I do not think that a wood floor necessarily complements what you have in the kitchen- unless the wood is a similar color as the cabinets.

There are advantages to vinyl and linoleum or marmoleum. Could be easily installed over the tile. Easier on feet and legs- compared to tile as well as wood. And if you drop something, it stands a chance of not breaking. Putting down a piece of vinyl or linoleum sheet could be an easy solution to the floor situation.

I think a simple hexagon pattern in white would look good.

I also think this herringbone style could be nice.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1499914498/white-parquet-sheet-vinyl-flooring-roll?

Actually, @freedomplace1, in a kitchen with wood cabinets it’s best if the wood floors offer contrast to the stain of the cabinets. Medium to dark wood cabs should contrast with a lighter stain, or natural wood floor. Matchy-matchy is not a desireable look.

Yes, @darbuka- you have a nice kitchen. And maybe you have not noticed- but your flooring is relatively similar to your cabinetry- although lighter. Your flooring is not very dark nor very light

In OP’s case, with the very light colored cabinets, counters and white appliances- a wood floor that is similar in color to the cabinets would work the best. And I do not know if that is what has been installed in the rest of the OP’s house. So, in lieu of that... a white floor that goes with the counters and white appliances would look good.

Hmmm, I don’t see my cabs and floors as similar in color. The cabinets are birch, with a medium dark stain, which take on stain differently than the white oak floors. The graining on the two woods, are also quite different. We chose a combination of two stains for the floor, to give a distinct contrast without being jarring.

At anyrate, the OP said she “HATES” the tile floor. Changing to another tile will not change the fact that tile is not comfortable to stand on, compared to wood. It’s also far easier to clean wood floors than tile/vinyl/linoleum. I’ve had all three over the years, and would never go back to any of those three.

There may come a time when the OP will want to have the more preferable all bottom drawers, and also to change out the black microwave, which is out of place with the white appliances.

what is the wood floor you are thinking of laying. what happens is ...change the floor then the cabinets and the space look older.....different things pop out like the black microwave that doesnt actually coordinate..the plain vanilla backsplash/ missing under cab lights?? .......can you make the few adjustments to go along w an upgraded floor? I think i would. You can get a nice result....Good Luck take husband to a flooring store and discuss the process [take the photo of the kitchen] .....I dont think renovating at 50-75 k has to be spent to get a new floor...perhaps he actually wants a new kitchen??? but you're okay w what exists ? with imagination [ I think the tone of cabinets is okay] and if storage and layout is not problematic...then maybe he could see how floor and a few other tweaks will give nice upgrade . discuss furthur

Is the plan too just go on top of the tile? If so you will encounter some issues with the DW for sure and mayb ethe fridge for sure , and maybe the range . The issue is the space for those appliances will change the DW will not fit and if you ignore that issue the DW will ne be able to be replaced .. Yes you take out the tile and replace with wood but it is a tricky job for sure . The hope for another 10 yrs with what you have will be at the end of life at least really dated by then.

Well, if your husband doesn't like the idea of installing new wood floors up against the existing cabinets, have you thought about keeping your current tiles but changing how they look?

There are many DIYs that you can find if you a search.

Floor Pops (or other brands):

This is a popular design - it provides a checkerboard type floor without having a marble look:

The next two photos are Floor Pops designed by Chris Loves Julia. They are marble designs - and come in several different color combinations (including the typical black/white or gray/white marble designs).

You can also use paint specifically made to be used on floors - and either paint your tiles a solid color OR use a stencil + whatever paint colors to make your own new tile design. Most people first make their tiles one solid color and then add a stencil design over them. You can make elaborate stenciled floor tiles OR you can use simple stencils or make your own stencil using tape.

Just an idea if you want to get rid of your current tile now - but don't want to renovate your kitchen (as your husband would prefer vs. extending your new wood flooring into your kitchen).

I think it would be very difficult to demo the tile while leaving the cabinets in place- but I am not a contractor. So you would probaby benefit from getting a pro, local to you, to answer that question. Not only is your flooring gray, but your counters also look gray. I think that the floor you have probably rarely shows dirt. I had white linoleum floors in a former kitchen, and besides being scratched with little holes and wear spots, they were ALWAYS dirty looking, even after a good scrub! Fresh new white floors seem nice, but won't stay white in a kitchen for very long. We put checkerboard linoleum in our rental house bathroom, and that held up well, and looked good when we went to sell, but it was in light and dark grays.

I think that the suggestion by Dani seems like a good one, but I have no experience with those products-so you would definitely want to research that. It seems like if you go that route, you could change the tone/color look of the existing tile without the dirty demo or much expense. It would possibly satisfy you enough to put that remodel off.

Truly, I don't think changing that floor will do very much for the kitchen. Because, I think the thing that is incohesive in your kitchen, is more that there are pink tones in the backsplash that are clashing with the yellow walls and cabinets. So maybe you can use those products that Dani suggested to change the backsplash. I think that you might paint the backsplash and walls in a more neutral color first, see how that looks and then change the floor if you still hate it. (This will mean lots of sampling until you get the right colors for the backsplash and walls).

One final consideration, is that if you truly want the same wood flooring in the kitchen, as what you have in the rest of the house, you will have to consider that you may not be able to find it in 10 years. So your choices are to purchase and store it now, or to make sure you know a SKILLED flooring guy/gal, who can color and species match in the future. Another option is that you do nothing now, except save up for a full remodel in 3-5 years. Good luck.

The previous owners of our house put wood floors down over tile in the kitchen. I didn't notice until after we took possession, but even just the thickness of the floor gave me a weird feeling that the base cabinets were lower than what I was used to. Our dishwasher works - kind of. There is a fix for it that DH found, but we can't pull it out to fix it because the wood floor created a lip that has trapped the DW. If your frig is close to the upper cabinet you could end up trapping the frig, too. So I don't recommend putting wood over tile. I would leave the floors alone until you want to do the whole kitchen.

Show us a pic of your new hardwood floors next to your kitchen cabinets. This all sounds nice in theory but do the two tones actually work together?

Hi all - thanks for the great suggestions. Here are a couple more pictures, including a better one of the kitchen and one of the flooring installed in the majority of the house. I would not be putting wood over the tiles, but thought we could cut around the cabinets and install it. I am open to painting or tile pops, but I'm worried about durability. We have small kids, a constant stream of visitors and a large dog. The walls were recently painted and look less yellow in person. I love the warmth they bring to the room. We are aware that the black microwave doesn't match...it's just a really great functioning microwave, so we've dragged our feet on that one. And doing something to the backsplash is absolutely on the table! I just don't know that this space will ever feel good to me with these floors.

Just buy additional flooring so when you remodel the kitchen you have the same flooring.