We are in the process of a major remodeling of our laundry room and what sounds like the same issues.

We've decided to go with 20" sage green linen tile. We figured it would be complimentary to hardwood flooring (what will go in kitchen and rest of house but not yet picked out). Being that I can shut the door away from a more conservative main area, I can go as wild and crazy as I want to (or not) in the laundry area.

Personally I wouldn't put anything but stone or ceramic tile in a kitchen, bathroom or laundry room. One water mishap is all it takes to ruin any othe type of flooring.

We had a leak in the ice maker of the fridge that was a slow drip and thank God I had ceramic or else we would have had a huge floring replacement job.

I'm not familiar with bamboo at all, especially bamboo and water/mud.

Since you're the one seeing the floor when you don't have company, I'd want a new floor or the whole area won't look complete.

We have tile and boy am I glad. A few weeks ago we found a big puddle of water under the washing machine. It had a slow leak, and anything other than tile would have been ruined.

I also have two big dogs who constantly bring in mud, so I don't worry about the floor wearing out with the constant mopping I do.

Tile or vinyl would be the best choices for the reasons stated above.

We chose a very dark, slate-look ceramic tile for our mud/laundry room. It is where the cubbies are, where the shoes live...I wanted it indestructible and DARK, so dirt wouldn't show! It's been great, always looks good and the slight brown tones in it complement the dark wood floors we have everywhere else.

What about a tile that looks like wood, to work with the bamboo or the oak that surrounds the kitchen? You don't say what is there now, so it would be hard to suggest that you should keep it. I agree with all the posters that the bamboo flooring would not be my choice for a laundry room.

Thanks for the replys! I now have one piece Armstrong vinyl, mostly white with the small boxes to make it look like tiles, it's in good condition. Till now I have treated the laundry room as an extention of my kitchen, my pantry is in there, which is probably why no one ever shuts the door. In the summer that is also the entrance we use to get back into the house from the backyard and pool. DH and you are right, I shouldn't be putting Bamboo there. I'm afraid I will be leaving the laundry room as it is. When I have extra money I will redo the laundry room till then I will remind all to shut the door! I will also urge all not to come into the house wet from the pool because of my new bamboo floors. Yes, I know bamboo isn't the best floor for a kitchen, but I love the look, I'm doing as close to my dream kitchen as I can without replacing my cabinets.
ilene

Ilene, again everything you have (except getting to the backyard) is our set up too.

We are putting a pantry in our utility room too. For a short time we even considered opening it completely to the kitchen that will be getting a total remodeling.

With this being our main entry day-to-day and guest going through the front door, we know it gets a lot of wear and tear.

Being that only about a 4' pathway will actually be seen (one side is a closet and the other will be storage cubbies, countertops, and washer and dryer). Though we picked out a pretty porcelium tile IMO, I don't anticipate much attention to the floor with so much else going on in the room.

I can appreciate your desire for continuity in the flooring since most of our first floor will be hardwood, but sometimes we have to draw the line for functioning.

We have hardwood in our kitchen and in our laundry/mud room, which is directly off the kitchen, we put large tiles that match the paint out in the hallway. I am one for continuity, but the transition looks fine because the colors all coordinate.

Thank you so much for your help. I have learned so much from your replies. First, I realize my laundry room is not an extention of my kitchen. Second, I like continuity of flooring, and since my kitchen has 4 adjoining rooms I have to make sure my comfort level will alow me to put a different floor in the laundry room. Bamboo is something I have always thought I wanted in my kitchen, but the reality of the situation is it may not be the best floor for me, I don't want to have to worry about water staining it. I went back to a flooring store yesterday and opened myself up to his recomendations. I saw a possiblity, not sold on it yet, just a possiblity, it's a laminat by Mannington called Diamond Bay Malaisian Palm Bamboo, when I held it next to a similar bamboo and I couldn't tell the differnce. Last week I wouldn't have considered putting anything but natural bamboo in my kitchen, but natural bamboo may not be the best floor for me. I love the look of natual wood, and am actually considering this floor becasue it would be the most practical for me, and then I would also have it put in the laundry room.
Thanks again for the time you took to reply, your help has been invaluable,
ilene