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smackboy1

Options for High End Kitchen & Bathroom

smackboy1
9 years ago

We're doing a high end remodel of our kitchen and bathrooms. Think granite counters, pro grade appliances, custom cabinets, glass enclosure showers etc.. We walk around barefoot a lot so while the idea and look of stone or ceramic floors is appealing, the feel of it is not. We hate cold feet and hard floors. Durability and low maintenance is important. We have wood floor kitchen now and it's all worn from scuffing and water. We're considering stone/tile w/ electric radiant heat. While it seems workable for bathrooms, for our 200 SF kitchen, I'm not sure it makes sense.

Anybody have any recommendations? I heard about luxury vinyl (is that an oxymoron?). Is that compatible with high end look and feel? I've seen laminates, and it just doesn't look or feel right compared to real wood. Plus I've heard it doesn't handle water well.

Comments (6)

  • weedyacres
    9 years ago

    When you say radiant heat "doesn't make sense" for your kitchen, what do you mean?

    We put radiant heat under our master bathroom tile and loved it so much that we put it in our kitchen and breakfast nook when we remodeled, and then into our sunroom that we added on. No regrets on any of it.

    We too are typically in socks or bare feet. Loved having heated tile floors. (past tense because we no longer live there)

  • smackboy1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hydronic radiant heat floors are not feasible, so our only option is electric mat. The utility costs would be high.

    Have some samples of luxury vinyl tile and it's not cold like tile.

  • weedyacres
    9 years ago

    Utility costs aren't impacted that much by electric wire heated floors.

  • _sophiewheeler
    9 years ago

    For a high end home, an exotic wood like reclaimed chestnut or a granite tile like Blue Bahia would be considered appropriate. Nothing run of the mill like has been done to death in the midde market and has even trickled down to mass buiders. Something with some rarity. $50 a square and up ought to be the righrt neighborhood for an upper end project.

  • smackboy1
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    @weedyacres - how are your electric radiant floors switched? On all the time? Programmable timer? Motion sensor? What makes the most sense for kitchen or bath?

    @hollysprings - unfortunately we need something that can take a lot of foot traffic and water. Wood is probably out. Our current wood floors are a mess.

  • happyallison
    9 years ago

    I have been looking into the vinyl or cork as an option in my walkout basement remodel, as well as engineered hardwood. I'd love to do wood look tile but can't afford electric mats for that large an area. My engineered hardwood held up well in my old home, though I didn't care for the extremely smooth coating ( showed footprints). I would go for something handscraped looking or more textured in this home if I go that route.
    I really like the idea of the cork, I'm just trying to determine it's durability/scratch resistance. Might be an option for you. I saw it in a kitchen once, it looks very nice.

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