So much happens in a kitchen, no matter who lives in the home. You’ve got the daily preparation of food, most of the time for several meals. There is sprinkling of flour and frying of butter. You’ll hear the sound of the cocktail shaker and the laughter of guests. Of anything in the kitchen, it makes sense that the floor probably gets the most wear and tear. With the splatter of bacon grease and toast crumbs, you definitely need a floor in your kitchen that will withstand all the cooking elements. That’s why wood floors in the kitchen are a wonderful option. Take a look at these 15 beautiful wood floors to help you decide which style will work best in your own kitchen.

When many people think of hardwood flooring, they picture warm woody tones across the floor. And you basically can’t go wrong with that, especially when your kitchen is white. Instead of staining your floor, choose a wood with lovely brown shades to begin with. Then just add a sealant on top and voila! The most beautiful kitchen floor you could ever dream of.

Does your kitchen lean towards the farmhouse decor? Then you’ve probably already been looking at wood floors. Keep things light but rustic with a gray toned wood floor in your kitchen. Whether it’s the wood or the stain that gets you there, it will look oh so lovely against your cool color palette.

While wood will have a slight variation in color on it’s own, there’s nothing that says you have to stick with one wood when covering your kitchen floor. When there rest of your kitchen is modern and sleek, a variegated hardwood floor will bring that homey warmth you want.

It might be a stain that gets you there but if your kitchen produces major modern vibes, consider installing a black wood floor underneath it all. Inevitably, it will really show off your stainless steel appliances and white accents. Plus, being a neutral color, you can style the rest of your kitchen however you please.

On the other end of the spectrum, you can’t get lighter than a white wood kitchen floor. That whitewashed look is the perfect addition to your farmhouse kitchen. Or rather, if you’re aiming for the Scandinavian look with all those creamy whites, you can’t go wrong with this.

What about birch? It might seem like birch has had its day, but that’s not quite true. Being a rather common choice for hardwood flooring, a birch kitchen floor can be helpful when you want to draw the eye somewhere else. It will give you that durability while keeping itself in the background.

Quaint kitchens aren’t the only place for birch flooring. Even a modern kitchen can use birch flooring to help nurture the light and airy look. Even if there are other wood tones in your kitchen, don’t be afraid. Like we stated above, birch floor really blends in to lure the eyes to the real star of the show, whether that be the marble countertop or the amazing architectural chandelier.

So birch is outdated for you but honeyed wood tones aren’t quite right either. Time for a different approach. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when choosing your hardwood flooring. If you enjoy making a statement in your home, a two toned floor in your kitchen will certainly flow much better than any birch ever could.

For some, a normal smooth wood floor isn’t going to cut it. When you live in a cabin in the woods or in that little lakeside cottage, you want something that just oozes the feeling of home and history. Gather up all the reclaimed wood you can find, stain it and seal it and you’ll have a wood floor with a color and texture you just can’t find in a store.

Not all flooring must be laid a certain way. To give your space a little extra lift, try installing your hardwood floors in a line diagonal to the flow of your kitchen. It will seem unexpected and modern, no matter what style the rest of your kitchen is. Just think if that continued through the entire house, how wonderfully unique it would be.

You’ve probably seen them, those beautiful herringbone floors. Having a pattern like that on your floor is such a chic accent for any kitchen. If you’re pulling up your old kitchen floor to replace it with something new and fresh, you’ll definitely want to consider the herringbone pattern. It’s like wallpaper for your floor but better.

Parquet floors used to be more common than they are today. Those tiny pieces of wood, pressed together to make a beautiful pattern are mostly seen in older homes. However it is possible to have it in your home too. Find a maker you trust to lay it, choose your pattern and your shades and let them do their magic. Because your kitchen will seem like magic when they’re done.

When an older home already has a wood floor, sometimes you just need a good refresher to bring back it’s old glory. Sand down the wood floor in your kitchen and use a mix of stain and sealant to give it a checkerboard pattern. While still having that old diner nostalgia, it will be much more durable than laminate or tile.

Sometimes there’s just no hope to bring a wood floor back to its former glory. But rather than replacing it altogether, give it a thick coat of paint. You’ll keep the texture that a hardwood floor provides while giving your kitchen a whole new look. Just make sure it’s the exterior paint that’s hard as nails and will last you through all the wear and tear.

Are you stuck with a hardwood floor you don’t necessarily love? Sometimes the decorating budget just doesn’t cover expenses like new flooring. But instead of settling for less, use a stencil and paint a pattern across your wood floor. Such a simple trick will help distract you from the unlovable and bring some life into your kitchen.