A fairly recent trend in design has been including wood flooring in the kitchen. It seems that this recent “wave” is due to the open kitchen design, with the kitchen open to the living room. When the kitchen is open to the living room, wood flooring is often continued from the living room into the kitchen.

Wood flooring in the kitchen does have is advantages. Wood flooring has a warm look and feel. It also is comfortable to walk on, and it is fairly easy to clean.

While wood flooring in the kitchen provides a more contiguous look, having wood flooring in the kitchen has its disadvantages:

Too much wood: With wood cabinetry, a kitchen can be overwhelmed with too much wood. I tend to design kitchens with contrasting colors and materials, rather than too much of the same material.

Scratches: A kitchen is an area with a high level of activity, so wood flooring can get scratched more easily in this area.

Potential water damage: This issue probably brings the most concern. So many clients have called with relatively severe water damage on wood flooring due to leaks in the connection point in the refrigerator water line for the icemaker or the dishwasher. I have personally seen wood flooring raise up nearly a foot off the concrete due to water damage. Even with the smallest water leaks, wood flooring is visibly damaged.

With water damage, the problem is rather extensive: Nearly the entire kitchen must be dismantled, where the cabinetry, countertops, wood flooring, and subflooring is removed. Clients are advised to move out while the dangerous mold on the concrete floor is professionally cleaned. The entire process, while covered in most cases by homeowner’s insurance, is an expensive and arduous ordeal.

In short, the advantages and disadvantages of installing wood flooring in the kitchen must be weighed before making this important design decision.