We're continuing our series about different flooring in your home. Last month we talked about the flooring in your living room, and this month we're going to direct our attention to another important room in your home: the kitchen.

The kitchen is the heart of your home, with a lot of foot traffic, spills, and wear and tear. It's important to match your level of activity to the flooring you choose - and find something that will keep up with your lifestyle. At Barefoot Floors, we can help you find a flooring that will not only look beautiful but also keep up with your family. Here are a few things to think about when choosing a flooring for your kitchen.

Hardwood Flooring

This flooring type can be a great choice for your kitchen when you want it to have a classic look and feel - and never become dated. When you see durability and have an open floor plan, hardwood flooring, even in your kitchen, can be a wonderful choice. It is unmatched in warmth and attractiveness, both being appealing for the room you spend so much time in. A hardwood floor can also be extremely durable and very low maintenance. It can also be moisture resistant if you choose a prefinished type - and if you want to really make a great investment, you can choose an engineered floor for your kitchen.

Vinyl Flooring

If you cook a lot, want the easiest to maintain floor, and are on a tight budget - vinyl flooring could be ideal for you! In the past, vinyl has had a "dated" feel, but modern technology has improved the look and feel of vinyl so that you can mimic almost any type of flooring style with it. Vinyl can also be more forgiving because if things are dropped you'll have fewer items break - great for families! If you have a large space, you may have seams in the installation, but on the positive side, vinyl needs no ongoing maintenance aside from sweeping and mopping.

Porcelain Tile

If you want the toughest flooring - tile is for you. You can get the look of stone (or even wood depending on the brand), and still have a very low maintenance flooring type. Did you know that tile is so tough that it can even be used outdoors in virtually any climate? Just be sure that the tile flooring that you choose is certified as slip-resistant. Kitchen floors have a tendency to get wet, whether through spilled food, water, drips from wet dishes and more.

Cork Flooring

Is it important to you to have a beautiful floor, but also be eco-friendly? Cork flooring can be a great way to achieve both. You will also find that cork is softer than wood or tile, so if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and will be on your feet a lot, this could be an appealing factor. Cork is also a slip resistant material - making this a great flooring for kids and pets. Unlike the other flooring types, though, cork flooring needs to be resealed every three to four years to help guard against scratches and keep the moisture from entering between the tile seams.

Barefoot Flooring at the Lake of the Ozarks

It's important to love your flooring in every room of your home - and your kitchen is no different. From consistent messes to clean up, and hours spent standing in this room, you want to invest in a flooring that will not only stand up to the test of time but also be attractive. Come out to our flooring shop at the Lake of the Ozarks and speak with our specialist to learn more about the flooring types that we carry and what would be the best for your space! Stay tuned for next month when we tackle another room of your home and show which flooring types would work the best.