3 Affordable options for kitchen flooring in Malaysia
Next to the bathroom, the kitchen is one area in the house that receives the most heavy-duty use.
There are oil spills, water drips, and food crumbs. It is also a place where you cook together with your spouse, your toddlers waddle in taking a peek, and your pets run around in.
As such, when choosing kitchen floor tiles, it is important to consider their characteristics as much as the looks.
In this article, we will go through three types of high-quality kitchen tiles that are cheap and durable for your Malaysian homes.
1. Kitchen tiles with wooden effect
Due to its traditional look, hardwood flooring has been making a comeback in Malaysia, reminiscent of kampung-styled homes made of jati (teak) and nyatuh tree.
However, where it shines in appearance, hardwood flooring comes with a steep price. Due to the intricate nature of the installation, you might also have to hire professionals rather than doing it by yourself.
So, if you like the look of hardwood flooring, but the cost makes you floored, tiles with wooden tones are always the perfect and affordable alternative.
Plus, you don’t have to deal with water problems that can easily damage hardwood flooring. Not to mention, cleaning it up is much easier!
The classic and elegant wooden design can fit nicely into any kind of kitchen style, such as modern, contemporary, or country.
Tiles with wooden effect come in various designs to mimic the grain patterns of real wood. You can view some examples here. Lay and arrange them out strategically to achieve your ideal Pinterest aesthetic.
2. Kitchen tiles with Moroccan design
Image: Pinterest
If you want to go bold, you can go gold with Moroccan-style tiles. These Arabic designs typically feature bright colours and geometric designs, making your kitchen a brighter and more fun place to cook.
You can also reinforce the floor design with your kitchen backsplash, adding a strong character to the space. The rest of the kitchen (walls, kitchen cabinet) can feature a soft, muted colour with a clean design to complement the dramatic look of your Moroccan tiles.
Like most tiles, Moroccan tiles are relatively easy to maintain. Most stains and spills can be cleaned with water and regular clothes, while the tougher stains can be removed with bicarbonate soda.
3. Kitchen tiles with matt finishing
Tiles come in different categories, mainly their style, design, and colour. However, there is another grouping of tiles that you should consider – especially when renovating your kitchen – which is gloss vs matt finishing.
Gloss tiles are reflective which allow lights to bounce, making the space lighter and appear bigger.
However, this type of finishing can be slippery. Since we Malaysians love our deep-fried nuggets and keropok lekor, oil splotches and spills can cause the floor to be sticky.
Image: Pinterest
Tiles with matt finishing, on the other hand, have more practical benefits for your kitchen.
To start, the surface has a better grip, making it safer. Stains are not as noticeable on matt surfaces, but if there is, it can be harder to remove.
As for the look, matt tiles have that industrial feel, akin to your typical artisan cafés in Klang Valley. Now, all you need to complete the rustic aesthetics are some low-fi Spotify list, and a bicycle hanging on a wall for some reason.
Which style of kitchen floor do you prefer?
If you’re planning to do a kitchen renovation, the flooring is certainly a big part of the look and feel. Other areas include the kitchen countertop and backsplash, which we will go into in the future.