Hi we are moving into a house that was built probably before the 1920s. We have been re-modeling it somewhat before we move to make it liveable. We took out the carpet and under was beautiful long leaf pine floors, which we are keeping. But I don't know what to do with the kitchen floors. It has white cabinets (replaced in the last couple years - so they stay) and a kind of dark brown/gray countertop. I get tto choose what floor tile to use. We are putting in some sort of commercial type tile, not ceramic or breakable, but kind of like the hard tile floors you see in commercial buildings. Anyway, the tile guy suggested black and white checkerboard - he said it is what they put in a long time ago, but I am not sure it fits the age of the house. I want it to look like it goes together, since we are keeping the old wood flooring. So what should/would you suggest? I have samples in every color imaginable and can pick whatever I want.
Thanks
L

Have you considered linoleum. It would fit the age of your house and is considered a "green" product. Here's an article about it:

Linoleum Lives On | Linoleum & Vinyl Floors | How-to | This Old House

I have original wood floors throughout my pre-1920 house, and did my kitchen flooring in black and white and regret it. It's too visually jarring IMO from the hardwoods to the black and white in the kitchen. Perhaps a tan or brown with the same color tone as your countertop and wood floors. If there is a lot of gray in your countertop maybe charcoal.

I've seen combinations like green and cream, too. I really like the idea of vintage looking lino.

What we took out was linolium, but we are having this done through DHs work (construction) and we aren't paying for it. I guess I am lucky I get to pick the colors - BTW this isn't "our" house we are sort of renting from the boss. I looked at the samples and they are called "vinyl composite" I put together 2 greyish colored tiles and they looked nice, but would it be too dark if we did an all grey flooring? Our appliances are black, but the cabinets are white, wall are white as well. I like a green kind of flooring, that seemed old fashioned to me, but I am 29 so my idea of old is really not that old
Thanks
L

I think black and white checkerboard tile would look awful with a dark brown/gray countertop.

I would pick up either the dark brown or the gray for the flooring.

I have a small farmhouse built in 1920. The kitchen was updated in the 90's, and we are getting ready to remodel it again. We have white cabinets with a light blue counter. The floor is a white & grey ceramic. Here's a link to my kitchen as it is now:

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...r/DSC02997.jpg

I can tell you that I love the look of the floor, but HATE how dirty it always is. The white shows every speck of dirt. I have to wash it on my hands and knees, and it's still never clean. It's the one thing I'm looking forward to replacing the most! Something dark this time, lol.