Monday, February 25, 2013

Farmhouse Style Kitchens with Checkerboard Floors


Last week I was doing a little pre-Spring cleaning--and collecting some inspiration on my "breaks". . . .looking for a few ideas for a summer kitchen. . . .When I clean house, my mind goes in so many directions!
I have Spring Fever so "bad"--I'm growing tired of the gray days, wishing for sunshine and flowers. . . .


So this bright cheery kitchen was one of the first to catch my eye. . . .I was thinking daffodils and sunflowers . . .


A checkerboard floor certainly transformed our keeping room from "so-so" to "striking." It's the focal point of the entire room. . . . I've decided that is the secret to success with these types of floors. . . .They should be the focal point and not compete with their surroundings. . . .





statemuseumpa.org

I'm a huge fan of hardwood floors for their beauty and durability. . . .Sometimes, though, painting them can bring so much more to the room. . . .Checkerboarding changes a drab room to spectacular with only a can of paint and a brush. . . .tiles will work, too, if you choose not to paint. . . .

It took me years to go ahead with my plans for a checkerboard floor. . . .Although I wanted it, I was hesitant to paint over the wood flooring. . . .I haven't regretted that decision one minute. . . .The entire room came alive. . . .It became a room that makes me smile. . . .



When I began looking more closely on the net, I found that checkerboard floors aren't dated at all. . . .During every decade there are examples of checkerboard floors being utilitzed. . . .


They're so appealing to the eye but can be overwhelming if not considered the center of interest--or a major part of the overall plan. . . .This red and white kitchen is playful and fun, but the floor is definitely where the eye first lands. . . .It all comes together with the use of two colors over and over again. . . .Doesn't it make you smile? It does me!


An alternative to completely checkerboarding the floor might be to paint an accent rug instead. . . .Start out small. . . .See how you like it. . . .I'm considering a painted mat in front of my kitchen sink.





Look at the difference in this kitchen. . . .The photo above appears to be the update of the kitchen, but the photo below takes bland to interesting for me. . . .





countryliving.com

Obviously, the checkerboard here is on the walls, but I couldn't resist another alternative. . . .Talk about a "pop" of color!


If you desire a more subtle approach, checkerboarding with white and gray--or other soft colors-- might be considered. . . .


This blend of white and gray is still eye appealing but becomes a part of the background. . . .while looking fresh and clean. . . .I love these colors together.


The more I look at kitchens with checkerboard floors, the more I love them. . . .I'm not planning to change mine again for years to come. . . .I think they're bright, fun, and attention-getters. . . .

The more examples I find, the more I'm thinking about painting one on the living room floor. . . .I'll wait to tell John, though. . . .He swore he'd never do another one. . . .Anyone want to bet?

You'll find a video at This Old House with step-by-step instructions on how to paint a wooden floor. . . .more checkerboard floors, too!

but, I do it anyway. . . .
Time to get back to my cleaning. . . .(sigh). . . .I'd rather paint a floor. . . .

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . . 

33 comments:

deb said...

LOVE checkerboard floor! Thanks for sharing them all...

Unknown said...

I love the checked flooring, and the red is my all time fav!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Great inspiration photos but yours with the Windsor chairs is my favorite. Your header photo is lovely, great pieces and a pretty mix with the ironstone, linen and galvanized piece.

Old Time Cindy said...

Hmmm...I really like your floor, but I do like that soft gray and white look, too. And I did notice that sink in the first photo. Wow!
Farmhouse hugs,
Cindy

Pamela Gordon said...

The first kitchen you showed reminded me a bit of our kitchen in the flat I grew up in. We had an old yellow gas stove similar to the one in the picture, a white porcelain double sink and, cream linoleum flooring with a black border. I wish I had photos of that kitchen with it's painted shaker style cupboards and the old table and chairs squeezed in with seating for six. An interesting post and I love your checkerboard floor! Pamela

Vickie @ Ranger 911 said...

I love each and every photo of the charming checkerboard floors! They are so cheerful, how could you not smile when you enter a room like that? I've got a little square of hardwood flooring to paint in our front entry that I'm planning to paint in a checkerboard pattern. It's just a matter of choosing colors. Decisions, decisions!

Fun post!

Dawn said...

I love a checkered floor. Have you ever watched the tv show "Hot in Cleveland?" I love the kitchen floor in that show, take a look some time if you run across the program. Great inspiration:)

Florida Farm Girl said...

I love your checkerboard floor, but they definitely have to be used the right way. I think the squares should be diagonal (or on point as we quilters say), too. I don't know if I'd ever be brave enough to paint hardwood floors. If they had been painted sometime before, then it wouldn't be an issue.

Junkchiccottage said...

I love your kitchen and checked floor. It is so beautiful and you are so right it is the focal point of the room and really makes the room all come together. Thanks for sharing all the checked floor inspiration.
Kris

Heide at ApronHistory said...

What fun pictures! Love the first kitchen with yellow.

Dewena said...

That first yellow kitchen is right down my alley. Eight years ago we did our kitchen, laundry room and a small dining room (the grandkids' dining table) in black and white ceramic tile checkerboard and I have never tired of it. It can look retro, sophisticated or anywhere in-between. As the old ads you featured showed, it has been popular a long time and I think will remain popular.

What I hate is that I chose to ignore my husband's plea for black grout. I insisted on white grout. Guess how long that grout stayed white. Not very long.

Husbands can be very wise--sometime!

Robyn said...

The flooring is awesome but honestly if I had it in my kitchen I think I would get dizzy.. The first kitchen you featured.. LOVED it.. That sink and that stove!! How I'd love to have pieces like that! Thanks for these wonderful photos! :)

Blondie's Journal said...

These pictures make me smile! Checkerboard is just so cheerful!

XO,
Jane

Orlando Designs said...

These vintage kitchens are so great! I Have a 1954 Okeef and merit stove and I Love it!

Patty said...

Oh these are gorgeous, and I love your keeping room! I have redone my kitchen in retro/vintage and just wasn't sure what to do with the floors, and this is perfect. I recall I had wanted to do checkerboard long ago, but for whatever reason decided against it. Now I am all for it. It would be perfect, now that I've seen it in a yellow kitchen. Looks wonderful! Thanks!

cynthia lee designs said...

What fun kitchens with checkerboard floors...but yours is my favorite!!
hugs,
Cindy

Maureen Wyatt said...

Don't you dare change your checkerboard floors any time soon! You know how much I love your keeping room and I want to be consulted before any major changes. LOL

Sherry @ Thrift My House said...

I love the checkered floor! I'm a new follower and I love your style of decor! I look forward to getting lots of ideas here as I transform my country home.
Sherry

Pam said...

I love your checkerboard floor and all of the images! I remember Johnson Floor Wax.
Pam
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

I love checkerboard floors. I have a black and white checkerboard floor in my kitchen and I'm going to paint checkerboard on my office floor.

Nita Stacy said...

You are right when having a checkerboard floor it must be the main focus...because it's going to try to steal it no matter what else is in the room. When I moved into my house the kitchen had a black and white checkerboard floor and I hated it! That was because they'd also put in a black and white checked backsplash...black appliances and red walls. It was too much. I changed the backsplash to all white and that immediately helped. I put in a white frig and home to one day soon have a white stove and white dishwasher. You can have too much of a good thing. I also painted over the red walls. My kitchen looked like a fast food restaurant when I moved in and now it looks vintage and pretty.

Unknown said...

I found a
Homes for Rentlike that( Not 100% like that) but same and now I wanna decorate this. This blog will really helped me. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

I LOVE them too - it's in the future for my teeny little kitchen most definitely!!!
Hugs,
Suzan

Scribbler said...

I really miss my black and white kitchen floor. First I painted over old sheet vinyl, and it looked fine for a few years. Then, I laid down vinyl tiles over it and that was fine for years. Then I sold the house!

SewSweetVIntage said...

A great collection of checked inspiration!!!!! Love it:)
http://www.sewsweetvintage.com/2013/03/brilliant-2013.html

sweet violets said...

Now that was a fun post!!! Thank you for that......each room made me smile!!!

One Shabby Old House said...

Your kitchen floor is stunning. I will have to tuck all of these ideas away as I would love to do a checkerboard floor in our little dining room at the Shabby Old House. I loved the soft gray and white one.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Becky

Sarah said...

Thanks for the fun, informative post. Would love to have a checker board floor. '-) That blue and white check kitchen is pretty amazing.

Daena from Bad Rabbit Vintage said...

Fabulous post! Thank you! Now I'm going back to pin my favorites.

Art and Sand said...

We had a blue and white checkerboard floor in the kitchen for awhile, but I couldn't keep it as shiny as I wanted- linoleum. We now have little hexagon tile and I love it. But, that cute painted rug is makin' me think - what about doing that design down the hallway. Humm? I see a spring break project in the making.

Cheryl ~ ZanyMayd said...

I love the checkerboard & that very first Kitchen would be a dream for me ~ Love the Vintage style in a modern way.... Thanks for sharing,
Cheryl

The Charm of Home said...

Yes, your floor is a keeper! Love these vintage kitchen photos!
Sherry

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

Dru, all of these floors are so fun. I love your floor! So much so that I did do a black and white check in our basement bathroom. Loving it already! Almost ready to paint! Yahoo! The real fun will soon begin! Thanks for the inspiration.
hugs,
Jann

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