Kitchen & Bath: Resilient
Flooring
Click-Lock Linoleum.
Genuine
linoleum — a durable, versatile, all-natural floor
covering — offers unlimited and distinctive decorative
options. The material can be a snap to install, too: Marmoleum
Click is a new line of 12-by-
12-inch tiles and 12-by-36-inch panels that fasten with a
click; seams are practically invisible. The 3/8-inch-thick
product's 2-mm decorative surface is applied to an MDF
(medium-density fiberboard) core backed by sound-dampening
cork. The panels cost $5.50 to $6 per square foot.
Forbo Flooring, 570/459-0771,
www.themarmoleumstore.com
Marmoleum
Click
Veni, Vidi, Vinyl.
Conquer any
preconceived notions about ho-hum vinyl-flooring designs with
Mannington's Style & Pace, which serves up unusual patterns
and a subtle color palette. Available in a wide variety of
styles, the flooring comes in 12-foot-wide rolls that keep
seams to a minimum. Prices for the line run $3.30 to $4.20 per
square foot, uninstalled. Mannington,
856/935-3000, www.mannington.com
Style & Pace
Stone Substitute.
Travertine and
tumbled marble are beautiful — but the open porosity of
these stones may not suit a kitchen or bathroom installation.
Enter Solidity resilient flooring, a stone-look solid-vinyl
tile with an aluminum oxide finish for enhanced scratch
resistance. The tiles measure 16 by 16 inches and come in
slate, granite, travertine, and tumbled-marble styles. I found
them on the Web for $2 to $3.70 per square foot.
Metroflor, 203/299-3100,
www.metroflorusa.com
Solidity
Natural Resilience.
Sliced, diced,
and dyed in exciting colors and patterns, natural cork makes
for a unique and long-lasting floor. Its resilience,
durability, and comfort are practically unrivaled by other
flooring materials. Composed from the waste products of
bottle-stopper production, Globus Cork Tiles come in both
preglued and snap-lock formats, and cost about $7.50 per square
foot. Globus Cork, 718/742-7264,
www.corkfloor.com
Globus Cork Tiles
Lightweight Contender.
Rocksolid
Granit, a 1/4-inch-thick engineered stone, can be flexed to
cover curved surfaces with radiuses as tight as 30 inches.
Because the product weighs only about 3 pounds per square foot,
it can be placed over existing countertops. The material comes
in 19 stock stone colors, with others available upon request.
It's sold and installed by franchised dealers nationwide, at a
cost — according to the maker — comparable to
demolition and replacement with ordinary 3/4-inch material.
Rocksolid Granit, 866/685-5300,
www.rocksolidgranit.com
Clean and Seal.
Stone may be less vulnerable to damage
and discoloration than other materials, but it still requires
care and maintenance. Stone Care's water-based products are
designed to safely clean and preserve every conceivable type of
stone and solid-surfacing countertop. The company's convenient
Care Kit contains three quart bottles each of cleaner, sealer,
and polish; it costs $59. Stone Care
International, 800/839-1654,
www.stonecare.com
Eye-Popping Rock.
Composed of such
semiprecious stones as jasper, rose quartz, carnelian, and
agate, Concetto countertops are among the most striking you're
likely to find. The line encompasses eight styles, at a cost of
$400 to $500 per square foot installed.
CaesarStone, 818/394-6000,
www.caesarstoneus.com
Cootie-Conscious Clients?
Silestone Leather quartz surfacing's unique finish lends this
normally glossy material a softer, more matte quality. The
product's antimicrobial protection allegedly inhibits the
growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew. Slabs come in 20 colors
at a cost of approximately $15 to $50 per square foot
installed, depending on thickness, color, and edge treatment.
Cosentino USA, 800/291-1311,
www.silestoneusa.com