Don’t you think the checkerboard floor has a long record of being included in many building historical buildings? It is a very popular architectural choice even in modern times. A checkered floor has the capability of raising the look of a room from simple to stately. It also makes a room expansive by adding dimension to it. This type of floor also is not only versatile but also preserves elegant neutrality in the room.
Monochromatic checkerboard floors are the commonly sought-after design in the trend, as the color duo of black and white is always subtle in its visual appeal. But these days, checkered patterns can be availed in different colors as well.
Read more about them below.
Checkerboard Floor Patterns Worth Obsessing Over
Here are 18 ideas to install a checkerboard design on the floor of your house.
1. Black and White Marble Checkerboard Floor
Marble is a beloved material for building floors. Besides, when it comes to checkerboard flooring, the most classic colors are always black and white. Marble has many merits, and the most convenient one is that in places with moderate to high temperatures, the floors retain some coolness and do not get easily hot unless exposed to the direct sun.
This beautiful kitchen features an excellent marble checkerboard floor that is made with black and white marble. However, the black does not retain a polished, sleek finish as it intentionally adds to the homely charm of the well-decorated kitchen. This design is a classic for kitchen flooring, and almost all houses built before the 1900s will have a kitchen with a monochromatic checkerboard floor.
2. Black and White Tile Bathroom Floor
While we are still discussing the classic black-and-white duo, let us have a look at another one. This one features an elegant checkerboard floor made of tiles. The white roll-top bathtub with silver claw feet stands regally on the floor. The pure white vanity and white ceiling complement the white on the floor, while the dark walls and blackwood mirror frame pair well with the black tiles. The bathroom also has silver metal accents on the feet of the tub and the washstand.
Due to the impeccably polished finish of the tiling, the whole decor looks very chic and upscale. However, this tiling is not suited to wetrooms as porcelain and ceramic tiles can get notoriously slippery. The tile glazing itself makes it smooth, and if water is added, then it becomes a slipping hazard. Therefore, this flooring is suited to bathrooms with a dry floor policy only.
3. Red and Black Rubber Tile Garage Floor
A garage needs a durable floor for sure. Imagine the heavyweight vehicle or vehicles that exert their weight on the flooring daily. Some of the most common issues seen in a garage are spills, drips, damage, etc. That is why it is a financially intelligent option to cover your actual hard floor with rubber tiles. And if you are particularly fond of the checkerboard design, then consider this rubber tiling made of red and black.
It sure looks unorthodox in a home setting, but it also is a very interesting color combination. Moreover, the rubber creates necessary friction on the floor, so there is no chance of slipping and molding. It is also easy to remove and clean and protects the actual floor from skid marks.
4. Beige and White Checkerboard Floor
In most cases, checkerboard floors are very formal in their appearance. The consistent pattern or squares all across the floor may look a tad too rigid when put in a home with a neutral color scheme in terms of interior decor. Traditional Checkerboard floors go well with bold colors, but as already mentioned, there are other options you can try as well.
Consider this peaceful and serene-looking checkerboard floor for your home. The color combination of white and beige is a perfect fit for the white walls and furniture. The beige on the floor adds a welcome change of color but then is too loud to overwhelm the white. This color duo is a fitting choice for a home that values simplicity and elegance in its decor.
5. Checkerboard Flooring with a Singular Border
An entry hallway is a fine place to get a checkerboard floor design. This is the first thing that guests see when they enter your home, and it is thus a reflection of your distinct tastes and preferences. Moreover, the flooring design in this spot creates an impression of symmetry and balance.
An even stronger statement is made when a thick border is added to the design. The border kind of allows the floor to cement its position in the house. Rather than looking like something that was randomly added, the border sets the floor apart and makes it stand out even more.
6. Mix and Match Two Patterns Together
Placing two patterns side by side is an acknowledgeable risky choice. The space may end up looking too cluttered and ill-designed. But most things have an exception, and similarly, the rule of patterns too does. A traditional black and white marble checkerboard floor has been paired with a yellow and white vertical striped wall. The inclusion of white in both patterns ties the decor into a neat and aesthetic choice.
And the mellow warmth of the yellow softens the severe effect the black on the floor may have on the visual appeal of the room. This a perfect design idea for a landing space as the stairs in between the two patterns allows us to take in the merits of both the checkerboard and the stripes.
7. Affordable Vinyl Flooring
If you want to create a strong impression with trendy checkerboard flooring but do not want to splurge a lot of money on it, then consider getting vinyl instead of tiles or marble. Vinyl flooring is not only durable but also quite sturdy and can bear a lot of weight due to its flexibility. Thus the chances of damage are very low.
Overall it’s a cost-effective solution to an excellent floor design. This luxury vinyl flooring from Amtico successfully imitates a farmhouse kitchen floor where deep grey is flanked by a rich terracotta red. At a glance, the flooring looks like a paved rod and lends a very homely and rustic charm to the entryway of this house.
8. Traditional Checkerboard Floor for A Beautiful Sunroom
This Modern Tudor Home is an iconic example of how a classic checkerboard floor design can be incorporated into an upscale room with extravagant furniture. If anything, the floor adds a flair of solid character to this sunroom that overlooks a lush green patio. The simple but erudite furniture that includes a white center table, a couch, and a couple of armchairs blend in with the design, with the color white complimenting the floor.
In the room consisting mostly of black and white, there is a welcome change of color in the stone vases containing vibrant-looking plants. The bare brick fireplace also adds an interestingly unique element to the monotonous color palette of the room.
9. Checkboard Floor with Natural Wooden Accents
This a unique take on the traditional norm of a black and white floor seen in kitchens of most vintage homes. The floor here was initially a regular wooden floor. The designer ingeniously transformed it into a checkerboard floor by a simple process of creating squares with a lighter finish than the rest of the floor.
The image features an entryway with a wooden arched cabinet that also furthers the mood of committing to tones of earth brown. This is a great way to preserve a natural wood floor but still make it different and distinct from the traditional ones.
10. Polished Marble Checkerboard Floor
The focal point of this space is the polished and smooth floor. The well-decorated corridor that leads into an outdoor patio sports a beautiful interior decor in Frech Country style. The overall effect is quite charming. However, the floor raises it to a casual elegance that does not look overbearing or out of place.
Natural accents of wood are preserved in the oriental regency chair, the console table, the mirror frame, the fireplace, the overhead light fixture, and the lampstands. The rest of the decor has been kept to a warm white which helps in bringing out the details of the rest of the items in the house. All of this perfectly compliments the floor, as can be seen.
11. Checkered Ground for Your Garden
Technically this is not a checkerboard “floor” design, but we figured homeowners might like this pattern on their outdoor spaces as well. Most people are into hardscaping their garden space to transform it into an outdoor living area. But if you want to preserve some natural elements of greenery, then this is a great way to do that, which will also make your garden look quite trendy.
On a cemented patio, artificial grass has been added in patches to resemble a checkerboard pattern. This design has been applied to an expansive and contemporary garden area. So if you are looking for inspiration on garden design ideas, then this checkered design is worth your attention.
12. Multiple Shades of Cork
Checkerboard floors, indeed, are a classic floor design, but they may end up making a room look too stiff and formal at times. So if you wish to add this design to your home but are also hoping to incorporate some elements of fun, then this is the perfect idea for you. Cork is a popular choice for flooring in many offices, commercial complexes, and even residences. Other than the fact that cork comes in multiple colors, it is also highly resilient, soundproof, and provides a soft surface to walk on.
Here, a dining space has been inlaid with multiple shades of cork tiling. There is one primary color of yellow while the other muted bold shades. The same shades have been mimicked in choices for shelving and furniture. The vibrance of the colors softens the industrial bare brick walls and brings an energetic character into the room.
13. Checkerboard Design on a Wooden Floor
Wooden flooring has many merits, and the most important ones are its strength, variety, and aesthetic appeal. It also keeps your home warm and absorbs noise to provide natural soundproofing. It is also highly durable, and without major damage, a wooden floor will last for many years. Thus if you have a wooden floor in your home and wish to add a checkerboard design to it, then consider this idea.
There is no need to install separate flooring on top of the wood to add the checkerboard, as the same finish can be achieved by varnishing. Polishing wood with clear varnish can darken it when it dries. Therefore if varnish is applied in square patches on a warm-toned wooden floor, it will resemble a checkerboard but with wood accents. If you wish to remove the varnish later on, that too can easily be done with turpentine.
14. Checkered Floor with a Twist
This tiling inspired by Victorian homes was all the rage in 2021, and it is clear why. It is a fresh take on the timeless checkerboard floor design, although it does vary a lot from the traditional way of design. Intricate geometric patterns have been added to the squares to create a kaleidoscope-like effect all over the floor.
The addition of Hawthorne yellow to white adds a homely dynamic to the design. These floors are perfect for entryways where they make a statement in favor of the homeowner’s stylish tastes. Such floor designs are also commonly seen in bathrooms and wetrooms where the floor is the focal point of the whole decor.
15. Some More Yellow
Most people will not even consider yellow as a color for flooring options, but it does look quite nice, don’t you think? If your kitchen space is not that large and you are looking for ideas to make it seem expansive, then here is an idea for you. Pain your wooden floor with shades of yellow and white to mimic a checkerboard.
Here, it looks not only vibrant but also an essential part of the whole decor. Paired with the white and blue cabinets and general white color scheme, the floor is the focal point of the room that draws attention away from the lack of space in the room.
16. DIY Checkered Floor in Pastel Green
Wondering what to do with the bland porch floor? Well, consider painting it in a pastel green color scheme. Your front porch sets the tone and mood for the rest of your house and can instantly create an impression on a guest’s mind. A well-decorated porch serves as a looking glass into what one may expect from the rest of your house.
In this home, the door and the floor have included a pastel green shade. The checkerboard floor also includes a warm-toned white that serves as a contrast to the green. It is an unconventional color combination that is sure to set your home apart from the rest.
17. Some More Pastel Shades
While we are still in the mood to discuss pastel shades, let us have a look at another checkerboard flooring that is both unique and dramatic. We do not usually walk into a modern home and expect to see a blue floor, but this home has nailed the art of having an unconventional floor. A simple pastel blue or white would certainly have lacked any character, but when paired together in this checkerboard design, they blend well. The orange on the couch and whites on the window also serves as an excellent compliment to the floor.
18. Vintage Decor with Checkered Flooring
If you have been wondering how it would look when a checkerboard floor transitions into a hardwood one, then here is a vision. It is a perfect interior decor as all the elements add to make the space look more visually appealing.
The two types of flooring help to compartmentalize the two separate spaces and their usage while serving as a contrast to each other. There is a good balance between some contemporary and vintage elements in the decor. Accents of gold and brass are also included to give the decor a more finished and well-rounded look.
Wrapping Up
Who does not love the idea of a classic checkerboard floor installation in their home? But not many follow through with it.
The problem is where to install this design, as there are plenty of spaces in a home where you can get creative. So, think well and decide on a spot that will make an impact on the overall decor.
This spot can be the entryway, the landing beneath the stairs, your bathroom, or even unlikely places such as the porch or the living room. As long as you plan the rest of the decor well, a checkered floor can be a great addition to any home.
