Rebecca is collecting ideas to update the 1961 kitchen, and she recently asked me what I thought of this kitchen flooring collection: Cushion Step Impressions vinyl sheet flooring from Armstrong. I thought it looked nice, so I asked my contact at Armstrong if she could send me some samples, and she did. (Thanks, Michele!) The box arrived yesterday and: I like the look of this stuff a lot — especially the faux gray terrazzo (above) and the two faux linoleums (shown in the slide show after the jump). P.S., it’s kind of an inside joke to call a vinyl sheet flooring “faux linoleum” because linoleum is itself usually “faux marble.” So, I don’t get too hung up on “faux.”
I recently read somewhere that vinyl sheet flooring and laminate countertops have made a big comeback during the Great Recession. Like it says in our Mid-Century Modest Manifesto, maybe whatnot-luxury doesn’t seem like such a great idea anymore if it means taking out a home equity loan. If you can even get a home equity loan. “Trendy” or not, I have always maintained that vinyl sheet flooring is the easiest there is to take care of. Sweep and damp mop, and you’re shiny and new and off to other stuff. Hey: The two Armstrong terrazzo styles are, like, comprised of faux flakes of chipped marble — aka dust — so I’m pretty sure the real thing will blend right in. If you want to simplify your life: Get vinyl sheet like this.
Rebecca also liked the idea of this flooring because Armstrong touts it as super comfortable underfoot. The terrazzo style is their middle-quality. The “Universal” design, which seems to me to be mimicking linoleum, is clearly thicker, and presumably, that much more comfortable.
One other thing that I will mention in this discussion. Floors like this tend to have a clear “warm” or “cool” color aspect. Like: “Red is hot, blue is not.” Grey=usually cool, Beige=usually warm. When choosing flooring for your kitchen, think about how the cool/warm of the floor will mesh with the other colors you have going on. Usually, you don’t want to put a lot of a cold color against a lot of a warm color. Also: If your kitchen faces west, and you want to “cool” it down, choose cool colors. Vice versa if your kitchen doesn’t get enough sunlight — in this case, you might want to favor warm colors. I think we all tend to make these decisions intuitively, but it becomes even easier (or at least, less haphazard) once you understand the theory. All this said, I notice that the Armstrong terrazzos have a little bit of both going on… there are flecks of beige in the grey, and vice versa, so they are extending the flexibility of these floors. I know this is kind of confusing. I think I need to post on it in more detail again. Just remember, to have “warm color? cool color?” on your radar, too, when you are planning a decorating project.
Terry Rieser says
We are in south florida and looking for the Armstrong Cushion Step Lucky Vinyl in Island Sand. It seems to be discontinued, do you know anyone who has it in the SouthEast?
thanks.
Remi says
I contacted Armstrong, and they confirmed that it was discontinued. I will do some searching and look if there’s a retailer in the Southeast (we are in Houston) for the flooring (35930, Cushion Step, Lucky Island Sand). If you find someone, would you let me know? Thanks, and good luck!
Peggy Miniard says
I like the vinyl that looks like cork…pretty cool!
the one downside to vinyl that I could see is that it could rip or tear if you moved anything heavy?
My mama still have vinyl in every room in her house, some with area rugs. I grew up with it and no issues.
Does anyone remember the flooring that had roses on it? seems like I can remember that from my childhood.
pam kueber says
See this story and follow the link… Yes, patterns were common back in the day. Get the stuff tested for vintage environmental nasties, though, so’s you know what you have and can make informed decisions. Link: https://retrorenovation.com/2010/01/21/nates-vintage-painted-rug/
Armstrong Flooring says
Hi Pam and Guests!
Pam – thanks for talking about our CUSHIONSTEP Impressions vinyl sheet flooring!
I’d like to clear up a few misconceptions about our product: Armstrong does NOT make Marmoleum. Our linoleum product is called “Marmorette.” It is true that all of our genuine linoleum is manufactured in Europe (Delmenhorst, Germany to be exact), but for the record, NO genuine linoleum is made in the United States by anyone. For more information, call our Armstrong Customer Service Team at: 800-233-3823.
Kim with Armstrong Flooring
mstark says
Actually, here you go: http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/utility/showProduct/?objectID=254
mstark says
There’s a comment above regarding Armstrong Marmoleum being made in Europe. We use a company called Forbo which manufactures its product here in the US. Though I don’t see a true terrazzo, they have some really great patterns and I’ve also seen border/graphic products, though I can’t find them on the website.
Check these out: http://www.forboflooringna.com/default.aspx?menuId=375
Rebecca Prichard says
Wow, I almost missed this being that I am traveling out west. Thanks for the post and all the comments! There’s so much info to read here. I just love the one you have pictured. Pam, you rock!
To answer jkaye, my floor now has the world’s hardest and coldest ceramic tiles. Why anyone would put ceramic tile in a Michigan kitchen is beyond me. It holds the cold for hours. And it BREAKS your back and legs when you stand cooking on it, which is what kitchens are for. And to top it off, the grout holds dirt and particles. The worst kitchen flooring ever.
jayjaycooking says
Hi Pam,
Speaking of Armstrong! I just got back from our floor guy and he gave us this line of Armstrong vinyl called “Connection Corlon”. It is also in the “terrazzo” style flooring as well. Were doing our bathroom in one of these tiles. Havent got the estimate yet but i’ll keep you posted!
pam kueber says
Thanks, Jayjay, I’d love to know what you decide. And other reader on FB suggested: Look at the Commercial lines, too. I agree: There are even more choices there, and I think they tend to have even greater durability engineering.
Lawrence Bill says
I love the Marmoleum too. There is a couple here in town that installed in their kitchen and it looks–and feels–fantastic. The sheen and depth of color is wonderful, and cannot be matched by vinyl. That said, today’s linoleum (real linoleum) patterns are very limited–they tend to be simple patterns because to produce complex patterns in linoleum is extraordinarily expensive. (It requires individual color chips that must be inlaid.) So if you like the look of the vinyl, go with it. The vinyl made today is far, far superior to the vinyl made back in the 50s and 60s–and yes, vinyl is very much an “authentic” flooring choice for 50s and 60s homes. And no, it will not harm your health.
The Europeans are the only ones who make linoleum today (Armstrong sells it under their trade name Marmoleum, but it’s actually made in Europe), and it would be prohibitively expensive to recreate the midcentury patterns. That’s why the linoleum that was made from the 1930s through the 1970s is so valuable, because you’re never going to see patterns like that again. If you can find some vintage NOS linoleum, anywhere, grab it! It is gold.
Jane (aka) Elvis says
I LOVE our new marmoleum floor in our renovated master bath, and we went with laminate countertop, too. The whole thing feels authentic and was definitely economical.
One good reason I can think of for using sheet vinyl instead of sheet linoleum, though, is the size of the sheets: linoleum seems to only come in 6.5 foot widths. This means you might have to have a seam somewhere in the floor. You might be able to avoid that with the wider widths of vinyl flooring. That terrazzo look is wonderful!
Isabelle says
Now that I look at this more closely, I think my mom has the faux terrazo on her floor! It’s very nice, however it’s missing one thing: those cute metal strips that you find in real terrazzo. All the same, I would consider any of these if and when I get around to replacing the already 60’s-chic (but battered looking) square tiles in my condo.