There is a faux finishing product called Prime Etch that can be used as a primer over the tile to help with the paint adhesion. Here is a link http://www.fauxcenter.com/Silver-Label-Products/PrimeEtch/PE_Quart
Good luck!

I painted my linoleum floor. I used 1 part epoxy acrylic concrete and garage floor paint. It made the visual difference I hoped for, but yes, significant traffic makes significant wear. It gets dirt ground into the surface, and it chips off the existing smooth surface. If your ceramic tiles are glazed with a gloss glaze, I would imagine that this will make the chipping problem worse.

I don't think it is the best solution for a kitchen. And it is a temporary fix.

You can! My parents actually painted their retro baby blue bathroom shower tiles to a blah beige.

IT IS A LONG DIFFICULT PROCESS. You also won't be able to use the room you are in for a while (so if you want to paint you're only bathroom...forget about showering for a month). The surface has to be as clean as possible or it won't adhere, then you get the peeling/cracking. You use an epoxy paint that you can get at the hardware store (comes in white). You would get the paint mixed to the color you want. THEN there is a treatment you add to the paint (just a few drops or so on your own). You can probably ask what the product is at the hardware store as I’m drawing a blank. Works like an emulsifier when you add to the paint (just a few drops). You would have to use a brush to apply the paint. Don't worry about even strokes, the additive will allow the streaks to settle and look naturally baked in to the tiles after a few days. I personally would avoid painting the grout since you're using 2 color process but that's just me. It's really painstaking work BUT it's cost effective. Unfortunately, your surface would be out of commission during the process. Drying is not an overnight deal either. Takes days to fully dry then you would sand and repaint or as my parents said upon asking them about the process, "A sharpie and some bored kids might be more efficient."

Aside from my comment of it being a possibility, I can't help but imagine dropping a heavy dutch oven on the floor. So I will agree with slowartist. It's a very temporary solution.

I've never painted tile before but I did just finish coloring the grout in my bathroom, so I can speak to that. It is a time-consuming project, and not the most physically comfortable one at that (you'll be kneeling for upwards of 12 hours for any space of considerable size), but I can say the results, at least in my case, were truly worth it. My bathroom has white ceramic builders-grade tile that used to have this off-white yellow-y grout. I didn't have enough money to completely replace the tile so I colored it black and the results are fantastic.

I found this post that really helped through the whole process: http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infgroutcolorant.html

I used Aquamix, and bought it online as home improvement stores have limited color selections. That particular brand allows you enough time to color your entire project and then clean, something you'll really appreciate.

Have a few sponges with scouring pads available, some throw-away plastic cups to store your colorant in, and I used artist's brushes with short bristles to apply the grout stain and sealant.

Sounds like if you are doing both it would probably be easiest to color the grout then paint the tile, so you don't have to worry about scrubbing any of the new tile paint off as you finish your grout.

Hope this has been helpful. Best of luck!

If it's possible, I can't imagine it lasting under heavy traffic that a kitchen floor is going to be subjected to.

Have you thought about a floor-cloth in the pattern you want? There are plenty of books about making them, you'd get the look - sort of.

Well that was my dream also, and we actually re-tiled the floor with VCT tile... I highly recommend this! I LOVE my kitchen floor! It is SUPER inexpensive. right around $230 for 250 sq feet ( that includes the underlayment!, and the glue)

Also... I put the tile myself ... you cut it with a utility knife, AND it lasts forever! not like the peel and stick which wear out over time.

VCT definitely doesn't last forever -- it's one of the lower life-expectancy options -- it off-gasses...

Wondering out loud here - I'm not certain, but it might possible to have the tiles resurfaced/reglazed, like you would do to an old bathtub. Then at the very least you would have white tiles instead of beige, and would only have to paint the black ones to acheive the checkerboard effect. The resurfacing guys might even be able to do the checkerboard for you - spray white first, dry, mask off white tiles, spray black. Worth a phonecall to find out!

As far as wear and tear, a good habit is to take shoes off in the house. This cuts down on dirt in the house anyway, and if people are walking around in socks and barefeet, won't that make the paint job last longer? Good luck and let us know how it comes out! I have a wood floor in my kitchen, but would prefer tile. Thinking of making the leap and tiling it myself. But I agree with an earlier post--an area rug will also suffice.

If you own the house, I'd suggest biting the bullet and retiling the floor. It will be worth it to actually have what you want. In the course of owning our house, we have made the decision to do what we actually want, rather than trying to short-cut it. Well worth it even though it may take a bit longer to get there.

The only things we've done to our house that we regret were the temporary fixes. It's one thing to talk yourself into marble counter tops when you can't afford them, but a checkerboard tile floor is a cheap and pretty easy project. It's a classic look that won't look dated soon. The amount of work will probably be about the same as painting. And you'll be really happy.

Go for it!

I agree with kariwk and suzee.
If you own, go with the real deal.
Tiling is not that hard and not that expensive.
I know it takes a lot of patience, but it's well worth it. I personally don't like temporary solutions, you are not building a theatre or movie set for one scene, it's your house and you will see it everyday.

courage!