Change the floor in a rental?! How about a rug? If you have to change anything, the backsplash should be the first thing to go!

The pink is hilarious. I'd lean into it since it's a rental, why spend your money doing capital improvements? Instead, go all out and continue the pink in accessories, linens, etc. We had pink/grey Melamine in the 1960's that would be perfect. There's a ton of that in dishes, linens, vases....

I'd go for a grey floor tile, but perhaps more indistinct than squares.

I think the kitchen is sweet and I LOVE the pink backsplash! I don't think the tiles are bad at all. Why not throw down a rug or runner and live with it for a while?

OTOH, I'm hating that anemic yellow wall paint. The first thing I would do is paint over that, maybe with a subtle blue?

Well actually i don't like the color pink backsplash, it kind of dull. For tiles maybe you can put a rug and also the wall paint it with dark color. Even if it is rental you change the design, so that it's pleasing to the renter. One more thing take that away the heart sign.

I agree with the others -- the tile is not something that I would replace. An area rug would be wonderful.
Then you could think of the wall color -- the pale yellow looks sad next to the white of the cabinets, but blue, besides being too cool, might end up being weird with the pink -- like you were trying to replicate some candies or something.
What about a light gray or a pink in the same tone, but lighter, than the backsplash?
It's a cute kitchen!

Or paint the walls in the exact white of the cabinets.

I guess it depends on how long you're planning to stay. Really, if you and your husband are planning to be there for years to come it may be worth it but for now do the rug thing until you see something you both love. My hubby and I couldn't agree on couches and for some reason we got the ones he liked and despite being comfortable they are very ugly and don't go with anything else. We both wish we'd been more patient.

Then again, most of us have moved into a rental and felt the need to make immediate improvements (and it always seems to be the kitchen), so we feel your pain. Really the tiles don't look half bad. Maybe painting the walls a nice soft grey instead of the yellowish cream they are now would soften the contrast (not to mention going better with the pink, which I really can't figure out). If you keep the pink, get some mildly gaudy knobs to go on the cabinets. Embrace the kitsch!

Just get a rug.

They make vinyl flooring that comes in wood plank dimensions here in the States. The version I've seen is 3' by 4 inches, and costs $30 for a 30 square feet. It has a self-adhesive backing that sticks right to the floor. They come in different styles and look enough like wood that it would be OK for a rental.

I think your kitchen is adorable. Personally, I kind of love the pink backsplash.

I think I would like the floor in a lighter color as well. I think you could get away with the two-tone grey tiles if you'd like to. If it were me, I would go for two greys in the same hue, but with very slightly different saturations, and I would stick to the middle of the road- not too dark. I think if you keep the color difference from being too stark (think about those black-and-white patterns), it wouldn't be too busy at all.

The problem, in my opinion, with trying to match hardwood floors, is that you almost never get an exact match. To me, "close but not the same" is the worst of possible choices, so I would think about how you feel about that.

Alternatively, as suggested above, you could throw a fun, complementary rug on the floor and marinate on your choices for a while.

It's a rental. A runner could work.

I agree with the others. Replacing the floor tiles is a major hassle, as it would be very hard to go under the cabinets to remove existing and add new tiles (you can't just put new tiles on top because there'll be significant elevation change and trip hazard). As to continuing the wood floor, it will be extremely hard to match the finishes. Laying melamine or linoleum on top of the floor is easier, but if there's no threshold, the new floor may tend to peel up from foot traffick. Your best bet is to put an area rug.

CollageInteriors@gmail.com

Personally, I would keep the grey tiles because I don't mind them at all and I would paint the walls and maybe replace the backsplash, but you didn't ask what I would do - I think you are right that your husband's idea would look busy and hardwood floors would look very nice with the white cabinets.
My main concern would be the expense. It just sounds like it would cost a lot of money for not that much impact.
I would keep these things in mind: how long will you be living in the flat? Is the expense justified? How does your landlord feel about this or do you own the place? Do kitchens in Switzerland usually have tile floors? I wouldn't go with hardwood floors if 99% of all Swiss kitchens have tile flooring. How much time will you actually be spending in the kitchen?

i'm in love with the pink backsplash, and i don't mind the tiles (especially since it seems expensive to put hardwood down in a rental in a space you won't be lounging in). i'd paint that wall white or a light grey, maybe find a couple accessories like a teapot and canisters that have pink + another color in them, and get some graphic kitchen towels. here's a towel set, and another, and another that i found doing a quick search that i think would look great with what you already have. of course, this really doesn't answer your flooring question...

I also love the pink backsplash and I'd totally embrace it. I like the idea of grey tiles since grey works so well with pink or if you're feeling a bit more daring, i'd consider black and white tiles and make it whimsical... what a fun kitchen! :)

yeah I don't understand what's wrong with the floor

I say just paint your wall maybe a "coffee" color, your kitchen is great. Put a few small green herbs in pots on the counter. Don't waste doing something that does not need to be done.

I like the tiles as they are, they work well with the cabinets and counters. I would definitely not do any sort of checkerboard pattern. I do think a better paint color would be good - something to coordinate the pink of the backsplash with the gray floors and white cabinets in a more modern way. Maybe a pale teal like Thunderbird, or a deep teal like Slate Teal (Benjamin Moore).

I so love the pink backsplash. The beige-y yellow on the walls does look a bit sallow though. I would go with white or light blue / turquoise. Seeing that little heart I can tell you're not opposed to color. :)

The floors look nice to me. I did spot this image on Pinterest.

http://pinterest.com/pin/365565694722788323/

I wonder what they used or if it's tile? But you get the idea of pink and blue together and the floor color looks a lot like yours. If all else fails...a rug. Have fun in your new space!

The standard flooring for kitchens in Switzerland is tile. A previous posted asked - Do 99% of kitchens in Switzerland have tile? The answer is YES.

I would be very surprised if you were allowed to change to flooring, since it is a rental -- are you?? Are you sure? The Swiss have a lot of rules about everything; in most apartments there is a rule about advising your neighbors before you plan to entertain, and not to flush the toilet past 10 pm at night, lest you disturb anybody, so changing the flooring could get your landlord upset...

If the dark tile bothers you, find a runner to lay down on top of it -- either a painted floorcloth or a nice rug.

Don't waste your time in Switzerland on house projects -- there is too much to do outside of the house! (We lived there for 5 years).

Plus, you are not familiar enough with Swiss tastes and Swiss customs to make changes such as this -- just leave the tile as-is.

Changing perfectly nice looking tiles in a rental is investing too much and in most instances would be quite a stretch for things allowed by a landlord. Try a warmish grey for the walls (one that goes nicely with the pink) and maybe a rug if for some reason the floor really bothers you so much.

The floors are the best thing that kitchen has going for it.

The floors are nice. I say leave them and paint the walls a nice charcoal grey. Then you can add a nice black and white area rug and carry on.

You live in Switzerland!!! I am so envious. Anyway, your kitchen is nice and I like the pink backsplash. I would put down a rug so you have something warm under your feet instead of tile or even wood. Good luck!!

Yup, as others have said, I wouldn't bother changing the floor, get a runner, paint the walls and the backsplash. I like Tobyacts idea of a nice charcoal grey and adding pops of colour in your kitchen accessories to brighten everything up.

What about these floors from ikea? They're inexpensive and a good way to try out a wooden, parquet like floor.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/outdoor/21957/
If you don't like them, use them outside.
I'm not crazy about tile floors in my kitchen either. I know there are a lot of Americans who swear by them but I absolutely hate cleaning the grout. And you're stuck with the color forever.
Blech!

I live in Switzlerand for my whole life, so: Yeah, 99% do have tiles in their kitchen (and in my opinion, this dark ones are very nice). But I can't stand the pink wall. You can paint it, but swiss law says, that you may change it back to its original condition before moving out.
Because I don't think you want to change your tiles twice, I think you should leave them.

But it's always best to ask the owner before changing anything. Maybe he would even pay it, just talk^^ You do not want to mess up with the owner. Thats oh-so-not-swiss-like ;)

As several people living in Switzerland mentioned above, changing the tiles in the kitchen without the owner's approval wouldn't be such a great idea. And hardwood floors in a kitchen really are not common here.
I'd try changing the backsplash tiles to a different color by buying tile tattoos, or Fliesenaufkleber as they are called in German. I found a great selection here http://www.foliesen.de
They are removable (though I have not tried them) and come in a variety of colors. I am thinking about ordering some to cover our back splash, too.

Thank you for all your comments! I have decided to put a rug down for the moment and leave the flooring questions for the time being. I will paint the walls though; I am thinking of a light pink (same tone as the backsplash but lighter) but my husband is worried it will look like a candy-store. Ah, well. Will paint it back if we don't like it.

P.S. Those worried about my landlord and local Swiss rules -- never fear! My landlord doesn't mind if we change the flooring (some of the tiles are damaged anyway) and he gave this to me in writing. Also, I am Swiss and I think I can handle the locals. Mind, I haven't lived here for 15 years but I doubt it has changed this much.

I would leave the tiles and paint the yellowy-creamy walls a more grey color. I've always found pink and grey to go fantastically together, so maybe that would help tie in the floor better. :)

Pink rules, lol! I say go for it and add some aqua too!

I think painting that wall in a slightly pales version of that pink will change EVERYTHING in an amazing and covet- y way!

*paler*