When a local family came to us wanting to bring some real character into their kitchen, they fell for one of the boldest designs Karndean makes: Marrakesh SP220. It’s easy to see why. But the floor they ended up with — flat, flawless and full of personality — wasn’t just about picking a beautiful tile. It was about everything that happens between choosing it and standing back to admire the finished room. That’s where using a Karndean retailer earns its keep.
A floor with genuine personality
Marrakesh is part of Karndean’s Kaleidoscope collection — a patchwork tile design inspired by traditional Moroccan and medieval Spanish architecture. Rather than repeating a single motif, each large 18″ x 24″ tile mixes geometric shapes, curves and flourishes in warm, earthy tones of terracotta, soft blue, grey and chalky cream, so no two areas of the floor look quite the same. The effect is a characterful, almost hand-laid encaustic-tile look — but with all the practicality of luxury vinyl underneath it.
For a busy family kitchen, that practicality matters. Karndean LVT flooring is 100% waterproof, warm and comfortable underfoot, and easy to keep clean with a simple sweep and mop. Spills, muddy shoes, dropped pans — it shrugs them all off, while still looking like a designer tiled floor.
The part you don’t see: why fitting makes or breaks an LVT floor
Here’s what most people don’t realise about luxury vinyl: the floor you end up with is only ever as good as the surface beneath it. Marrakesh, like most of Karndean’s tile range, is a glue-down product — and glue-down LVT is unforgiving. Any lump, dip, crack or fleck of grit left in the subfloor will eventually telegraph through as a bump or shadow on the surface.
That’s why the least glamorous part of the job is the part that really counts. On this kitchen, getting it right meant taking the subfloor back to a clean, dead-flat base — screeding, smoothing and sanding it before a single tile was laid. It’s slow, careful work, but it’s the difference between a floor that stays immaculate for years and one that shows every imperfection within months.
Why Karndean asks you to use one of its retailers
Karndean are clear on this themselves: their floors should be installed by a professional, and they’re sold through a network of trained retail partners who provide a full measuring and fitting service. There are good reasons for that — and they all work in your favour:
- The genuine article, properly backed. Buying through a recognised Karndean retailer means you get authentic product, fitted to the standard Karndean’s residential guarantee expects.
- Expert design advice. A pattern as busy as Marrakesh needs setting out thoughtfully so it flows across the room and through doorways. Knowing the ranges, laying patterns and borders is what turns a nice floor into a stunning one.
- Proper subfloor preparation. As above — this is where quality is won or lost, and it’s exactly what an experienced fitting team builds into the job rather than rushing.
- Skilled, accountable fitting. A floor like this rewards patience and craftsmanship, from cutting around units to clean lines at every threshold.
Carpet Style: your local Karndean retailer
At Carpet Style, Karndean LVT is one of the ranges we know best — in fact, we’re proud to be your local Karndean-certified experts. You can see Marrakesh and the wider Karndean collections in our showrooms across Nottingham and Derby, get honest, impartial advice on the right design for your space, and have it measured and fitted by our own employed team — never subcontractors. The people we train and stand behind are the same people in your home, which is exactly why we can be confident in the finish you’ll get.
See it for yourself
The finished kitchen speaks for itself: a hard-wearing, water-resistant floor with bags of personality that should look every bit as good in ten years as it does today. If you’re considering Karndean LVT for your own kitchen, hallway or living space, pop into one of our showrooms to see the ranges in person, or get in touch to book a free measure and design consultation.