FROM A PRACTICAL standpoint, many people greet the notion of a rug in the kitchen with a visceral response: Ick. “I can’t imagine anything less appetizing than something that absorbs smells, soaks up spills and holds footprints on the floor of an environment that is meant to be clean, beautiful and functional,” said bicoastal designer Tim Campbell. Some also question the wisdom of introducing a potential skateboard—a textile apt to slip across a slick floor—into the room. Rug-averse Toronto designer Anne Hepfer finds other, safer ways to add a layer of design, texture and color. “I love using tiles and custom vinyl...