On topic 1, I don't know what LVT is but we have wood look vinyl planks that we love. From Lowes. We have gotten lots of compliments so it must look fine to others as well.

Can't help you on topic 2 but on topic 3, that is common around here but it usually includes some type of open ventilation for the grill or really high ceilings.

1 - Why J - based upon your description I believe your vinyl planks are LVT. :) Mrs. Pete I think they can go over radiant heat but only up to 80 degrees (a quick google says YES with that stipulation). With you living in the south I can't imagine you wanting it even that warm. They are pretty popular and a good alternative that I wish we would have checked into before jumping straight to hardwood. I do like the wood yes but wonder long term with kids and dog if LVT would be more hardy. Time will tell. They make all grades and some of the samples I have seen look really sharp - would be hard to tell they are vinyl plank vs hardwood.

2 - we have a gas log and it warms up the room nicely so I am partial to that. I think annie deighnaugh has a wood burner as a focal point with brick behind it. Try googling for hers and see if it pops up.

3 - that does sound interesting. I'd likely catch it on fire. :D

1.) Heated floor depends on the vinyl tiles manufacturer's conditions. Also in play are the substrate under the tile and the water or electric temperature.

How they'd look is really a function of design integration. Plenty of baths have tile floors and tiles in the shower. It really depends on the style of material that you put together in the room.

2.) Plenty of decorative wood stoves out there. Here is a soapstone version

http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/store/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/a/bari_greymatte.jpg

Here is another example:

http://www.appliancist.com/koppe-gaya-soapstone-stove.jpg

Heck, here's another:

http://cdn.homedit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/soapstone-wood-stoves-nunnauuni.jpg

3.) I don't see the problem with the grill inside the screen material. Isn't the screening material thin metal fiber?

I bought some of the vinyl plank flooring for my kids rooms, we have hardwood and I didn't want them rolling their chairs across the floor constantly, and being teenagers they occasionally spill things, which is not really a problem, but they also occasionally do a poor job of cleaning up the things they spill, which is a problem. In short, I bought some vinyl plank flooring and some edging that i put around their desk to protect their hardwood floor. The stuff looks amazing, is tougher than I expected, and was silly easy to install. Really, I would just see if you builder will let you put it in. A razorblade and set of kneepads and you practically a certified installer.

The only downside is, when you walk on them, the sound they make will never be mistaken for hardwood. Whether, or not, this bothers you is really something only you can know.

Be careful to find out what your heating requirements will be when selecting a gas or wood fireplace. Our new house is so well insulated that the only thing that would work would be a direct-vent gas fireplace. Anything else puts out so much heat that we would have to open the windows! We ultimately decided to forgo it right now, but we do have an area where we could add one fairly easily.

As for a grill on a covered porch- I would want high ceilings and a lot of ventilation, at least if you grill like I do! I have long-range plans for a screened gazebo, and I am going to put a well-vented cupola on the roof so I could set up my grills in there.

MrsPete, looks like you already asked about the wood stove question in Dec 2013 and I posted a pic then of ours, so I'll refer you to that.

Re LVT, we have amtico in the main living areas of our house and we love it. No one seems to know it isn't real wood, and after we tell them, they often touch it to make sure and still don't understand what it is. However, I would not heat under it as it will tend to dry out the glue and over time, I'm sure it would lift the flooring. But it has been very durable and easy to clean and soft under foot. But we are careful about scratching...we put felt pads under all our furniture legs and don't slide stuff across the floor without protection.

We wanted warm floors in the bath though so we went with porcelain tile and are happy we did. It's not so soft, but it is warm, and cool in the summer, durable and easy to clean. I don't think I'd like to see real tile butted up against lvt though. I prefer tile with tile. In fact, we went with tile floors in all the baths, laundry room and pantry for durability and cleanability. Also, LVT will not stand up to standing water like tile will as it can seep beneath the seams in the vinyl and lift.

I don't know, but can't imagine a problem with a grill inside a screened porch so long as the exhaust fumes were well handled....think restaurant grills. Otherwise your porch ceiling will get coated in grease and smoke...

I'm not a fan of cleaning the fume hood we have...not sure how it would be to clean those huge ones for grills, but probably something I'd rather not tackle.

One nice thing about the Houzz affiliation is you have access to about ten million photos, 25,000 of which are wood burning stoves!

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/wood-burning-stove-phbr0lbl-bl~l_44646[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/wood-burning-stove-phbr0lbl-bl~l_44646)

I do like the Rais stoves.

A Ranch Re-dressing Hanover NH · More Info

Good information, all.

So the only negative of the Luxury Vinyl Planks is that they don't "sound" like hardwood. I can definitely live with that.

I had forgotten I'd asked about stoves before -- it was 2013. I still don't know which way I'll go on that one.

I'm also hearing a great deal of difference in whether a grill inside a screen porch is an okay thing or not. It appears on our plans, but we all know that some plans include things that're pretty stupid. If we go that direction, I agree that a strong hood is a necessity. My husband is devoted to his Big Green Egg Grill. I think I'll look on the Egg boards and see what people say about venting -- these grills aren't the same as common grills.

Again, thanks, all.

I know this doesn't address your exact question(s), but I've been weighing LVT vs. tile, as well, and these Consumer Reports tests are something I keep coming back to. July 2013:

There is vinyl and then there is vinyl. I can't tell from the CR list if they are talking about luxury vinyl tile planks or some other kind of vinyl.

Our amtico doesn't sound like hardwood....it doesn't sound much at all which is an advantage...not like the laminates that click and clatter in a tinny sound.

Don't put your grill on the porch!! We have a covered terrace, and put our gas grill on it. We have 10' ceilings, which are (were) a lovely light blue color. We have (had) pretty painted brick walls. We are now building an outdoor kitchen down in our patio area. (And also having our porch ceiling and walls re-painted. )