We have moisture issues so couldn't do wood (plus, we live on a ranch and hubby works around heavy machinery ALOT...our floors take a real beating!)...so, we went with travertine in most of the downstairs (we put *super* cushy carpet in the side tv room). I LOVE MY TRAVERTINE! It never looks dirty. We laid it in a three size versailles pattern which gives an "old world" style feel to the house. It's indestructible and everything cleans up perfectly...even spilled paint. We carried the travertine up the stairs...only on the riser part of the stairs..used the ultra cushy carpet on the step part. Kitchen was done in a dark porcelain tile with texture...also love it..never looks dirty, isn't slippery, cleans up so easily! Yes, the floors are hard. I just wear good shoes/slippers and no worries.

Jeffrey: nice setup, got those machines to but in white and mines from 2008 heres the washer, not used that much more than for big loads as I got 2 eurosize washer, it sometimes has a hard time to balance before spinn and my detergent compartment gets hardwater buildup so I have 2 sets and switch them out about 6-12 months. My dryser has had its computerboard replaced, cost 1/2 of what the dryer cost new but these machine size cant be found in Sweden any more.

Barbara, check out the thread titled Anyone Used Coretec. It's miles long and you might want to skip to the bottom for more recent posts. People seem to love it but I would check the Flooret as well. Be sure to look at the design repeat which flags the floor as vinyl if you see the same 'boards' throughout a room. Some manufacturers have extra long selections which helps avoid that. Consider the rooms and how much will be visible. There are many realistic looking brands with great grain. Lots of it is trendy (rustic saw marks). Much of it is mid toned and darker. I am afraid of the trends and would steer clear of overly wide planks and overly dark and rustic. I thought I would go LVT but the cost differential wasn't worth the compromise to me. Basic 2 1/2- 3" prefinished oak can be installed for the same or less in my area. Resale issues are valid, even in mid-range homes and everyone wants wood. I may go for 'solid' stranded bamboo to replace family room and bedroom carpeting. I really don't like the short pieces you get stuck with in modestly priced prefinished wood. For kitchens, I can't understand the wood love. It can't be thoroughly washed which is unacceptable to me. Just me and the husband and we take our shoes off before entry. You would not believe the dirty water after I've washed my tile floor. If I could redo the kitchen I would likely put in modern vinyl in a cool fun pattern. If your kitchen has natural wood cabinets, a wood floor is tough to coordinate. Don't go super dark if it's even-toned. EVERY crumb and piece of lint shows. It's like a black car - only looks good the day it's washed. A good friend has deep regrets with an ebony looking bamboo floor (also requires frequent chip touch ups with a marker!). We are fortunate to have so many choices. There is something for everyone. Enjoy shopping! Anyone Used Coretec

I mentioned that my doors and trim are now white as those are probably the only constants that will stay. With that being said, I would like to keep my walls a lighter color along the lines of grey. I want to stay clear of paints like beige. I will try to give you more information to see if this helps. First off, I am planning on running the flooring upstairs and the main floor. With that being said the main floor is will be going over a big reno over the next year. Onto the questions. What color are your kitchen cabinets? Countertop? In addition to the floors, my entire kitchen is going to be redone. Other than I will be going with white for the kitchen, I can't answer much beyond that. Bathroom cabinets/countertops? Do you have wood furniture or painted? What colors/stains? What is the style? Again, main floor bathroom will also need to be upgraded. As well, the living room and family room also will need refurnishing. I would say my tastses for furniture decor though are pretty conservative that try to stay inbetween modern with traditonal. I'm not into things like wallpaper, extremely loud colors or rugs. I like a clean look but also something might catch the eye a bit. I can show 1 room that I have basically finished with furnishings if it helps. My main floor is pretty much a blank slate at this point. I can show pics of the late out or the house itself if that helps.