I'm building a new home too--my 2nd. In my current home I have tile through much of the first floor--ours is glazed ceramic in a warm color (red clay--w/more orange/pink than usual). Yep, it's cold--but even in my northern climate that doesn't phase me. I personally don't find it colder than the wood, but I don't walk around w/bare feet. I think the warm color makes it look warmer in the home--I think the look depends on the tile color, reflectiveness, etc. I have laminate wood floors in other parts of the house--bedrooms--so I can do the comparison for you. YOu have to go w/your own taste, but I'll tell you about cleaning. NOTHING is easier to clean than the tile floor--it is a miracle--it actually improved my marriage. We had carpet before I walked around angry because it was so dirty from pets coming in and out, boots, etc. I think I love my husband and kids more now that I have tile. ( ; I'm kidding, of course, but I'm not stressed when the dog runs in w/out getting her feet cleaned--it's nothing to clean-up wet mud--like cleaning a kitchen surface--spray w/vinegar and wipe--clean! The laminate wood scratches, but other than that, it's held up remarkably well to bad things like cat vomit sitting all day. Personally, I don't think it looks as expensive as the tile--and for us, it wasn't. You said one thing that really surprises me--that the tile is less expensive. In my experience, laminate wood is less expensive, installed, than tile. I'm thinking of using thread bamboo--see my earlier post re this. I think it might be a happy medium for us--more durable and cleanable than than regular wood or laminate wood--and a different look than tile. I'm sad about not using the tile--however, I'm hoping the bamboo is a good choice as well. Good luck!

Here's a view of the intersection of my center hall (medium-stained oak), family room (dark-stained maple) and breakfast area (light porcelain). The other side of the breakfast area has yet a fourth flooring material (cork). A lot of people like the continuity that a single flooring material provides, and I definitely appreciate that. I prefer cozier, more distinct spaces, and like the differentiation that the flooring types provide.

Laminate wood next to real wood won't work, doesn't matter the color. Either extend the porcelain or put in the same wood as the rest of the home.

The living room rug needs to be the size where at least 6 inches of it needs to be covered by the front of the sofa and chairs. If you turn it around, will it accomplish that? If not, get a new one. The photos are not very well lit- I can't tell if the pillows on the sofa are taupe or grey, so I don't know if the accents you want to use are grey or taupe. Is the coffee table black or dark brown? Your new rug can have color, or not, it's your choice. If you want something more neutral with something as large as the rug you can get another cream rug, or you can get something cream with minimal pattern like this one https://www.birchlane.com/rugs-windows/sb1/10-x-14-area-rugs-c1805524-a95050~314307.html Or these rugs, which are in the same cream-taupe-brown-grey color family but much bolder in color saturation and much bolder in pattern. And of course, you need to get them in the right size. This- Or this- With the above rugs (or with the rug that is already there) you need more interesting throw pillows with not only color, but interesting material and texture, such as velvet, woven silk, interesting trim, leather, and suede. Here are some examples- Velvet pillows These are basketweave silk Put a large tray on top of the coffee table for serving drinks and snacks. On the lower shelf of the coffee table, put a basket with high sides to hold magazines and the remotes out of sight. Remove the big round glass table behind the sofa in the corner. Find an end table to put in between the sofa and the cream chair, you can use the rectangular table if you like. Where the large round table is put a large live potted green plant such as an areca palm or a kentia palm. You could put it on a pedestal if it is not tall enough. Buy another live plant, such as an orchid, whatever type of orchid you like, There is enough room for it on the long side table as you enter the living room. What is that chair to the left of the television, and that rectangle on the floor to the left of the television? Where are you planning to put the bar? In front of the windows where you have the rust-colored chair you could put a table to be used as a writing table or informal desk. It can be a lucite table or wood with a gorgeous grain with no drawers or just one drawer, and the rust chair can be used with it. A black campaign-style desk would work, too. It should be appropriately sized for that nook, with only one thing placed on it, off to one side. Get rid of the lamp, and put in a chandelier, it's easy enough for an electrician to install a junction box, and if you don't want to do that, hang a plug in chandelier in that little nook. If the small writing table idea doesn't appeal to you, you could use that corner for your "bar" and get a bar cart, and stock it with a beautiful ice bucket and the other necessities. Although that space isn't large, on one of the walls perpendicular to the window before the living room starts, you could put up glass shelves to hold the liquor bottles and glasses. And if you really want glamour, you could put mirror on the wall behind the glass shelving! Get rid of the etagere/ladder. It just becomes a place to load up on knick-knacks and clutter and the place soon looks like an old lady's house. A few larger, well chosen and well placed objects make a better statement than a whole lot of little things all packed together. The room definitely needs art work and interesting objects hung or placed on brackets. It also needs three dimensional things of interest to be displayed in the room. Some examples are: Juju hat (feathered ceremonial headress from Cameroon) Large specimen seashells, coral, butterflies, and fossils. Pieces of sculture (not just anything, something really good or that has meaning to the occupant.) Pieces of architectural or archeologic interest. Ethnic textile art from anywhere. A vintage globe. It doesn't even have to be vintage. (It doesn't have to be those ridiculously expensive ones with semi-precious stones.) Have you ever been anywhere with a globe where someone, an adult didn't go over and start looking at it, and say "Lookey here, I was here or there," or "Look, so that's where this place is, I wondered where it was." It's a great conversation starter. A vintage orrery. (You know it's old because it will still have Pluto.) It's a great conversation starter, too. :