It will be awhile. We are getting 1300 sq feet of wood laminate installed within the month and so I'm just researching right now. I really want tile for the amazing look, but I'm really afraid of the harsh feel to my feet. I'm afraid of that fake tile/stone look and less moisture resistance of laminate...ugh....there simply is not a perfect solution. Somehow it seems they have come a long way with simulating wood design but not as good with stone/tile.

I've seen some really cool great looking sheet glass backsplashes on this forum. You could think about that instead of tile, since you are going contemporary/modern, hate seams and will have lots of brick mortar lines competing with tile grout lines... the clean unbroken look of sheet glass might be nice. Can't comment on Corian in a kitchen, but we've had it on our main bath vanity counter for about 12 years. It is a light color and we've had no problems with it in the bath. I know someone will comment here who does have it in the kitchen. Your kitchen plans sound very interesting with the brick wall and the shelf just above countertop height. Good luck with your planning!

What are you cabs? That would play into my opinion. But my initial reaction to be honest it' all very monotone and then the glass accents are harsh. If you have a collection that you want to highlight; I'd let them help drive the color pallet. What colors do you have in the family room? You don't need to use drapes/curtains in a pattern... they can bring in texture. There are also woven shades whose tones can coordinate to curtians in the adjacent room. I"m not a floral cutesy person either... though I do love stripes! I hope this helps... it's just my opinion.

I'm assuming you mean stone-look vinyl products or are you thinking the 'faux stone' look that people use around a fireplace? When it comes to 'living' spaces, stone and tile look a bit odd when the rest of the house has hardwood. Remember that stone and tile (in cold climates) are reserved for bathrooms, kitchens, entranceways and mud rooms. Why? Because they can take quite a bit of water whereas wood and carpet cannot. So remember the 'look' you are creating if you are putting 'stone' in a living space where most people would EXPECT a warm floor (like wood or carpet). It is a weird concept for many people. It's like carpet in a bathroom (the Brits are famous for this BTW and it looks REALLY WEIRD to a N. American homeowner). If you are desperate for something 'other than wood', then there are a few other things out there for you. Stone-look and tile look are options. Then there is cork. A cork glue down floor (finished with polyurethane after installation) is water proof. A cork floating floor (click together) can be made water (and pet) resistant when finished with a polyurethane coating after installation. If resale is not a big deal (because you KNOW you will switch out the family room flooring for hardwood when you list) then go ahead with a sheet vinyl. Yes....sheet. Sheet products (such as real linoleum and vinyl) are the only water proof products worth looking at. Anything that clicks together (like vinyl plank) will hold the urine between the planks thereby holding the smell. If you want to go with the look of stone, brick or tile but do not WANT the real stuff, you might want to consider sheet vinyl for urine prone pups.