It all comes down to extent of use, budget and where you live. If you have a full house and the kitchen is used regularly then tile is probably your best bet. If you don't mind the extra 20.00/month on the electricity bill during the winter, installing a heating element under it is a good way to go. Tile floors also keep the kitchen relatively cool during the summer. Given it's a high traffic area the sub floor needs to be solid. Durock, cemented and fastened every 24 - 36" will ensure rigidity. Active kitchens are a messy affair, hardwood flooring looks in my opinion 100 times better but in my experience doesn't hold up well. Generally cheaper to replace the broken soup tureen than it is to replace the dented, scratched and chipped hardwood floor. One quasi inexpensive route alternative to the heating element is to use a felt underlay between the wooden subfloor and the durock. Compressed between the durock and the wooden floor it will loos a lot of it's R value but is an noticable improvement you can also insulated under the floor and install tyvek moisture barriers. I also prefer durock over hardiboard as it's a poor medium for mold from the inevitable kitchen flood. Vinyl, I've never found to be satisfactory even professionally installed. It's obvious and not durable when you move the fridge, stove or dishwasher. If one chooses the vinyl route then might consider 12 x 12 vinyl tile with at least 10 units in reserve to replace the tears down the road. The replacements should be stored in a cool and relatively dry location to maintain it's integrity and adhesive properties. A 2 gallon zioploc bag might be large enough. Hope this helps as a counterpoint.

Agree with smm5525, the two inspirations pics are not really compatible. The LR would fit in perfectly in my traditional 1941 "colonial" house and the kitchen is more a 1990's "Mediterranean" genre. Neither are either tropical or beachy -- I am not sure what you are picturing in your mind's eye with those terms. The two spaces are going to be completely open to each other so they have to flow together smoothly. Also, they need to fit the style/era of the rest of your house! What is it like? You had mentioned that the kitchen would be "warm" and the great room/bar "cool" which, again, doesn't often work in real life when the spaces are juxtaposed like that. One or the other will always look "off" to you unless the colors are very carefully chosen and use a lot of mid range neutrals (colors that work with both warm and cool). I do like the color that you've chosen for the bar cabinets BTW. Find some more inspiration pics to clarify your overall looks and then call your ID soonest and get him/her working with you! You mentioned being on a timeline, but I strongly encourage you to have the whole project a bit more thoroughly planned out before anything is started.

Allie the cost is right at 135/sqft. Not inclusive of the lot. High end finishes planned for the inside. White oak wide plank floors. 7". High end appliances Kohler farmhouse sink, large tile shower etc.....There will be some brick out front made to resemble a brick foundation not the 4 foot brick you see on a lot of homes. The siding alone was about 30k install included :( It is DiamondKote LP SmartSide. It does look soooo much better than vinyl though which is the norm around here in about 98% of new homes. The front and back porches, as well as the eyebrow, will be galvalume metal. Had to wait for siding to be done to install. cpartist- Yes they are ordered and finalized,. The cabinets are white Haas inset in the kitchen with full overlay gray stained island. White/gray full overlay elsewhere depending on the room. Cambria Ella quartz also.

If you go with wood look I would lean towards a medium to darker floor... A tone similar to the dark knots in the wall..... It could look really nice, just have to be more careful when pairing a fake wood floor up against a real wood.... It can be done, just take your time and maybe take an extra wall board with good color variation to help you select a right match. The colors in this floor are nice as it gives you more options with a blend of medium and darker tones...