I put a high quality, floating floor in my apt kitchen in NYC to help with pet wear and tear. NOT the best option. If one piece needs to be replaced (and with pet accidents it bubbles very easily), you have to undo a whole section because they are interlocked. Also, they just don't look that great, no matter what we paid. So when it came time to make the rest of the apt floor look decent, we switched to vinyl planks from Lowes. Sounds gross, but they're actually amazing looking. Our apt was built in the 1880's, (the original floor was long destroyed and removed before we got it),and I found a dark gunstock in a wider cut that almost matched our neighbor's original floor exactly. You ready for this? 98 cents a sq foot! If one gets damaged you peel it off (with some effort) and put a replacement. Echoflooring is sooo right about batch colors. Get it all at once and mix up the boxes as you lay it. We have a bunch of mixed ones for replacement and haven't used one, not one, but I know we have them. Lowes will recommend their sealer,but we didn't use it. They self stick just fine. One or two spots came up after we were first done and someone on line told us to use a hairdryer to reheat it and lay a book on top overnight. Worked like a dream. Our apt in NY is 800 sq ft and our current tenant is a photographer with two rescue cats and she loves the floor. Even with her keen eye, we had to tell her they were vinyl and how to replace it if she had a pet accident. She was blown away! I will try to post a picture of our NY apt floor for you. To be fair to our tenant the photographer, I took the horrible quality pics w my cell, not her! LOL! Choose wisely for your space and go with your fave, not what everyone says you should do, incl me. And pls do remember the color batch issue echoflooring brought up. Good luck :) Here is a link that might be useful: NYC vinyl plank floor

Saw this awhile back on a Candice Olson show - Candice Tells All. She used the system in one of her TV projects At the time there was only one US distributor. Embassy Ceilings http://www.boulanger.qc.ca/wood-moulding/Embassy-ceilings.php https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMtWRNTO5qA ETA: There is a vinyl plank click together install that is waterproof. I've seen it used in a bathroom on a Bath Crashers show.

We did our whole basement a few months back in luxury vinyl tile (that's the lvt above :) ) and just love it. I think it's a no-brainer if you have dogs that will scratch up hardwood or need waterproofing (we put it through our laundry area and mudroom). On a main floor, I'd still do hardwood, because all of the other options feel fake underfoot (barefoot). But if that's not an option, the lvt is warm, soft, and has some awesome looks these days. I really think it's going to completely replace laminate pretty quickly.

Wow Lynda, you did great at the Restore! I did browse through one last year out of curiosity. I saw a beautiful antique dresser that was already on hold. I'm sure the antique dealers keep a close eye on those places. You never know when you'll hit it right. Thanks for the idea. Flo, we have someone who would install the LVP for a dollar a board so that's amazing versus our doing it ourselves or paying $3 or so a square foot in NJ for the install as per one of the stores we went into said. We did lay down laminate flooring by ourselves in our family room about 15 years ago and did well It is an easy install- but our basement is much bigger than our family room and we are 15 years older. As the years go on I'm not sure if our bodies will pay a price with all that kneeling and bending over etc! I am waiting for the Flooret samples, but will keep my eye on Flor.com maybe for another room in the future! Once we decide I'll need help with paint colors unless SW Alabaster will work with all. Flooret Arbor, Brenwick or Kingswood