I think it depends on how this living room orients to the rest of the house. If it's something like a small sitting area off the kitchen then tile would be fine, but if it's an actual living room living room then hardwod would look better and be more inviting for people to gather. You can always put throw rugs on top to protect it from scratches. You also have to think about how each of the choices relates to the flooring in the rest of the house. IDK about resale.

I have the water trapper-type mats in front of my doors to protect the hardwood from the in and out, consider placing a good-sized one in front of the door. Don't cheap out here -- get the good ones from Orvis or LLBean, not the (much) lesser quality ones from the big boxes.

Thank you for your comment. Its appreciated. I do have several series of mud mats outside and inside the entrance door but, being busy at farming, I run in and out hundreds of times a day and so do the dogs. Tile would be so much more practical and easy to clean. I get your point about throw rugs but, they would be hard to keep clean due to all the traffic. I cannot shut this room off as its right beside the kitchen and the only way upstairs. I could use a similar tile to the kitchen "stone" porcelain but, perhaps darker to both create continuity yet, distinquish to living room as entering a different space. The hardest part for me is the way the required large fireplace tile hearth cuts right into the middle of the floor and its not centred which I think is problematic astetically, if I was to go to wood. Continuing to think this through...I guess the real question is does tiling a living room detract from the value of the property? If I was ever to sell, I could throw a rug down on top of the tile.

Could you post some photos of the space? I can't believe that code requires tile halfway across the room, and I live in a village with very strict codes.

I think I would do tile throughout and try to create a layout design in such a way that the large section of fireplace tile looks intentional and like part of a larger overall scheme.

From the descrption IMO slate is the perfect answer I think to add hardwood to only 1/2 a space make zero sense.Iagree pics would be great and please post them her ein a comment do not start another post .Since you alrady have tile why not just the same tile for the whole space her eis no reason to differ the floors to show a change of space the furniture will do thta. I think if rugs are needed go to something like Ruggables thta are washable o change the whole floor to LVP mine has stood up for 15 yrs with 3 huge dogs who run in and out of a free run dog run all day in all kinds of weather a quick mop up at the end of the day looks like new,

Thank you for the comments. Diana Biers, this 1843 house's living room is only 16' x 14' and its got a massive stone fireplace comes out from the wall 3' with a 1' raised stone threshold which I am thinking of perhaps removing but, which means the fireplace comes 4' into the room. City bylaws would put the tile at least across into the 1/3 part which one walks on and which visually breaks up the floor from where one enteres and the view from the kitchen. I will try to take photos but, I am renovating elsewhere and the livingroom is the catchment area.

Thus, I was thinking as Elle and Patricia Colwell that given its a stone cottage with the 19' x 19' kitchen and back kitchen and its back bathroom tiled, I would tie the remaining room together with continuing tile through the living room.

Patricia Colwell, I am new to commenting on Houzz so do not see how to respond individually. I hope this is commenting and not a new post. Everyone's comments are very appreciated.

Do you use the fireplace?

There are hundreds, if not a thousand houses here built before the Civil War with shallow fireboxes and hearth areas that are narrower than are currently required and they are grandfathered because of the age of the houses. If you aren't changing something about the fireplace itself, you don't have to make it meet current codes in my location. Current code would make thousands of fireplaces unusable for wood burning.

If you do use it, I can see why you would want to make it deeper, but as I understand it, the hearth has to be deeper and typically this means that the structure of the fireplace has stone or concrete extending out in front of it at the subfloor level, it's not just a piece of stone put on top of the floor itself, if you want to meet all the technical requirements. As you can see below the structure in front of the hearth, the hearth extension, as it is called here. is masonry. It is not just more depth of stone sitting on the wood subfloor.

I think real slate--if it is nice with your fireplace stone--is a good choice. There are many types so get samples. Go with a fairly uniform color and not that rainbow slate you sometimes see.

I've had a durable stain-proof gray-green slate in my kitchen/greatroom for some time and it's excellent with dogs and slobs. (Large dogs might request area rugs as they get older.)

"Montauk black" is a type of slate that is pretty popular for being a quality durable floor--check that one out.

Slate tile is usually no more expensive than ceramic/porcelain tile, easier to get large pieces to lay flat (large manmade tiles tend to warp in production), easier to cut (if you DIY), and doesn't look bad when it chips.

If you are going to go with a stone floor, you will need to make sure that your floors are stiff enough to carry stone or tile without the grout or tiles cracking. The house I live in built in 1840 had very springy floors especially in the upper stories. Floors did not used to need to be as stiff because people had a lot less furniture. Or at least you may need to use relatively small format tile rather than large format tiles.

Do you have natural gas? Convert the fireplace to gas. Then, no issue about code and the floor.

I may be wrong, but I thought 20" out was code for a hearth and 8" on either side. How small is the room?

I have slate-look tile and it's a tedious job to keep it clean. It has lots of small pits and irregular areas that collect dirt. When I wash it, the wash water dries in the pits and nooks. I have to rinse it several times and dry inside the crevices/pits completely with towels. If I don't, the wash water dries into the crevices and the floor looks dirtier than ever. I do not recommend it. A smooth tile is much easier to keep clean.

@elcieg Whether you have a wood-burning or a gas fireplace, the fire is still there, so I don't see how a gas fireplace would negate the need for a fire-proof material.

Many comments, thank you. I will try to address each one. Firstly, I am not changing the fireplace itself where I have a woodburning insert: however, the threshold needs to be done when the flooring is done as its NOT to code. The room is small, irregularly shaped with the off centre massive fireplace protruding into the room 3'. I have granite-look tile in the kitchen so a tip for partium is I use a Dupray stream cleaner for my floors: totally love it because its easy, fast, effective, kills 99% of germs with just RO water. You made me smile ShadyWillowFarm: every night that's where you will find me and the dogs. I did call a tiling company that sells stone and porceline and they have convinced me that slate it highly problematic so I have settled on tile, I think. Thank you, all. Glad to read no one said it would impact resale down the road.

I bought a steam cleaner very similar to the Dupray, to clean the floor. Unfortunately the resulting dirty water still needs to be (tediously) dried out of the pits and cracks in my tile. So it didn't make a difference in the amount of work to clean my floor.

I should have been clearer...direct vent gas fireplace.

partim, the steam cleaner I use accommodates a microcloth which can easily be switched out when dirty. I do have small pits in the floor tile but, the Dupray pressuried hot steam that I use handles it really well. Sorry you are having so much difficulty.

Sounds like you have decided on tile and I think it‘s the better choice. I’m sure you don’t need the extra care wood floors+rugs take given your (and your dogs lol) routine and needs. Regarding resale, assume whomever will be buying your home/farm will be in a similar situation, so don’t see it devaluing your home.

Suggest taking your time to find a tile that works with fireplace and the surrounding flooring as best you can and look at various content options. Maybe have a reputable company/installer check on your floor‘s support structure and how level it is, as it may need improvement or may suggest another tile choice.

Comes in lots of designs. Whatever tile you choose, consider how slippery when wet (having had English setters).

Don’t know cost wise, but Terracotta tile.

Thank you, Maureen. Appreciate your supportive comments. I'll post photos when work is complete just so folks can see how it all ends.