I wouldn't put hardwood in a front entrance but that is just me. Do you have any hardwood now? I know that you are switching from carpets to hardwood. We have just put 1400 sq ft of hardwood in our house and I am amazed at the scratches that have appeared in less than a month. Hardwood in a front entrance with just normal street shoes (and the brazilian cherry wood is a dark wood and will show the scratches even more) would drive me nuts. I would have to put an entire mat down to protect them and then whats the point. I'm with your husband on this one. The style of your house will then probably dictate the type of stone that you put down. Is it elegant (marble), is it post and beam in a hilly forested area (like us -then slate). There are a ton of choices as you know. Good Luck.

As far as the entranceway rug is concerned, I'm in the "turn it 90 degrees" camp. I would really like to see a rug that lengthwise (orientation: facing the door) fits from the staircase wall on the left to the step edge on the right, and widthwise, from the door to at least the edge of the staircase, but extends no further that piece of wall partition. Another option is to go with something large but neutral to fit the space (like the sisal), but then layer a smaller rug or mat with a stronger pattern that you like where the length equals the width of the door. That way, the smaller one catches most of the dirt/mud/whatever, but the larger one gives the space the correct proportions. It's also a possible solution for the living room. And as far as the living room is concerned, I think part of the issue that you're having is simply from furniture placement. For example, I'll bet that the leather chair closest to the entryway door doesn't get used nearly as much as the other seats for two reasons: a) only the other leather chair is actually a comfortable talking distance from it, and b) people don't usually feel comfortable having their back to an entranceway. It tends to make us feel nervous; when I'm in restaurants, I sometimes find myself looking behind just instinctively. Your living room has fantastic windows and a wonderfully chunky fireplace that's the right scale for them, but the other side of the room doesn't seem to balance it out. A bookshelf or similar kind of unit is a frequent solution, and if you found something with a deep base, then you could use it as closed storage space (for your adorable little girl's toys, perhaps?), and then use the higher shelves for display, or just things you would prefer out of her reach. I'd also love another few shots from different angles inside of the living room. Right now, all I know on the one side is that you have a balcony above a green chair, but I have no idea if that wall partition is actually a full wall underneath it or just a support beam with a transition to another space.

I have two of the waterhog mats...one just inside the entry, and one at the kitchen sink. I don't think that they absorb water any more than any other kind of rug, I bought them for the color, lol! I haven't had a chance to hose them down, so I don't know how well they come clean, although I do vacuum them. Tried to sweep them clean, but there's too many ruts/grooves for that. The backing on them is too heavy to just throw into the washing machine, so if the weather ever warms up, I'd like to bring them outside to clean them. I also imagine that mine could go outside in front of the door too, just haven't tried that yet. Maybe when I get tired of them being indoors, I will ! Here is a link that might be useful: Water-hog mats

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) - The problem is the backing of the mats. There are HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of mats on the market that have backings that are rubberized in some way. The rubber (aka. "plasticizers") are the problem, not the mat itself. Vinyl is a petroleum chemical. The finish applied to the top of the vinyl (polyurethane or urethane) is also a chemical that is reactive (even in its solid state). These two chemicals (PVC and poly/urethane) can AND WILL react with rubber or rubberized products. The chemical reaction turns the surface of the floor ORANGE. As in "nicotine stain" orange. It is a permanent stain. There is nothing to be done because it is a chemical stain not a surface stain. For that reason the mats used with vinyl, cork, hardwood, softwood, linoleum and some types of concrete finishes HAVE TO BE safe for use with the floor's finish. This is where so many people get into trouble. They find it frustrating to go shopping for area rugs (or water control mats) because of this SERIOUS limitation. The only thing I can say to them is to go to a "mid-range" store to find your area rugs. There will be a tag on the rug that will clearly state "Safe for Hardwood Floors" (ie. Ikea sells some yet Target and Walmart do NOT). Now imagine 99% of every area rug that you like is NOT allowed on the floor you have purchased....sigh. It is very frustrating to say the least.