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I love the look of tile. I agree with using it in the bath and laundry areas, but not so sure about the kitchen. Anything that falls on it breaks and it's so hard it can cause your legs and feet to ache if you stand on it too long. I don't have tile in my kitchen, but this is what my friends say about it that do. They wish they didn't do it. Something to think about.
We have tile in our kitchen and that is completely true. Love the look, but will try something else in the next home - maybe cork.
My house has all hardwood floors except the kitchen, bathrooms and the master bedroom. Carpet definitely can suck, not only do they hold tons of dirt, but they hold alot of odors too. If you have a pet that tends to 'miss' on where they are supposed to do their business at, the odors will never leave the carpet, but can be easily cleaned up on hardwood floors. Ever smelled the carpet from a distance when a cat has urinated on it too many times? Nasty!
My floors will need to be resurfaced though as it currently has a dull look to them. The only place I will put carpet is in the master bedroom since it had carpet there originally.
I love the look of tile. I agree with using it in the bath and laundry areas, but not so sure about the kitchen. Anything that falls on it breaks and it's so hard it can cause your legs and feet to ache if you stand on it too long. I don't have tile in my kitchen, but this is what my friends say about it that do. They wish they didn't do it. Something to think about.
I've lived in a tile house before and I agree that these are legitimate drawbacks. However, I already have water damage around my dishwasher from moisture leaks. The dishwasher was fixed but...there ya go, damaged floor and the damage is visible. I've broken dishes on tile but it's easier to buy another dish than to replace floor boards and have them match up correctly. Just my .02.
In the tile house, I had cushy mats for areas that I did a lot of standing and I wore shoes. That helped a lot!
I think if you have a slab foundation you are stuck with Engineered wood or laminate and I have a Bruce Engineered floor and cannot recommend it. I grew up with real oak floors, spent many hours behind a buffer growing up, and loved them. Back then we did wax them but it was before polyurethanes became popular.
You can also do bamboo, no chaper than real hardwood but very very tough and can be installed below grade.
Carpet is a filthy option to me. Don't like it but I have dogs that shed and track in dirt.
They can ut real wood floor on a slab foundation;it is just more expensive.My definely like good tile floor and once you know how to upkeep them they are pretty easy to keep up. Never a mositure problem like any wood.Hte wood in a kitchn as I have seen to many problems with water.
I think the only thing is to have to put floor protectors on the bottom of things and a nice room sized rug where kids will play and drop toys or anything like that.
crayola crayons to hide scratches or gouges - buff with a soft cloth.
Bamboo is a lot cheaper than a lot of hardwoods. Depends what you're looking for I guess. We had felt on the bottom of things that tend to move a lot (either intentionally or not). This is what we ended up doing - hand scraped, long length, random width hickory, but it still hasn't had it's final coat of wax.
Are those huge windows on the side or patio doors?
I could totally picture just a real nice hot coffee and going into a trance staring from one of those cushy chairs.
Its lovely!
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I've broken dishes on tile but it's easier to buy another dish than to replace floor boards and have them match up correctly. Just my .02. 
