Sorry to jump in here, (hope its ok guys!) I just genuinely thought that you could just change the whole feel of that room by just removing the timber blinds and replacing them with something lighter. The big heavy square of timber so high up the wall creates a really heavy room and acts like a focal point. Window furnishings can be expensive, but they don't have to be! Just imagine the room with something much lighter and or softer in that direction and I think the rest of the room will feel much easier to deal with. I love the fire place and think the floor is quite warm. You could paint just the chairs to match the lighter colour of the new blinds (just an idea to save on cost). Hope that isn't confusing in amongst the other comments! Good luck!

Good morning Georgie and thanks for posting your dilemma. You're not the first renovator to have asked this question and won't be the last. You want the warmth and homeliness and texture of wood in the dining room but the practicality of tile in the kitchen - hard when the two spaces are one! I recommend that you go for a porcelain tile that is wood-identical. It fools everybody and is eminently practical. I would suggest that you consider a rug in the dining room (if you have tinies buy a hosable one from Dash & Albert ) to add texture and softness and then everybody is happy. Look at this one from Mandarin Stone, (Baltic Fir) but plenty of others are available. If you need any other help, just ask. I am an interior designer specialising in total house renovations and new builds for private clients and developers. Kind regards, Sarah https://www.mandarinstone.com/media/9314/7203-aspen-fir-porcelain-plank-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=800&height=800

Yes there is wood overload but I would be inclined to keep the ceiling as it is and cut down on (most) other wooden items, like the internal ‘fence’, the furniture, skirting and door posts and maybe the doors. It‘s a wonderful space and I feel with the right interior changes the ceiling can make an impressive statement.

If considering wood you could get unfinished wood installed. Companies such as Wood Floor Accessories are a great supplier. Having it finished on site means a finish can be picked that works for your home. Each home has variables such as pets, different traffic and the owners desire to maintain the flooring or aversion to maintenance. Having wood finished on site has advantages. You can pick the highest quality product that works for your budget. The range of finishes available is quite wide. A professional company will try to understand your home and recommend the appropriate finish. They will also understand how easily the finish was can be renovated in the future. Amtico is an extremely robust product but being plastic, is just plastic flooring. It has its place, as does wood. In areas that have plenty of light surfaces, scratches show very easily on Amtico, Karndean etc. The manufacturers push a polishing maintenance product on consumers. However, this needs to be stripped and reapplied on a regular basis.