Have you though about using a luxury vinyl tile such as Karndean or Amitico? With the right floor prep you could end up with a very neat finish where it meets the tiles and not worry about expansion gaps. The wood effect versions of luxury vinyl can be very realistic and extremely hard wearing. I have used this product quite a bit in recent months even completing a gym in my own house just this week. www.fusionfloors.co.uk

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

For me it would be looks, insulation and being able to repaint in the future....so more questions if anyone is patient enough with me! 1. Can a composite door be repainted in the future? 2. Is there a benefit in keeping the house warm? I am wondering if the actual body of the door is an insulator, so is a composite door filled with something to insulate against the the cold or is a wooden door as 'warm'. Or is the insulating factor dependent on the quality of either door; good composite, good wood is better than cheaper versions of both? 3. Again about insulation, is the 'warm' factor not linked to the body of the door at all but to the fit in the frame? The wooden door we will be replacing, due to the build, will open straight into the kitchen. Hadnt expected this to be quite as confusing. Thanks to those for advising.

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.