@Emmaline. ..just to assure you that whoever mentioned fuzzy toilet seats mistated this. No, they are not actually put on the SEAT. These are not so popular, I don't think, as they were 30 years ago but what they are is a matching rug toilet LID cover. I remember there used to be tank covers but my memory is vague on that. The tank thing might have been the tank LID also. In old days, bathroom sets had the bath mat, the mat with a cut out to allow it to fit around the toilet on the floor, the seat LID cover. They got picked up and washed regularly with the bath mat. I'm not sure if that wasn't better than stepping in male drippings. Better? Worse? We had no males in our household so it was nice to keep feet warm up in winter. My mom was a really good housekeeper so...anyway that was a looong time ago and it was the lid, not the seat itself. I could see how that would be so wrong on every level.

Definitely hard surfaces all the way - you can refinish them when they get tired and are really practical for children/pets/outdoors lifestyle. We used a mixture of new polished concrete, exposed flagstones and original elm boards at our miner's cottages and don't find it cold or austere.

A room will naturally feel warmer when the floor is carpeted and your feet will enjoy sinking into a nice velvet or shagpile especially in the bedroom, also your downstairs neighbours will appreciate it, but nothing quite compares to the look and feel of a beautifully stained or varnished solid wood floor and a well laid and maintained floor will always add value to a home.

dark carpet or carpet that flows. what are peoples thoughts?