"wood" you look at this

Remember our previous post that contained the list of items we wanted? Here is a reminder should you wish to read that novel. Everything in black from the list we are getting. Item's in blue we have  now been advised of the individual prices and we are deciding what path to go down with them.
But one thing I thought I had decided on was the flooring. I really wanted floor boards. I had it in my mind that this is something we would get.
BUT...then we got the quote. It almost took my breathe away when I saw the price. And not in a good way. $8600.00 to cover the hall, kitchen, dining and lounge. A total of 74 square meters. Just a smidgen over our budget. Only by $5000.00. GULP
Matt is wonderful and has let me decide on what we choose to do. He knows how much I love to decorate and knows how much it makes me happy so if I did still want them we could get them.
I was screaming internally saying "no way, you are nuts, that is an over seas holiday, stop thinking of them, it's over, stop it, stop it, stop it"
But for some reason, my brain ignored that and I said I want to go speak to a professional to get their opinion. Was I seriously still contemplating getting them? Unbelievably, yes. So today after watching the opening ceremony in our pj's, we went to a local supplier that specializes in timber flooring and floor tiles to discuss the in's and outs.
I rattled off a list of my concerns (or the con list as it is lovingly known) which consisted of not being able to hear the echo that comes with houses on stumps (which is what I love about the boards), the maintenance of them, the wear and tear, and the overall cost, what if we spill water on them etc. The alarm bell for me (or the aha moment as my beloved Oprah calls it) was when he said if I maintain the upkeep of them by cleaning them every two days then they will be fine. Every two days???? There is no way I will be doing that. Once a week is my floor cleaning capacity and even then I whinge and moan about the whole process.
This was going all wrong (or right-as my sarcastic purse would say). But before I admitted defeat I thought we needed to at least walk on them.
They had an area where you could try them out. So we gave it a go.

These were my favourite, but Matt didn't like them.

We both liked these

After walking on them, the man told us that the grade of the ones we liked were 5.3 which meant they were a "soft" wood. It meant, high heels and other pointed objects would create dints easily. After he said this I saw them in a different light. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love them in houses that have stumps. The noise they make, the grooves that the constant walking creates. If we ever sell and buy a house on stumps it will be floor boards all the way. But for this house it felt all wrong. The cost, the cleaning, the wear and tear all added up to a big fat no.
Just like that. The vision I always had in my mind for our new house was gone. But I was fine, because as we were leaving I saw these tiles. I know I am crazy because I walked in wanting floor boards and I have done a complete 180 I know but don't you think a nice large neutral tile with a matt finish like below would look great. The more I think about it, the more certain I am. We have a lot of wooden furniture and I now feel if we had floor boards they may clash.So it is tiles full steam ahead.

porcelain tiles 600mm by 600mm

 So that is what we did today. What did everyone else do? Anyone else have the flooring dilemma that we had?