Hard floors versus carpets

I would love wooden floors. We made this mistake of having a light beige carpet and It shows every mark and GC and DH are always dropping stuff on it. I've virtually given up on it now. It gets vacced but DH is better at actually cleaning it than I am [ grin]

We have just been through this same agonising. In the end we replaced dining room and lounge carpet with carpet. Kitchen and hall are posh laminate and we did think long and hard about continuing this through out. Was put off by thought of having to be careful with computer chair with wheels which has decimated laminate in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Also dining chairs and similar scratching floors. Noise absorption, small children visiting and possible bleakness also considerd.
Still don't know if right decision as cosiness not an issue in June, but I hope it will prove so in the winter.

Thinking about this I realise I don't know anyone with laminate flooring [shocked]
I love the idea of sanded and polished floorboards in communal areas. Unfortunately we have tiled concrete floors downstairs, so carpet in lounge/diner and vinyl in kitchen, lobby and downstairs loo.

My dog slips on laminate flooring at other people's houses. My DD had expensive wooden flooring laid and now she has children has had carpet laid on top of it - softer landing for active toddlers.

I've got carpet throughout except for the kitchen which is slate. Easy to mop but not good when you drop your favourite china! I like the cosiness, warmth and sound absorption of fitted carpets.

All our floors are sanded and varnished floorboards apart from vinyl in the kitchen and loo and ceramic tiles in the bathroom. I find them so easy. I have mohair bedside rugs and a large wool rug in front of the log burner in the sitting room for cosiness. I wouldn't go back to fitted carpets. I love my hard floors.

I have Karndean flooring in the kitchen, dining room, conservatory and downstairs loo. My dogs manage fine.

But I'm sticking to carpet in the living area and bedrooms for now.

Where we lived before we took up all floor coverings and sanded and vanished the wooden floors. Loved that too and dogs coped fine.

I think small dogs can cope but a friends pointer did struggle a bit.

I have had a laminate floor for years and I find it much easier to keep looking nice, just a quick hoover and then a clean with a damp mop. Our neighbours dog has been in the house a couple of times with no problems. My brother had a really expensive wooden floor put down but its not worn nearly as well as my cheaper laminate, in well used pathways its worn quite badly.

I would definitely have it again if it were necessary.