We had to make an insurance claim due to a flooded bathroom. The vinyl in the bathrooms and all of the engineered wood will be replaced. I'm finding it difficult to decide on what to replace it with. I'm leaning toward wood again, but I keep hearing about higher end laminate and how it could be a better fit for our family- we have five children and two large dogs. Any thoughts on wood vs. engineered wood vs. high end laminate? I would love something durable but don't want something weird and plastic looking. Is high end laminate a real thing or is it all the same basic idea?

The areas where the wood is being replaced are the hallways, our living room, dining room and an adjoining family room- all open to each other.

The second part of the question is should I add the kitchen floor to the project on our own dime? Right now it's tile, 12 x 12, slippery when wet, the grout makes me crazy... I can't stand it basically. But, is it wise to put wood in a kitchen? I see it done a lot on here and love the look, but have to wonder if big families with big dogs live in those lovely homes. :)

I'm happy to attach an image of the floor plan if that would be helpful. Thanks for any input and opinions and real life experiences. :)