I have a 1970's neocolonial tract home that needs new flooring everywhere. Its fairly open, as, from the entry, one can see the living room, dining room, hall to the back of the house and kitchen. All the rooms merge into the next. There is a stairway off the main hall. I'm explaining this because I prefer smooth transitions. The house is 1,994 ft square total, no basement or attic, so I like to keep things tasteful, simple and serene, but not boring. I like to decorate with natural things, wood furniture, woven grass baskets, found items like shells, stones, and feathers. The house exterior is dark brown brick, dark bronze brown windows, and "clay" siding with light stone polymer columns, and dark burgundy red shutters. Patios at front and back of a light grey brown stamped concrete textured like natural slate. I'd also like a smooth transition from indoors to outdoors. I am settled on wood flooring for the upstairs hall and bedroom, maybe walnut, maybe oak. I am stupid about decor. I just want to know what the standard basic floor types would be for a simple natural looking colonial for the entry and kitchen. I envision something stone looking but not rustic. I read porcelain tile is durable and low maintenance and can be made to look like anything. I'm thinking a textured anti-slip surface. And I like grass mats and oriental rugs. The entry is on the north side and fairly dark, but the entry hall shoots straight to the back of the house where the southern exposure lights the way. I think a matte finish would bounce the light without glare. The living room is down one step from the entry/kitchen/dining level and currently in a tight plush carpet in a warm gold/orange that blends with oak. The family room is three steps down from the entry/kitchen level and at the back of the house but visible from the kitchen and currently in a speckled oatmeal shag carpet. What stone appearance should the tile emulate? What size tile would work well and be in good proportion in both the entry hall and kitchen? What shape tile? Square, rectangle, combination? Should I try to get a mid-value (light/dark) color? Lighter? Darker? Right now I have laminate that looks like square tiles and it looks ok. The color is warm gold, so it looks better with the previous owners preference for gold and olive green. Not bad, but it could blend better with the exterior taupe/chocolate/dark cherry vibe. Sorry to be so random in my thoughts.