We have hardwood in our entire house except the bedrooms (carpet) and baths & laundry (ceramic tile). If you cook a lot and stand a lot in your kitchen the wood will be easier on your feet than ceramic tile. In my quilting studio/guest house I have stained concrete. I made the mistake of doing it myself and had nothing but trouble, not the least of which was killing my back. I've been on pain meds since March and will probably need surgery. I didn't know I had underlying degenerative disc disease when I did the floor.