I have tile and laminate downstairs. I love it. It's so easy to keep clean and very durable. If I had to do over, I would do all tile. I have big area rugs with pads in the living room and small rugs next to the bed and in the bathroom. I don't have any physical problems though. That would definitely make it harder to decide.

It will probably be "a fight to the finish", but we are just about ready to start replacing carpet in front room, dining room and hall. SO at first wouldn't even consider laminate flooring, but I think I have gradually wore him down to where I'm going to be getting laminate. When we added on my sewing room, I had laminate put down and it has been so easy to keep clean as compared to carpet.

When we moved into this house going on 11 years ago, we put Pergo in the kitchen/dining room and a cheaper grade laminate in all the bedrooms. We have 3 dogs and I was tired of stains on carpet. I have a thick pad under my area rug in the living room plus I always have rugs in each room. My floors still look gorgeous, I damp mop them with Murphy’s oil soap in water. I also have foot issues and was told years ago by my podiatrist to wear Birkenstock shoes. There are wonderful brands of shoes to help yours.

We have tile almost everywhere including the master bedroom. The front LR, Dining Room, Kitchen and Den is white tile. Lots of sand here too plus a doggie that doesn't wipe his paws. LOL! You can always add a rug on top of the tile if you like. We have two bedrooms with the laminate wood flooring. Hopefully, soon that will be re-done with tile.

The tile is easy to clean with a dampened micro rag on a swiffer handle. Good luck on your decision!

This is our first home with laminate. We’ve had wall to wall carpet for many years. The ease in cleaning now is amazing. I have trouble walking barefoot but I just wear slippers all the time. Part of this house has Berber carpet and i’m ready to rip every square inch out! I have an 8 X 8 carpet in the front room, more for sound control that anything but I love the laminate. I also have a shark steamer that helps get dust & pet hair under control. But a swiffer is great for daily sweep ups.

Same issues here: We had tile and carpet everywhere. Also live in the country, have two large inside dogs and small grandchildren. My husband & dogs are in and out constantly so taking off shoes is NOT an option. We also live on a gravel/tar/oil road. We ripped out all the carpet except the master bedroom and office/entry as the latter is on a slab (former front porch) We were actually thinking of going wide plank pine with square nails and letting it "weather" the dents and scratches, but decided we didn't want the maintenance of tung oil into our 70s or 80s. We replaced it with sheet vinyl in the bathrooms and snap together vinyl laminate in the rest of the house. It lays on a floating sheet of a "foam like material like a thin bubble wrap", which makes it quieter and softer on the feet. It is a warm brown but not walnut and looks and has the texture of wood. We purchased it at Lowe's and it will not be ruined or warped by water from the dog bowl or a dishwasher leak. We have had it for two years now and love it.
We did put a large inexpensive area rug under the dining room table and in the seating area of the living room. Here is a picture[ATTACH=CONFIG]583810[/ATTACH]as it was being installed in my sewing room and down the hall.

We put in hardwood in our dining room, laundry room and hallway. Dining room and hallway were carpeted. I found I have to wear shoes in those rooms now. I’m wearing sandals with sock (tee hee) because it’s cold now! I bought “dawgs” sandal they are very comfortable! I use a dust mop to clean my wood floors. My friend uses a swiffer!

We had a leak in the house and it went under the laminate in our living room, kitchen and dining room...I had already decided I hated laminate as it was severely gouged and marred from our dogs....and once I used a steam mop on it and it promptly lifted up, never to go down again.
Seeing how much dirt we picked up on the laminate, I knew carpet was going to be filthy so we looked very carefully at what was new in the market...and we found Luxury Vinyl Plank backed with cork...easy and quick to have a professional install it and my goodness, it's gorgeous! It's also so much easier on my arthritic knees and ankle. It's tough as nails and continues to be totally impervious to animals and humans...go investigate. I think the cork backing is important (it's an option) and the entire things is a joy every single day! I cannot tell it isn't wood!! Had this done in Feb and it's still perfect in Nov.

This is an example of vinyl plank and it's the camera angle that shows the joins...you don't see them in real life...and this person has had hers for two years...just do look for the Luxury Vinyl Plank and add the cork backing...it's well worth the money.

Just a thought...I heard a Doctor say that the #1 thing he recommends for seniors (I don't know if you are one, but we will all eventually get there) is CARPET in their home. If you fall, less happens to you if you fall on carpet vs. a hard floor. Personally I would have laminate in the high traffic areas and carpet in the bedrooms :-)