Lots of good replies everyone, thanks!

Well it's looking more and more likely that laminate will be laid in the living room in the new year. Oscar just puked up some sunflower oil on the current carpet, so now I'm battling to get that stain out.

I'm thinking of a darker colour like stained oak or walnut to help disguise the muck!

The latest vinyl is very good! I had some laid in my bathroom and downstairs toilet when I bought this house 2 years ago and I get lots of comments about it looking like wood flooring. I've had vinyl laid in the kitchen that is made to look like slate, of course it obviously isn't, but it still looks very smart and is very hard wearing. I'd definitely recommend it, but I don't think I would be able to have it in the living room as well, just personal preference really.

We have laminate and it is so easy to clean. I think it looks nice too.

Downside is, although it is textured, it is still quite slippery for a dog, so no running around allowed. It can be noisy too, with claws and shoes.


For the kitchen though we have gone for tiles.

We have just had some lovely textured laminate laid in our hallway. Its a sort of medium pine colour. Its the first time ever we've had this and I love it! With two dogs in the house its ideal. Its quite a nice thick quality and worked out more expensive than carpet but I'm sure it will last a lot longer.
Dogs don't mind it. They do 'clip clop' around on it but we've got used to the noise now. I would definately recommend it if you have doggies!

I had laminate floors laid a couple of years ago and my old dogs were fine on it. I loved the fact that the house smelt fresher when I walked in as I think carpets hold the doggy smell and it was so easy to keep clean . When I got a pup last year he had major problems with his back legs and couldn't cope so I had to have the flooring covered with fitted carpets. I cannot take him to any of my families houses as he still cannot even stand on their floors so it's still smelly, muddy carpeting for me

Have you had the laminate fitted yet?

I have had both, started with carpet, then got the textured thick oak stuff, that was best. Now have a lighter laminate in this house. It's ok but you notice every little hair, I think I will change to carpet when I can afford it, then it's a simple case of hoovering, not sweeping, mopping, hoovering...

Life saver when the dog was ill though, easy to clean and dries quick, so hygenic too, plus does not hang on to odours.

On the down side, it's not comfy to sit on the floor and play with my pets, can feel a bit "cool" too and I notice one of my cats always has cold pads.
Having carpet will limit things a bit more such as where the dog is allowed straight after a walk, bones etc.

Oh, I used to get peeved at the fact that carpet is expensive and cats would claw it but have now discovered that they just find other stuff to claw instead anyway!

I used to have laminate. It was better than carpets.

I now have real wood flooring and it was worth changing. I have tiles in kitchen / conservatory and intentionally bought ones with texture for the dogs

Sounds a pain, but can you wait and save up for real wood (or real wood laminate). Not slippy like laminate, looks nicer and the look is nice with age whereas laminate looks worse with age.

Vinyl looks nice when it first goes in, after a few months it looks old.

You get what you pay for.

But, wouldn't go back to carpets!

No, sadly my boiler went on the blink 2 days before Christmas so I had to shell out nearly £200 to get my central heating working again! I'm currently trying to claim it back from Northumbria Water though so watch this space!

TBH my house is only small, the living room would easily be covered with a big rug to prevent that cold feeling. I've pretty much made my mind up now though, the carpet is going to be replaced with laminate. I've found a nice antique board oak effect at B&Q which is quite light, but dark enough to hide the hair etc.

Luckily my Cat seems to like to claw my brown runner carpet next to the stairs, quite pleased really cos it's the only bit of furniture in the house I couldn't give a toss about!
Being the only bill payer in the house and with my outgoings almost matching my incomings the saving for more expensive flooring ain't gonna happen I'm afraid! My living room is so small I don't think it'll be too much of a problem on the slippy front and like you say anything is better than carpet!

Only thing I'd say is that sometimes it would be nice to just whizz round with the hoover, instead of all that mopping, on top of hoovering, every time...

I have also discovered that my cats will leave painted skirting boards alone, but will scratch the brand new wood type! Well I say catS, theres really only one to blame there...she does enough for them all though

So if you get new skirtings laid over the laminate, paint or varnish, instead of oil