The post is quite old, but since it is sure to be read again and again, I will still give my two cents. We are getting design flooring throughout the entire house. I don’t want parquet; it’s too much effort to sand it down and re-oil it after a few years, wood just needs to be maintained. Tiles are too cold for me. I work in a large facility for people with disabilities, and we have design flooring in all living groups. It is very durable; whether 20 residents walk on it daily or wheelchairs are driving over it, it always looks like new... Besides, it is pleasantly warm underfoot and I think it looks great! A friend has a smooth sanded oiled parquet, which looks more artificial than our design flooring, which, when you touch it, is slightly uneven due to its wood look and embossing.