Flooring in a lounge/diner-suggestions please!

[sammysam]

We're just in the process of decorating our new house, starting with the lounge/diner. The carpet at the moment is very old and worn. We have dd (4 on fri)and dd (9months). The carpet under the dining table is disgusting. We don't manage a single meal without something being spilt on the floor be someone!

The obvious solution would be wood or laminate but DH does not like it and says there is no way he'll have the whole room wood.
I know that new carpet + messy dd's (and dh!)= stress and arguments about the carpet (mainly from dh!)

2 questions: Is carpet a really bad idea?
Would half wood, half carpet work and look ok?

Does anyone have experience, suggestions to help me?! Thank you!

1. yes, carpet is a really bad idea - also have carpet under dining table, and it's a nightmare.

2. Half and half can work fine - our kitchen area is tiled, helps visually zone the room.

But like you I'd want the all wood option. A large rug in the lounge area might be a compromise solution? Would be easier to replace clean when it does get trashed dirty

At our old house we had laminate in the lounge/diner. We've now moved and have carpet in the separate rooms. Laminate/wood is definitely better in the dining area as it's much easier to clean. Ds (3) generally gets some of his dinner on the floor, and carpet can be a bit difficult to clean (am thinking especially of tomato-based pasta sauces - the stains haven't quite come off) - we're thinking of replacing the carpet in the dining room with wood now.

However, especially when ds was younger, I found the laminate floor in the lounge really cold and uncomfortable when I was sitting/crawling around on the floor with ds. It's really hard on your knees, so it must also be uncomfortable for children. We did get a rug for that end of the room when ds started crawling, the only problem with it was we had to anchor it underneath pieces of furniture to stop it moveing around the room. Luckily the rug was big enough to cover most of the crawling space in the small room, and we could anchor it under the sofa at one end to keep it in place.

We have real wood laminate throughout the lounge / diner. The lounge part has a very large (but fairly cheap) rug. It is anchored under 2 sofas, so it does not move. I think this is the best compromise - carpet under a dining table is going to get filthy with DCs, and the rug makes playing on the floor much more comfortable.

Thank you. I just don't know what to do. DH is so anti wood/laminate as he says it's too hard/cold/noisey etc but I just know he is going to get so cross when the carpet gets filthy! Plus i'm really looking forward to it being all nice new and clean-I want to be able to relax a bit at mealtimes not constantly telling off, running to kitchen etc.
He now says we should get a cheap rug for under the table i'm not sure how this will help me to keep the floor clean?

Anyone who has half and half-does it look ok and how have you joined the two?