Hello! Saw you posted this awhile ago, have you sourced the rug yet or are you still looking?

That is true alright, though even with a patterned carpet they usually keep a mat for people to wipe their feet on by the door, or if people like to remove boots or shoes when entering ( not that common here) but great idea. The trouble with the patterned carpet was if anything fell on the floor you could hardly find it !!

Thank you guys. I went to the carpet showroom today and the guy there was not very helpful. Just threw a few books at me. So I am none the wiser really. But there would not be as much selection here in Ireland as what you would have in the states. I won't give up though, I saw a few ones with speckles on it and they were nice but I think I will hold out for the pattern ones if I see them. Maybe what I want is not out there..... Wont see any dirt, only have to Hoover once a week, no foot marks and light in color ??

I disagree. This is standard whitewood T&G flooring. It's generally laid across joists by builders on the first floor of two storey houses as a cheap subfloor ready to take a floor finish. I've seen it sanded and varnished / stained and while it looks OK for a few months, it doesn't wear well as it's a (very) soft wood and is very noisy, particularly in the rooms under. If you want a wood finish without breaking the bank, there are some good laminates that you can lay over the T&G boards. A semi-engineered board would be better but will cost a bit more.