If you are doing in-floor heating (hydronic heating) I would go with tile. If you are not, go with wood. That's from the energy and comfort perspective. It's OK to look at the two options and choose the one that's most attractive. Don't feel like you need to optimize for energy with every decision. Also, both flooring materials are reflective acoustically. Plan your other surfaces accordingly, or you'll drive yourself batty with echoes.

Is it a shell that you need to design, or is there already a kitchen (etc) so you just need furniture help, or...? Maybe a floor plan would help, as well as what you intend to do here -- i.e., is it just to sleep, or do you want to eat, entertain, work, ...?

Hi Gilluan I think either could work but it depends on the layout of your new room. if there is a distinct divide between the two spaces then you can separate the floor coverings. It certainly makes the living area feel warmer and more cosy if you have wooden flooring in that space. Equally a tiled floor is far more practical in a kitchen. I hope that helps, it's difficult to offer any more advice without seeing your plans or a photograph. Good luck!

Hi everyone, Love this page and how amazing ye all are to solve a design problem. We have an old cottage with extension. Cottage is the large room at front 4.5m x 6.3 and extension is everything beyond 6.3 x 7.5m. There will be 3 bedrooms and bathroom upstairs, 2 above original cottage. We have redone roofs and floors, exterior doors and windows over time, this is a lengthy project as the funds just aren't there to do it all in one go. My issue is the design, I am looking at it every day for almost 2 years and keep changing. There is a load bearing wall at the back between two rooms. Services really need to be at back as cottage is very thick stone walls and would be nightmare for these self builders. The original layout has kitchen in the middle and bedroom out back with bathroom. We need a bedroom downstairs as 3 upstairs and we need 4 as 5 of us, too big age gap between boys, 14 years. There is a cottage next door to the right hence lack of windows there. There is a steel beam, dotted line to make space bigger. Please help. Major changes might not be afforded as we might never get it. Thanks