I agree with Gallifrey, gloss and no stain is the way to go. Our brush box floors are nearly 20 years old and survived our youngest son rollerblading and riding his trike the length of our house. Yes, it does show dust a bit more, but it is much harder wearing.

For the Finish go with a 2 Pack Oil Based Polyurethane, can Last well up to 30 years depending on Brand and Traffic over the floors, we use it on some of the Bar Tops we have Done and it is Bullet Proof. My Favorite part of it is its easy to clean. And a Secret way of Polishing small areas is using Car Polish and a Rag and brings it up like new.. only down Side is maybe after 10 years or So it MAY start to Yellow. You can also get different types of Finish either High Gloss or Normal, again Depending on Brand. We Used Wattles 2 Pack Polyurethane 7008

I think you really can't go wrong with Natural White, but I would try continuing the Grey Pebble and just being mindful of introducing surfaces that will reflect the light such as a big mirror, a large light coloured print and some light timber furniture. And of course it's a great opportunity to introduce some amazing lighting!

If you are using real spotted gum timber as a feature floor then a fake, spotted gum-like laminate won't match exactly and will look cheap. If budget constraints limit you to a laminate kitchen select a plain colour that complements the spotted gum floor that does't try to be something else. Laminex Industries has a great range of plain colours as a starting point, but there are lots of other manufacturers in the market place. Don't go with a generic white kitchen that provides a stark contrast to the visual warmth of the floor. Honesty in materials is an elegant way to work with a tight budget. Best of luck with your selections, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls