Ok here is a photo i just found...This is Queensland Spotted Gum, which is more varient than the NSW Spotted Gum. Friends that have seen it say how gorgeous and different it is...and so so glad we didn't end up going with blackbutt :)

Did you decide which timber to use. Carpet squares work well just make sure the over locked edge isn't too tight as it will cause the carpet to curl up, you can also use sisal the same way which you can take outside and hose down. With your table and chairs on timber it's all a bit timber and would be an idea to just keep the two carver chairs at the end of the table and introduce some other chairs to soften the setting, could also be better chairs for little ones to sit in.

Hi Jacki, firstly congratulations on your new home, what an exciting time for you! My recommendation would be to go with tiles because they are more durable. There are many different tile options for all sorts of budgets, usually the ceramic tiles are cheaper than porcelain, more prone to cracking though. The porcelain tiles are fired at a higher temperature so they're more durable. Then you have rectified tiles and pressed edge tiles. If you prefer the grout lines to be smaller go with a rectified tile, grout lines are around 1.5mm rectified, pressed edge grout lines are 3-5mm. I will warn you though, tilers do charge a little bit more to lay rectified tiles as it takes them longer to lay. The best finish in my opinion would be lapparto which is in between glossy and matt. Polished tiles are a pain to clean, you will always see footprints no matter how often you clean.

Preserve the hardwood floors as is. You don’t want to devalue and down grade them in an attempt to match an inferior product. Where will the old floors meet the new? We can provide some advice on the transition. Embrace the quirks of your house, it gives them character that new builds will never have. You can get quite good engineered wood for the rest of the house (I hate carpet also) and hopefully you can find something that works.