Hi bagpu55, thanks for your comment, you will find that the level of scratches that come through on the sealer will depend on the type of gloss sealer used. Polyurethane or solvent based sealers last a lot longer and are much more durable, even with animals present. Having said this, the negatives are that solvent based products take some time for the strong smell to escape in a confined environment and are not the most eco-friendly of products. And eventually the scratches will come through particularly in high traffic areas. As for the dust, the gloss will show it a bit more. Based on the fact that you do have a number of animals in your home, you probably will not regret going with the matt finish. The concrete won’t have the ‘wet’ shinny look, but you also won’t be sitting on your couch possibly looking at a lot of scratches on the floor when the light hits it just so. A possible compromise is a satin finish sealer. It will provide some shine and enhancement to the floor without showing as many scratches. I hope this helps you out a bit. Good luck with your choice and post some pics of what your finished floor looks like. Always great to see the finished product!

Hi All, It sounds like tumeric and grease are the worst culprits for staining. We are looking to put the Cloudburst in our kitchen as our island and backsplash, but I'm very nervous. I love to cook and host. I also LOVE the look of this stone and would like to make it work if we can. Are there any bakers on this thread that have experience with these countertops? If you are rolling out dough or baking with greasy dough, how has that experience been? What if you get butter/oil on it? Any tips? Do you cover the counter before doing your baking etc.? I imagine beet juice would also be a nightmare?

Happy home - the gold light is from beacon, it's called the aksel pendant (they have a few different styles in this range). The grey one over the dining table is from West Elm - it is called the mobile chandelier, we have the smaller size, but it comes in a larger version too - http://www.westelm.com.au/mobile-chandelier-large-w1885?quantity=1&attribute_1=Antique%20Brass Both light fittings are still available. Thanks to everyone else for the suggestions, it's going to be a tough decision - and the bigger issue will be finding two rugs, as I will no doubt need one under the dining table and another in the lounge area. So finding two, that work together in a complimentary way... eeek!

The builder can only work the concrete with what is provided. Most concrete is poured with the expectation that it will be covered by tiles, floor boards or carpet. For the result that you are after, this would firstly depend on the type of concrete that is poured. this website is very informative. http://www.specfloors.com.au/home/polished-concrete-options