Timber with timber can work brilliantly, and it's in keeping with the mid century style you want for your home. This room (below) is a little similar to yours, albeit with less of a pitch to the roof - the large feature lighting helps to break up the expanse of timber on the ceiling. You have a lovely open plan area, so I'd be inclined to use rugs to create zones and a cosy feel. Rugs reduce the impact of a large expanse of flooring material. They have the benefit that you can swap things around to change the look and layout at little cost. I think one trick may be to define your "walls" carefully, and paint these before you go with a new floor. This should give you a sense of whether the timber is overwhelming, and how to balance it. E.g. You might decide it works best to paint the kitchen cupboards to white, to give you a more seamless look and work with your new counter tops. If you want to experiment with the "paint ceiling" approach - gulp, it's a big one!! - then maybe that small section above the kitchen bench, at a different angle to the rest of the roof, could be the spot. It seems to have the same horizontal line as the wall, so even if you don't like the painted look for the whole, you might be able to get away with blending this into the walls. Best of luck!

I will be the loan naysayer and go: Vinyl Plank timber pattern tiles. I did these in my kitchen and they helped make the room. Used Karndean, but any European brand should be fine (avoid American and assume they are using American or worse if they don't say the country of origin). http://www.karndean.com/en-au/floors/landing-pages/new-looselay-longboard?gclid=CjwKCAjwspHaBRBFEiwA0eM3kQ7eEFPH5FlK2IwV3o7ZsbbmJ19srG0OM_tWK5dhPMNyDdwxGPUr4BoCoYcQAvD_BwE Caveats: Ground must be FLAT. 100% flat, ruler FLAT. If not you will have to level. If flat, you can lay them yourself. Our floor had to be levelled and it was tough. still got a few high patches and gaps because of that. However I have done it on a concrete surface myself since and it's beautiful. Benefits: Nice and soft on the foot. (less ankle pain) single tile replacement. Looks fantastic. No PVC glue fume issues and fairly resilient. Do be wary though of metal chair legs scraping the floor. Waterproof! when installed right with no gaps! (why I would choose them in a kitchen over timber or Eeek carpet!.... Yes previous owner installed shagpile carpet in the kitchen).

underfloor heating can be installed under some new floating floors and fitted carpets but you'd need to contact the manufacturers of the flooring and heaters to confirm precise conditions to suit your existing timber floor but we have an electric blanket style floor heater that slips underneath an area rug and is excellent for keeping feet warm under a table or desk and just plugs into a wall outlet ...we're very happy with our Coldbuster heaters that can be ordered on line in various sizes but first try some large area rugs for instant insulation that can be removed in hot weather

What comes to mind when you think about cladding costs? Perhaps material costs are the first thing that comes to mind. There are many factors beyond the purchase price of materials that need to be considered for a project. Best practice is looking at the long-term value of the project and asking yourself what cladding type will give you the best possible outcome. How hard is it to install? Another cost front of mind may be the installation cost of a cladding product. Installation costs will vary depending on your choice of cladding material. Inflexible and heavy materials such as brick, fibre cement and timber can require additional transport costs to get them to site. Some of these products may also require specialised labour and equipment for installation, therefore, increasing completion times and costs. A flexible and lightweight system, however, is easily transported and easy to install, saving you on both time and money. How long will it last? Some materials are made to last a lifetime. While some are at the mercy of the elements and require ongoing maintenance and replacement. In areas of extreme weather conditions, cladding types that are susceptible to rotting, warping, splintering or fading are not ideal for the project. Cladding that easily wears will require repainting, re-staining or even removing – adding significant costs onto a project over time. It is also important to ensure your cladding product is safe and compliant with Building Code of Australia – Since the onslaught of recent tower fires Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) have been restricted. If you use or have used this cladding you may be mandated by the law to remove and replace it – another costly exercise. How does it look? Eveyone’s goal is to make their project or home attractive for many years to come. The warmth timber delivers is a popular building aesthetic – but finding a product that looks great and can remain looking aesthetically pleasing is a difficult task. While natural timber may be an obvious choice, if it is not maintained it will warp, splinter and start presenting an unpleasant appearance. Vinyl claddings are cheaper and claim to be timber-like in appearance. However, they often disappointment with their visibly plastic looking texture. Powder-coated, sublimated aluminium cladding can achieve the natural look and feel of timber, without the issues of rotting or fading. This allows your cladding to remain visually appealing for years! DecoClad Looking for a cladding system that is durable, easy-to-install and appealing to the eye? Look no further than DecoClad! Made from solid aluminium, the sublimated, powder-coated cladding system provides a rich and textured timber grain finish for your project. DecoClad retains its beautiful appearance in extreme weather conditions. The Super Durable finish protects the cladding from wear and tear, eliminating the necessity for on-going maintenance other than cleaning. The solid aluminium profiles are light weight, fire-safe and very easy to install and transport. To find out more about cladding costs, what to look out for and how all aspects of cost can affect your project visit www.deco.net.au.