The big debate, do you want the opulent look with the broken glasses and crockery or the homely look and save on your dinnerware?

Cork tiles have been popular for as long as I can remember, they come in and out of fashion, but lets face it are mostly out. The one thing that keeps them hanging in there is that they are so damned practical! They are warm underfoot, cheap to buy, simple to lay, easy to care for, very forgiving when dropping things from high places and are the ideal product when you have small children. The major downside is they are ugly and look cheap! (You can now find colored cork tiles which does provide more options!)

Ceramic tiles, look smart and sophisticated, can be laid to create wonderful designs, are also simple to clean, but they are cold underfoot (unless you go for the underfloor heating option....more money!) often slippery and can chip easy but their worst trait is that they smash anything that falls on them!

As a mother of two little children, I sware by the cork tiles, the amount of plates that bounce, glasses that judo roll on the cork and remain in one piece is really quite staggering. Not to mention easy on toddler's knees as they crawl, and the fact that they already look like someone has thrown up on them does camouflague the odd spill until you can find it, (often by stepping in it.)

So to conclude, ceramic tiles for hotels, the retired couple, childrenless couples or single people and cork tiles for the young family, crazy teenagers and their friends, and rental flats.