Originally Posted by KAdams4458

I can't imagine living 150 miles from an Ikea. Don't get me wrong, some of their lower end stuff is not terribly great, but the higher priced items are fine. Ask my wife, the Ikea Master. It is our intention to buy a distressed, outdated home in the future, and we fully intend to use Ikea for the kitchen cabinets and counters at the very least.

As for flooring, I personally despise vinyl floors. Sure, they're easy and cheap to install, but they always seem to come in patterns that become quickly dated, and they just don't hold up well. If you like the slate and you don't mind putting the extra sweat in the project, I say go for it. It'll look better and last longer. Cheaping out on home improvement projects always bites people in the ass later.