We are currently in the middle of construction on our new home. I would love to have hardwood throughout, however our contractor along with others have warned us against installing hardwood in the kitchen.

I would love to have the uniform look especially since our kitchen is open on to our family room.

What are the pros and cons of placing hardwood in the kicthen area?
Are there any particular hardwoods that would be better suited for everyday kitchen wear and tear?
If the dishwasher was to leak or overflow by chance, would that completely ruin the hardwood? (this is a reason we are being advised against this, water damage)

Thanks for all your info.

Listen to those giving you advice. Water and wood simply don't mix, but if you don't mind replacing/repairing when needed.. what the heck// go for it.

Wow, timely post. I am in the process of gutting my kitchen, and flooring material is undecided. The Mullican white oak in the rest of our house is gorgeous, but I'm afraid what would happen to it in the kitchen. It's not just water damage to look out for; you have dropped pots, knives, spaghetti sauce spills, pulling the refrigerator out to clean behind it, etc. I'm leaning towards porcelain tile, as that stuff is like tank armor.

We're in the same dilemma, although due to budgetary constraints, we won't be doing the kitchen remodel until next year. We thought about the tile route, but we spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and it seems that tile would be really hard on the feet and back. We are considering using Cork. Any thoughts on that? If that's negative, we'll likely consider vinyl, as it's soft, water and stain resistant, and warm.

I put hardwood flooring in kitchens all the time. You just need to be reasonable about upkeep. Easier to live on than tile, IMO.