I have just taken a couple more pictures (excuse the untidy house) from the stairs. As you can see it's an open plan area that isn't that big but very high ceilings also in wood (Macrocarpa) with dark wooden beams. The house is surrounded by bush so quite a dark house. I initially considered a darker wood similar to the beams but not sure if that will make the house appear smaller / darker...I'm really not sure what to do!?!?!? Thanks

I love a QUALITY paint job. Few people know the ins and outs of a quality paint job but, a seasoned painter for INTERIORS will have many techniques and processes to dial up the end result. I love my painter and I listen closely to his advice and he is so expert (40 years) and good that he makes it look effortless. BUT IT'S NOT. Will find and post favorite picture of painted trim here. I think the secret is style and proportion of trim and then the quality of the finishing. Did you know most paint curing really needs 2 to 3 weeks to set up as a really good tough finish? "In a hurry" is the curse we mostly experience for improving interiors. I wonder sometimes how different things would be if people took the right amount of time to do things in the time frame related to that finishing task!

You have "wear through" which is when the finish is pierced and the wood is exposed to the elements. The dark areas are where dirk/water/mud have stained the floor. It is possible to get this out... but probably not all the way. A floor that has wear through needs to be sanded right down, stained (if you wish) and then refinished. Patching can occur...but it is almost always a waste of time because the "look" can be very different from the original sitting right next to it. I don't recommend it for your situation. The second photo shows the deep scratching. Ideally, you would have had your floors looked after BEFORE wear-through occurs. There are some "regular" scratches to the Left in photo 2. You can see it is visible...but no discolouration....THAT is where you draw the line. The darker "wear through" to the Right in photo 2 = too late = full sand and refinish. If you catch it BEFORE wear-through, you can do a "buff and coat". This is a light sanding with a few coats of high end finish over top. The buff and coat is roughly half the price (in Canada at least) as a full sand/refinish. For this reason it is important to catch the floors before you get to this level of scratching.. That being said, you now get to pick some stains (test patch, test patch, test patch). The first photo shows two different woods...you could ask to see if the lighter would could be matched to the darker wood (lots of testing to achieve this). It won't be pefect...but then again you wouldn't have used reclaimed building materials if you were after "perfect". The match can lessen the colour variation to a more manageable (design wise) level. As for "good for dogs" - natural colour of wood = best colour for scratches. A lower gloss (like a satin) can help. You can ask for the "best" finish with scratch resistance that comes in a can. You will pay a premium for it...but it could/should save you thousands of dollars over the long run. A highend, scratch resistant finish means you can get away with the cheaper buff and coats (every 7-12 years...or so) and be able to retain the original (expensive) finish for the full 25 years. The other thing to note: dogs claws require trimming 2-4 PER MONTH when working with hardwoods. This is what the hardwood flooring refers to as "routine" trimming. Some of my clients thought "2-3 PER YEAR" was "routine". I laughed. You have heavy, high energy, powerful dogs. A single lab can cause some damage over time. Two labs can do a number on a floor. Three labs and you have a very short lived hardwood finish. You have 7. I would find the most expensive, scratch resistant finish available in Australia. I would have the maximum amount of finished put your floors (you will pay extra) it and I would budget for a "buff and coat" every 5-7 years.

There are more cons than pros, I'm afraid. Near black floors will show every speck of dust and need constant maintenance. They also will suck up a lot of light, so you need to add lots of extra lighting. If they are shiny, they also show marks just as a mirror does. They are not the best for re-sale properties either, as most people prefer something more medium toned for the long term. I recommend going with a more classic floor, and then adding black accents in furniture, etc. Your kitchen could be mostly white cabinets with some very dark stained sections. Here are some ideas from modern to traditional. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.