From what I understand the L shaped halls are both 18 feet in length. One L has an entrance door across from a window & opening to a balcony balcony and 3 bedroom doors staggered on both sides and the other L is connected to an open kitchen. The window-balcony area sounds beautiful and that is the focal point for that part of the hallway. These hall floors and walls are going to receive a lot of use and abuse from those going to & from bedrooms and kitchen. The flooring should be of good quality so it will stand up to the heavy traffic. Carpeting, hard wood, slate or tile: it's your choice but again quality is key. Carpeting in the hall helps decrease noise & is soft underfoot and I would choose carpeting. I like a plain color, with a pattern cut pile so it does not show wear and tear. I've had good luck with Stainmaster. I would train myself and family members to remove shoes & wear slippers in the house. This will help keep carpet clean. http://stainmaster.com/page/our-carpets/styles/pattern-cut-pile The walls will receive hard use, too, so they might be painted in a quality washable paint (eggshell?). Long halls can look a little tunnel-like: place a wall-art at the end of any long hall. The wall art at the end of the hall will seem to shorten the tunnel-effect and will make the hall more interesting. Choose a rather large piece of art that is bright and cheery. Here is a photo You could also buy a wall decal for the end of the hall: you place the decal on the wall and it also comes off with no residue. This decal is large bright and fun, but this company (& other decal companies) have many to choose from http://dalidecals.com/Framed-Wild-Flowers-Printed-Wall-Decals-Stickers-Graphics.html It seems people will be passing the bedrooms on the way to the kitchen quite often. If you're having guests, think of keeping the bedroom doors closed, in case the bedrooms are a mess. ;-)

"Good", "durable", "all time fashionable" = solid hardwood. of course, you didn't mention anything more than that. So we have to offer what we have. Hardwood out lasts tile by 50 years. Tile is the next 'toughest'. Of course "stone" will outlast everything...but you don't mention what you want it for.

What a beautiful house, Shahbaaz! I live in a similar house - a 150-year-old colonial bungalow in Kumaon. You have already received lots of excellent advice from better-qualified people, so all I would say is, keep its age and heritage character the central theme. The white tiles do clash, I am afraid ... flooring with terracotta tiles would echo the roof and look lovely. The columns and the arches over the doors and windows are amazing. But I'd say, leave it all chuna-painted - there's a beauty and softness to it. Don't let the painters add too much neel (indigo) in the limewash -- in the hills where I live, they put far too much if I don't watch out and the result is a harsh white. Natural lime has a softer, creamy look.

@corner Stone designs. sorry if I had given an impression it mud slinging. but objectively speaking the suggestion to go for a chimney just because someone asked for it instead of addressing the real issue us not what I intended to do. one has to understand all the negatives as well veggie going in for a decision . just like you have the right to suggest there is nothing wrong in pointing out the issues in the proposed solution. none of us are internet warriors but most of us are "sold" items that we will never need in our life by creating an illusion. I know that dinner call it business but I am not in such one and I have the luxury to call a spade a spade. Even now the person who asked for is not sure in what they want but they think that a chimney will solve the issue. engineering doesn't work that way. unless we know what the real issue us, which isn't clear if it is the smoke or the smell and the your of food cooked, the frequency, the 80/20 utility of the kitchen we are not even close to understanding the problem. my intent is to emphasize the importance of understanding the problem and then look for issue and not provide a ready made solution. we can all suggest something by seeing a picture that fire will come and catch the chef if it is located in the window but do you think that what you say is practical. you may construct this as much slinging be as a novice I have a genuine question. how many houses have such a fire accident. we don't even know if the stove is electric or gas. if it is electric then they just no question of fire. so I encourage you to objectively approach and not see this as a mud slinging thing as that's not the point.