(Photo: Billy Jim)

The Best Bet
At first, leather may seem an unlikely floor material, no match for melting, salty snow or stabbing stilettos. But these hand-dyed, hand-stamped tiles are rubbed with wax and are more durable than might be expected—plus, they’re a lot warmer on bare feet than frigid tile. And the more you wear and tear them, the more they develop a satiny patina, especially if you wipe them regularly with cleaner (see next). Ann Sacks Cowden Bell tiles start at $62.33 per square foot (204 E. 58th St., nr. Third Ave.; 212-588-1920; and 37 E. 18th St., nr. Broadway; 212-529-2800).