Of course the easiest way to do what you want to do is to install a different width in the kitchen and use something to act as a transition between the two floors. If the kitchen section will be at the same finished height and you can and want to weave new into the old, then you will have to have oak milled to your 2 1/2" size. Not impossible, but will cost more than factory runs at the usual widths. I don't have pics for you, so I hope someone does and can post them for you.

One consideration the flooring substrate. If your handle indicates that you are in TX, most construction there is slab on grade and you cannot use solid hardwood on slab on grade. Only engineered wood is recommended for that type of installation. Yes, they have developed some paint on type of moisture barriers that they say will keep the solid wood floors from becoming damaged from the moisture wicked up through the slabs, but I don't know of a single flooring professional who would put solid wood on concrete in their own homes. There are some wide plank engineered wood floors available, but they are far fewer than the solid plank ones. They are also generally more costly because of the additional man hours in labor to manufacture the flooring. And watch out, so much stuff is manufactured in China these days. That can be good, as in the well known manufacturer owns the plant and employs the labor directly and controls the whole process. Or it can be bad as in the simply put a contract out for a finished product at a low price and have zero input into how that product is manufactured or the quality control that exists for it.

ken-i don't mean to hijack this thread, but are you referring to the italian brand stile? i am considering them for a new build but have recently seen some engineered square edge with a 5mm and even 6mm wear layer that i believe are U.S. based. i think those have to be site finished, though, is that right? could i get the stile look by using the bona traffic hd or naturale? i don't mind staying at 5-3/16 width in order to get the square edge, but a 7" would be better for our room. any other brands that you can recommend? thanks in advance!

I'm prepared to swiffer daily - or make the kids, LOL! Thank you! I was going for a "modern farmhouse" look at first, but the farther we go into things, it ended up being more transitional/classic than rustic. I do have a farmhouse sink coming in, but the cabinets and counters aren't really rustic. Although there will be a stone arch way...hmmmm.