Here's a view of the intersection of my center hall (medium-stained oak), family room (dark-stained maple) and breakfast area (light porcelain). The other side of the breakfast area has yet a fourth flooring material (cork). A lot of people like the continuity that a single flooring material provides, and I definitely appreciate that. I prefer cozier, more distinct spaces, and like the differentiation that the flooring types provide.

lovinlife what exactly do you have for heating/cooling now? let me be certain I am clear; part of home is on slab, part has a crawl space? attic over both parts of home? since you have propane,I would most likely go with Heat Pump. the question is whether one unit or two. my suggestion is to call a dealer in your area for recommendations. IMO

Ok, so my DH brought it home and..... I don't like it :( Sometimes things have a way of growing on me but I don't think that this will. And, of course, the cabinet isn't finished yet so it's a bit hard to see it and judge with the cabinet looking the way it does above rather than the rest of the cabinets. My complaints - I think it'll be too dark. It's the darkest thing in the kitchen and it's basically the longest uninterrupted stretch of counter (the area next to it is 112 but that includes the sink) so it seems very visually prominent. I'm not a huge fan of the strips of wood next to the strips of wood in the floor. The finish on it is pretty shiny and somehow it appears very lifeless and flat - DH commented that it looks like laminate! I realize that this could be changed with a different finish on it. The positives - it looks really nice with the dark wainscotting in the dining room. It's not in the dining room of course but the view through is nice. The wood itself is pretty gorgeous. The colors and patterns are SO pretty. I'm thinking now that I need a different wood species. I think I'd prefer something that's more in keeping with the colors in the floor. Anyone have any recommendations? I'm thinking about sapele, mahogany, cherry, teak and maple. I think I'd probably prefer a plank style so that it's not as visually similar to the floor. Any thoughts or recommendations are appreciated!!

You don't want people to notice it very much but you want it as a focus point. That's a contradiction. I would do the first picture with the white trim so people can see it looks nice but not focus on it. A better look at the structure would be nice too for Joe and the rest of us to know its solid before you cover it up. Joe brings up a good point, I'm not convinced the whole thing is done right based on those pictures. Does the beam support the perpendicular joists that support your kitchen ceiling / second floor?