I'll bet you can match that original floor.

Use a pattern wood floor such as chevron, herringbone or some geometric shape.

Match the original or do something completely different not wood. IMO if you do a mismatch it will always look like you couldn’t afford all the floor at the same time. What is it you don’t like about the floor in the rest of the house ?Maybe the best answer is to have the old floors done in the color you like and the new floors the same.

I would not try to match that floor either - I don’t care for the color. I would definitely do a stone look tile or LVT.

Refinishing ballpark $4/sq ft

Thanks for the info. So I guess different wood isn't going to work in the kitchen...so I guess I should ask about the adjacent family room as well. The family room has a step-down and we thought that would be enough of a delineation to do a different color wood there (probably a really dark brown). Originally to match the kitchen but obviously not now. Tile isn't really an option in the family room I think so if we don't do a different wood there it would either have to be a matching wood or a different carpet. Here are a couple photos. Thoughts?

ozziegt, I think you should live in it for a year. You are in a quandary about what to do, so I think if you live with it, you will have a better idea of what will function for you and your family.

It is *possible to add the SAME type of wood (same species, plank width, cut) to the kitchen/living room AND THEN stain it a different colour. This is NOT ideal....but many people have done it this way to get the colour they want without doing a sand/refinish over EVERYTHING.

My ONE suggestion to you: check the WEAR DAMAGE on the original hardwood. If this floor is 15 years or OLDER than you have a FULL SAND/refinish coming very, very soon! And as you have already stated, you have a family of 5 that is going to be hard to "move out".

So take the time NOW to identify WHEN that existing hardwood is GOING TO NEED the sand/refinish. A hardwood finish has a life expectancy of 20 - 25 years. That's why you want to find out how OLD that finish is. And find out how much "wear damage" that exists TODAY. These two things will tell you how SOON you MUST REFINISH these floors.

If...and I really mean it here...if these floors are close to 20 years old AND they are showing WEAR that needs fixing, I HIGHLY recommend you do it all at once! As in right now. And if you need to do it all right now, you might as well get a matching floor for the kitchen. If it is needed, do everything right now.

Have a good look at the existing hardwood and then make a decision.

My suggestion would be to keep the same species of floor from the hallway into the kitchen. If you can stand it, keep the same width as what is existing as a flooring pro can weave in the hallway into the kitchen. BUT, if you wanted a wider plank you can certainly do that as well. If you choose a wider plank, I recommend a flush saddle rather than a T-molding for the transition between each space. Then you can sand and refinish both areas in the same color so they match. Having two different widths is better than 2 different color and species of hardwood.

OR,

Choose a different style of flooring all together for the kitchen, A tile for example. I would shy away from the luxury vinyls that look like hardwood simply because it will look a bit off next to real solid wood.

Couture Floor has a few good pointers. By the sound of the "age" of the floor, you are looking at a full sand and refinish in the next 7 years...or LESS.

You are looking for wear PATTERNS in the entrance ways. If you can see deep gouges that look to have exposed/raw wood, then you are looking at a full repair in the next 1-2 years.

If you have any photos (either on line or from your private device) about the floors (look in the entrance way and under runners in hallways, etc). Turn on the lights or bring a flash light for dark hallways. Shine them on the floor to see how much damage we are working with.

When people go through a home, they RARELY pay attention to the floor (not in detail at least). I'm one of those few (I love the floor mosaics in the Sistine Chapel....the ceiling wasn't my focus!).

If you have any more photos to share, we would be happy to do our best with what you have.

Since you "step down" (aka death trap) into the living room then I HIGHLY recommend using tile, preferably darker than the hardwood (and then use the same new tile in the kitchen). You can put a large rug down in the living room if you don't like all the tile.

I have a sunken living room too and my foyer and living room are all hardwood and people trip! It's no surprise we don't see this in new builds...

Just stumbled upon this thread...wondering ozziegt what you did? Here is my current situation, any ideas and comments appreciated!

My home: common areas are open concept...large foyer, dining room, long hallway, great room and kitchen all visible w minimal walls, foyer and GR are 2 story ceilings. All rooms but GR are dark espresso stained wood. GR is (light, off white) carpet, which we hate. GR floor meets kitchen on shorter side and hallway that flows into foyer on longer. 1 wall on other short side opposite kitchen, wall of windows/French doors opposite hallway. Would be very difficult to match current stain, thinking to do a very light ashy/gray/taupe (no yellow undertones) herringbone pattern wood in GR. Some kind of creative transitions. HELP! I can't decide if it would be amazing or awful. Comments please! Here is a pic of what I am thinking.

Your example is espresso wood on on the R. and wood-look TILES in a herringbone on the left.

Please post photos of your own situation. We can help from there. Why would it be too difficult to match the existing stain?

Re staining the whole area if we put down the same species of wood is not something we want to do, though necessary. The wear on the current stain/floor would be in huge contrast to new. The photo example, whether the white is tile or wood, is what we are contemplating, in wood. No, tile is not an option for a umber of reasons of what is under the current carpet. Will post pics. Thank you!

I have the same exact situation as original poster. I’m putting in a new kitchen with white cabinets and trying to replace 80s style tile to match existing hardwood oak floor with prefinished Armstrong hardwood or a slate stone. Anyone have an opinion? Pic 1 are the two floors where they meet each other. Pic 2 Is a sample of the countertop and the slate tile I am also considering. I think I have very poor vision and need help from a good designer , thanks!

You have site finished hardwood. Please do not try to 'match' a site finished floor with a factory finished floor. It can look obvious to those of us who can see the difference.

Although the factory finish floor was almost identical, my contractor insists that it will not whether it’s the finish and the sheen or the color. What do you think of the slate tile color?

I'm guessing the 'slate tile' is the two little squares of 'gray' in one of your photos? It should do just fine.

Any updates?

I’m going with the slate tile from Porcelainosa. It’s beautiful with a lot of white stuff in it and looks great next to hardwood floor and matches fireplace hearth too. Thanks for your help SJ McCarthy!

BTW, any tips on how to clean up the slate hearth?

We ended up going with a dark walnut finish and large light gray tiles.

HU,,love that tile. is it real slate or a porcelain?

I had slate in my kitchen for 14 years and it was pretty easy.

if it's real slate, rinse it well (if you can outside and let dry) apply a sealer to the TOPS only. don't let it drip down the sides. This will be greatly appreciated when it comes time to lay the tile. if you don't seal it first, thinset and grout gets stuck to it and it's almost impossible to completely clean off. So make sure they're sealed first before install.

Once installed, see if a few drops of water on the tile sits there or gets absorbed. if the latter, apply another coat of sealer.

they have an enhancing sealer or one that won't change the color at all. (you do want a penetrating sealer not something that sits on top)

Enhancing sealer will darken and enrich the color of the stone. once done, it can't be undone so try it on a spare piece first. I would say that your light gray will darken considerably w/an enhancing sealer. You may like it better, so try it on a sample.

the non-enhancing won't change anything. get a satin or flat finish.

as for the hearth, you've got a stain on there. get a natural stone poultice (at HD or tile stores) and see if you can pull out that stain. clean well with a natural stone cleaner, dry, and now apply the sealer to your heart.

You can use the natural stone cleaner on your slate floors too. I used the spray and a scrubby brush and then wiped clean w/a rag. You'll have to re-seal the slate floors every few years or so. you'll know when water absorbs.

If you don't want to go through the hassle of trying to remove the stain from the hearth, you can prob camouflage it (if a cleaner won't remove it ) by using the enhancing sealer. it will make that turn much darker. try it on the bottom or side to see if you like it.

Stone Pro has a deep cleaning product for natural stone. you can dilute or use it full strength. (you could also use it for you kitchen slate too)

@Dan Fine. can you please send pictures of the finished product? I'm so trying to replace my kitchen floor that sits adjacent to an existing hardwood floor, and unsure of LVP OR LVT.

Melissa, I am doing the same! I currently have a beige porcelain 18” tile in my kitchen, breakfast area, small bath and other space, which is adjacent to my cypress flooring in my den and formal dining. I really wanted a wood grain LVT, but I’m afraid of the wood look against the wood floors. I’m really ready for a change from beige, but worried about the gray trending right now. I’m thinking about a travertine look LVT in a 16x32 rectangle, which I’m concerned about being too busy. It’s just so hard to know! The guy comes to measure today. I’m really stressing over this!

@ erett I like the look of travertine 'vein cut' up against wood floors. The vein cut look has the same appearance as a wood grain.

Since travertine-look porcelain comes in EVERY COLOUR (including purple...I kid you not) do you have a specific colour in mind?

Any photos of the kitchen? How about the adjacent wood floors?

@erett I'm nervous about it as well. I was also considering travertine although I prefer LVP. Please let me know what you decide and if you have any pictures. thanks

Here are a few pics of my choices, against my cabinets/granite and one next to my cypress flooring. I like the travertine look, but I’ve been told it might be too busy with my granite. It’s a large area, as it includes my breakfast area, back foyer, half bath, and laundry. Also, the larger tiles are 16x32 (which I like), the smaller is 12x24. Let me know what you think!

@erett I think the travertine is nice, but agree that it's to busy. I feel that it will compete to much next to your countertop. I saw a travertine design from Armstrong in LVT that I thought was nice and a bit more subtle. I would try and go with a simpler design floor.

This is my other choice. It’s just such a light gray, it almost looks blue. Do you see it? And I don’t want beige bc it’s too close to what I have, which I’m really tired of!

I do think wood planks would look nice in your kitchen. If not, take a look at the Armstrong travertine, I found it more subtle. The beige sample in the picture is nice, but I understand your wanting to change the look.

I have cypress wood in my den and formal dining that would butt up to the kitchen, so I can’t use wood flooring. The sales rep measures Friday, so I have time to look at more samples. So hard to know!

Also, LVT can be installed right on top of the existing porcelain floors. This is definitely a huge game changer for us!!

@ erett

The travertine-look tile is too blue for your kitchen. Sorry but that's going to be one BIG clash. The more marble-y looking one is the best match to the counter tops AND the cabinets. Right now the cabinets are driving everything towards the creams (yellow based white).

As for running right over top of the current tile, I am going to caution you to think about this one. Please take the time to purchase an 8ft long level (the metal things with the glass bubble in it) and stretch it across your current floor. See how FLAT and SMOOTH it is. Vinyl is highly flexible. It LOVES to dip down into hollows (grout lines and pits in the tile) and hump over edges (each edge of each tile). We call this telegraphing = horrible thing to have happen when you spend money on a 'perfect' floor.

I can tell the tiles have some texture to them. That texture has to be 'knocked down'. That is to say you need to grind them (all that dust you were trying to avoid = still going to happen). And then they have to be filled (leveling cement = SLC). But before you do that you probably have to prime them. Each and every 'high point' of the tiles (normally seen at each and every grout line) has to lie flat against the next tile = filling all grout lines.

Whew. The cost of doing that = $2-$3/sf (depends one where you live). The cost of removing the tile = $2-$3/sf.

The benefit of removing the tile = you never have to deal with them ever again = very good thing.

Any updates from Melissa and Erett? I’m in the same boat!

@candyland I went with a porcelain tile instead of wood. I didn't want to put the different wood floors next to each other

Melissa, I’d love to see a photo.