I don't know about a "rule", but IF the floor and the trim are going to be different wood tones, I definitely think the darker one would look better on the floor. You'll be much happier with the housekeeping on a lighter floor. The darker you go the dirtier it's going to look. Last time I put in carpet I matched it to the dog and cat, as best I could.

I have medium oak-look laminate floors with a reddish/orange hue. I also used Revere Pewter in the living room - they seem to play nice together. I will say that I find the R.P. appears lighter on my walls than what I see in other's photos. I would have preferred a darker shade.... but, after approx 40 different pint testers, I gave up, because *every* color looked pinkish on my walls. (Edgecomb gray looked green) HTH

Thanks for the info! Unfortunately the closest Woodcraft store is down in Orange County, and the thought of fighting the freeway traffic makes me ill. I found the attached website that carries some pretty tints, and I may order the transtint dye in dark mission brown and play with adding it to clear shellac in different proportions and see what happens. Maybe a little black, too. With enough samples, I should get it right before I try it on the doors and windows! Is there any problem with using the Zinsser clear shellac? I can pick it up at Lowe's easily. I thought I read in an article that there is an issue with the small amount of wax in the zinsser product, but I can't remember where I read it or what the issue was. I could order flakes or the pre-mixed concentrate if it would be better. Now I just need some time off work to practice. Here is a link that might be useful: Homestead Finishing

Hi Sally, as the manufacturer of EPIC Plus we wanted to share a bit more information on the product. We’re incredibly proud of our EPIC Plus line and have analyzed its performance through and through. We understand your concerns regarding the reviews are working with each of these customers individually to determine the cause of the issues. Their installations do not represent the experience of the vast majority of consumers who have purchased EPIC and EPIC Plus flooring. We’ve sold thousands of square feet with amazing outcomes. The EPIC Plus Collection features a different core than our other engineered hardwoods. This core, called Stabilitek, is the latest technology from the Shaw Hardwood Innovation Lab. We went to construction sites, engaged builders, consulted climate specialists and hired the leading wood and concrete specialists as part of our efforts to create EPIC Plus. Like any hardwood, you’ll need proper installation to ensure the product’s success for many years to come. We recommend you work with hardwood flooring specialists who will see to it your floors are acclimated properly and installed at the recommended humidity levels. We offer several styles within the EPIC Plus Collection featuring three species: Hickory, Maple and Oak. We would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have about EPIC Plus or Coretec (as it is part of the Shaw family). Hope this information was helpful to you.