Site finished hardwoods are the gold standard. Using a lower grade in multiple widths will allow some savings...but not as much as you think. The concern I have would be the substrate. Is it concrete slab or is it wood joist? Hardwood over concrete is a bit trickier as it takes a LOT of technical knowledge to get it to work as a glue down install. If this is over concrete then the engineered hardwood (that's what it is called) is a better option because most of these can be floated. Traditionally the engineered hardwoods have beveled edges (the valleys between the planks) to ensure a nicer look when installed (they are not sanded like site finished which means the edges can have issues 'lining up' which makes the bevel a benefit to the installer). I prefer a lighter hardwood but your inspiration photo has a medium reddish brown finish/stain used. It creates a very rich look. I would not go any darker than the inspiration photos. And remember: a lower grade wood with multiple widths (such as your inspiration photo) will look a snick more rustic/organic than a higher grade floor with uniform width. A bit more about your substrate will help us figure out what is *better for your situation...and PLEASE tell me you are using a professional wood flooring installer and not the GC's 'guy' who does framing, drywall AND floors.

Fake and real is a terrible combo. Just because others have made those big mistakes doesn’t not make them mistakes. If you insist on tile over wood that matches the rest of the house, then look at a natural slate in a charcoal color. Or possibly a gauged quartzite in a subtle versailles pattern. Or a plain large format porcelain that isn’t an obvious stone fake. Maybe something that echoes a subtle stained concrete.

Thank you jck910 and Patricia Colwell Consulting. Both your posts are very helpful. The dining area's floor is the same tile as the kitchen. Only the foyer (small) has hardwood, it was there when we bought the house in 2012, it is blond/yellow. Than you for your advice, I agree that I will need to refinish it and change the color to the color of the new hardwood I choose for the living. I appreciate the emphasis you make on making them both the same color. Thank you jck910 for the idea of using Edgecomb Gray, it looks like a great piece of advice for my space! I really appreciate your help! Thank you!

Did you just move into this house? That tile floor is probably not that old. If it were me I would paint the walls white before tearing all of that up. Unless you love the wall color - then start looking at engineered flooring or if you really want a custom color, finished on site wood. White oak is pretty expensive and red oak doesn't do well in lighter colors (hard to get it to not look pink). The picture doesn't show the island color. While the cabinets look very new, maybe you could paint it a light color to help lighten up the room? I see you have another post asking about the backsplash. I would just replace it with something lighter. The whole thing is rather oppressively dark unless there is frequently better natural light than is shown.