I had the exact same issue. Initially they thought they could do it. But my house is old and when they did the demo they said the way they did the spacing of the supports under the wood on the older section cannot be duplicated today and the floor would never look even and the old section would always be a little higher and "squeaky". Ended up doing the whole floor. However, the hallways are old hardwood as well and the transition (via a doorway) seems fine.

Thanks everyone for your comments. What are vinyl planks and what is on site finished hardwood flooring? You mean they stain it on site ? Wouldn't that cost more? What I like about hardwood flooring throughout is the flow and you don't have those divider strips in between the doors. We have three small dogs. I have wondered if they peed on hardwood floors , would it soak down to the sub flooring and make your house smell like urine or would it stay on top so you can wipe it up ? One of my dogs gets UTI's and she does on occasion have an accident. About cork , I've been reading about it and how great it feels on your feet but I haven't seen any cork flooring that I like the color ! The grout is a huge reason why I dont want tile. I am too old to be scrubbing grout with a toothbrush, lol. I am really tired of vinyl, but haven't ruled it completely out. Dee

Emily My first ? is what happened in 3yrs to the existing wood floors? - WHat type & how many coats of poly were applied? If I had to guess I would venture that the floors were not properly refinished. I will agree others who say have the wood refinished - esp given the application open plan. I would make certain that the refinisher is using high quality poly & 3-4 coats allowing plenty of dry time in between. The key to HW in high traffic areas (that have been properly finished) -is to limit the amount of dirt/grit that really attacks the finish. Yes water should be wiped up, but unless it's a large amount and left for long period it is less of the evils. The other KEY issue to protecting finish to HW in high traffic areas is to have a new coat of poly applied every yr - preferably done by professional. This is where most homeowners fail, they feel it is a hassle and end up needing a full sanding/refinishing. We put coat on our new kit floors a little more than 1yr following orig install - for a whopping $124!!! So glad I did it. WIll do it again in the Spring. Orig install had stain + 4 coats of oil based poly - the still look new In order to reapply poly you must not use ANY oil based products to the floor - Murphys etc - this will not allow adherence of any further poly Good luck

When it comes to hardwood, trends are something to ignore! Why? Because hardwood is pretty much a lifetime purchase, and unless yours is damaged in some way, you're probably not going to replace it. So, light wood vs. dark wood, wide planks vs. narrow planks -- that stuff's all going to come and go. With that in mind -- as well as the very real concerns about cleaning dark wood -- I'll vote for a nice, neutral midtone every time. Not too much contrast, not too red, and (unless it's a beach house) not too pale. I think this is the wood that's most likely to give you good service and stand the test of time.