Probably the EASIEST way to get this look is to work with FACTORY FINISHED hardwood that comes out of the box looking like this. This is a high-end look that is very popular right now. Which means "supply and demand" is part of the price-equation. Personally I would look to European Oak and let it FADE to the "silver" colour you like. European Oak will naturally silver as it ages...especially when it is finished with water born polyurethane. The European Oak starts out a light colour with pale yellow tones with some brown in it (more like beige) and as it is exposed to UV rays, it turns silver (like the planks you are looking at). Again, European Oak is an expensive import that is HIGHLY sought after (because it silvers rather than yellows). No matter how you shake this tree, it is going to come out as "expensive". I suggest a budget of $15/sf just to start the conversation. Or a stunning, high-end laminate in this visual ($5/sf) will give you the same look. This last bit is merely a suggestion.

Floors look great! We did the same thing - 2 coats of bona nordic sealer on red oak…thinking I can see pink come through. Does anyone know if you can apply 3rd coat of nordic or even bona natural? Different light and angles show more pink than others.

Sorry, just saw this. I feel two coats of finish is sufficient when applied over sealer at the prescribed rate. This is especially true for Traffic which goes on heavier (350-400 sq. ft/gallon for Traffic, 500-600 for Mega). More coats of finish make the floor smoother, filling in the grain, and making wear and scratches more evident. If you're in a situation where you need more longevity, you can have more coats applied and live with the consequences. In most residential situations my customers want their floor recoated when it looks bad due to wear and scratches, not when the finish wears through. The surface accumulates the same amount of wear and scratches whether it has 2 coats or 20 coats, at which point it will look a bit shabby and require a recoat.

Here are some that I have. It is very tough to get them to look true to how they look in person unfortunately :( . So I was trying to get more of a feel of how these have turned out for other people, but maybe these pictures will help? First one is them side by side and second one is me trying to get close pics of one at a time. Thank you for your help and advice!