Do you know whats under the carpet? Normally homes built before 1962 you will find hardwood as FHA didn't approve carpet until 1962. I sold hardwood but decorating isn't my strong suit either but I find the Parquet ok. Is normally suggested to blend two looks rather than trying to 'match' flooring. If you find hardwood you may just want to call a refinisher and get their thoughts.

If it was my home I would pull out the parquet and put in the same wood flooring in the entry and throughout the living room and halls. I would put tile in the kitchen & bathrooms. If you do want carpet, I would put them in the bedrooms only.

But this is your home and you must decide what feels right for you. I just think having the entry and the living room and halls in the same flooring would make the space flow better and be more harmonious.

You can also post this question in the Decorating forum to get more ideas.

Yeah, I'd pull out the parquet. When you put in new flooring everywhere else, the parquet will look old, and it's really a very "dated" style (IMHO). When we remodeled our house, we decided not to do the master bath because it was relatively new... but when everything else was being done, the master bath just looked tired and dated, so we ended up re-doing it.

Normally, parquet is not solid wood but more of an engineered wood which means sanding it and refinishing it might not be possible (depends on how thick the wear layer is). Personally, I'd get rid of it. It's pretty dated. Using the same floor throughout will be much prettier.

Appreciate all the replies and suggestions!

The house was built in 1985. I pulled up a corner of the carpet in the master bedroom, just sub-flooring, so probably the same wherever carpet is all over. Not sure about the hallways, which connect to this area, will see if my Mom, who's going to go tomorrow and sit through inspections, can find out.

If I do put in carpet, it would be in just the master bedroom and/or just the living room - I just like the warmth. I looked at some carpeting briefly when we were at Lowes yesterday and I'd go with a country berber like we have no for the master, but not sure what I'd go with in the living room - the short better wearing berbers just don't do anything for me. The living room is really just for show, and won't be used all that often - the den is were we "live!"

I guess I better go and educate myself about wood flooring and see what alternatives I have in the kitchen other than tile.

Thanks everyone!

I can say I have tile in my kitchen, and I wish I didn't. It is a killer on the feet. I would do wood all the way, minus bedrooms to cut back on costs only.

I would also have the parquet removed. It has a dated look IMO

the ladies on the decorating forum will be able to help you with the changes thru out your new house. post there and see what they say. they're great with color, paint types, trim etc

check out old threads on this forum for flooring options.

Most folks don't like the parquet here, but I do. It will depend on what you decide to do in the halls and living room. We have had hardwood throughout the house now for about 6 years. I love it!!!! Cleaning is so much easier, and it is just plain pretty. Where I want carpet, we put down throw rugs.

If you go hardwood, look at the quality of the wood and the installer. We went for 3/4" brazilian cherry and are really happy, so much so that we are doing the entire house we are building up north in it (except for tile in bathrooms and laundry. I even have wood in the kitchen, and it does great.

Good luck, and congratulations!

I would remove the existing wood. We just put oak in our dining room, family room, kitchen and nook. We bought it off ebay and it came to about $3.60 per sf. There are some good deals out there if you look. I think you do better buying on the internet than locally. This flooring we bought, sold for about $5.79 a sf plus tax in a local store and my price included tax and delivery.

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions, all are appreciated!!!!

I guess I'll have to find some flooring I like and hopefully, be able to get some samples, take them to the house and put them down in different areas of the house and see how they look, esp. against the base of the fireplace.

I don't mind the parquet and it may look better once it's cleaned or refinished, but do I think it really looks good, not really. While I think it's okay in the entry, I just don't like how it looks in the area surrounding the base of the bricks.

Any suggestions on what may look good against the brick??

Or, should I possibly consider some of the resilient tiles that look like slate in a color that would go with the brick? Would something like that complement?? Maybe a light color tile just in the entry, wood elsewhere?

Any other suggestions?

You've already received great advice on what to do with the flooring. I'm just here to tell you about my experience for pricing. I found my laminate at the cheapest price at a locally owned flooring store. The deal came because they had just ordered a "truckload" so they were able to pass the great price on to the customer. I purchased Bruce Park Ave. Makore laminate and around town it was selling for $5 a sq. ft. and on-line around $3.99 plus shipping. I was able to get it for $3.49 sq. ft.

Thanks for the idea brutuses, I will definitely be comparing prices. What's scary is seeing just what the cost of the flooring alone is, and me not knowing what all the other aspects of the flooring is going to cost on top of that, as far as underlayment and installation. At $3.49 a sq ft and 1500 sq ft flooring alone is $5K and that's not even to do all the flooring in the house - that's scary!!!

I'm trying to think of alternate ideas when I see that number. How bad is it to have different wood floors in different rooms? I know it won't look as good, but I'm thinking of how I may be able to find some good deals on someones leftovers if the square footage is there, or some small stock in a store.

Any thoughts?

I don't think I'd mix and match hardwoods if they will be in close proximity to each other. I think it would look a little busy. But if you get unfinished red oak, it will pretty much match any other unfinished red oak. I bought Quartersawn white oak on-line and was really pleased with the company's service and the quality of the product. I used Hurst Hardwoods. The cool thing is, they sell ALL grades of hardwood flooring and have specials on many types. You can get some red oak flooring for less than $1 per sq ft.

Here is a link that might be useful: hurst hardwoods

Thanks, I'll check them out.

I think I may look in to something else besides wood in the entry way and then flank it with wood in the two hallways and in to the 3 bedroms, or at least two of the bedrooms on the right side of the house. We're still not sure if we are going wood or carpet in the MBR - I just feel carpet is warmer, but wood is easier to keep clean - will figure it out. Kitchen, we just saw the TM Allure flooring and really like it, so we may do that, still thinking. Still unsure in the living room behind the foyer and then it will be tiles in the bathrooms. May be able to save some $$ doing it this way and yet have it still look nice.

Anyone now much about the allure???

Debelli, it sounds like cork flooring may be a good candidate for you in the bedrooms. It's warm, gives a bit, is sound insulating, and available as either traditional glue-down tiles (expensive) or floating plank flooring (very affordable).