I'm hoping for some advice. Prior to having our twins (and the accompanying reduction in disposable income), my husband and had 3/4" x 3 1/2" prefinished red oak (Columbia Carrollton Oak in the Cider finish) installed in the majority of our house. We left carpeting in two bedrooms.

One of our kids has asthma triggered by dust mites, and we have been told by her doctors to get the carpet out of her room. The $5 per sqft not including installation for the Carrollton is a non-starter for us right now, and we are debating what we should do. As a temporary measure, we could put down some laminate ourselves in a similar finish, but I'm thinking that the transition between the laminate and the Carrollton in the hallway might look awful. Are we better off going with a completely different color and type of flooring, like Marmoleum or cork? What do we do about the difference in thickness? Any advice would be greatly appreciated?