Hardwood is fine in the kitchen. Just don't leave major spills on the floor without wiping up (but I suspect you'll take care of that anyway).

will the new hardwood match the old? was it just laid? one doesnt need to be ocd to know that a near match is deadly.

hmmm grey..black..white.... you could go checkerboard tile...

I vote hardwood just out a mat in front of the sink and wipe any spills as they happen and it will be fine!

"Custom blend real hardwood" tells me that if your hardwood floor can be duplicated so long as you go back to the same flooring company who ordered/made/installed your home's hardwood floors.

It won't be cheap, but it will be beautiful. Dings and dents are just part of life with hardwood. The kitchen is only slightly more prone to damage than elsewhere. Anyone with OCD will clean up spills QUICKLY...which is all any hardwood has ever wanted from their owner.

We bought a flipped house that has an open floor plan and the flipper ran real wood floors throughout the main living/dining/kitchen areas. I was worried at first but it has been fine and provides a nice warm feel. A few scratches and dings are not a huge deal to me as it simply adds a bit of character and I always wipe up spills and whatnot quickly. My cabinets are off white with a gray glaze and my granite is Giallo Ornamental. I love too how they are easier on my feet than tile.

Thank all of you for your comments and suggestions. It looks like the hardwoods are the way to go. I am very excited to finish my kitchen remodel. Here's a pic of the status so far. I still have crown molding to install on the cabinets, paint the walls (color still undecided) and do the hardwood floors (color of hardwoods in second pic). Luckily, I have the custom stain formula and a small amount left for the new company who will do the installation. Thanks again everyone!

Ash will go nicely with very white cabinets. It's almost as hard as oak and has the same grain patterns. Oak is very stable.Canadian hard maple is much more dense with a muted grain( unless u stain it) but a bit less stable than oak( prone to seasonal movement).