where does this other flooring (the light oak) go to? Butting up two completely different hardwoods like that is going to look weird. Can't you just replace that part in the photo as well?

I think you'd be best served to go with a tile rather than another wood. Changing the textures makes it look purposeful. You can always put a lovely area rug in the room. Consider Daltile's "Beachy Sand". Good luck

The hardwood flooring extends to the left into the kitchen and to the right down and around the hallway. It would be too expensive for me to replace it unfortunately. And it is 18 years old and can't be matched.

Who told you it can't be matched ? It could be sanded and stained to match new wood. It's done all the time. Two types of wood flooring won't look good at all. Tile was a good suggestion.

Tile in a living/dining room is just nasty. It makes the place look like a rental unit owned by a low-budget outfit. And it certainly is not done in Cape Cod, if that's the look you're going for.

There are parts of the country where it is sometimes done, but not in most of the U.S., and it will affect your resale value down the road.

Your wood can absolutely be extended and matched. Oak is oak, even if part of it is 18 years old.

I'm so lame at this. When you tile, do you mean tile wood-look or traditional tile?

I wanted to do the whole house look with sanding and staining until I found out how much and how long I have to be out of the house. Ouch! You guys are all so good at this !!!

Before you decide, do a price comparison. You may be shocked at the price of having tile installed.

Your wood is 18 years old. It is coming up to a full sand/refinish VERY soon. EXCELLENT! Now's the time to add more hardwood! Why? Because the best option to do this is to get a species and cut match, have it laced in and the sand and finish EVERYTHING all at once.

That's why now is perfect timing to add more hardwood. You are VERY close to the "must sand and refinish my hardwoods" time. You might as well take advantage of this timing and do what can be done...all at once.

Imagine if you go ahead and put in "something else" today (to save a few dollars) and then you find out in 2 years your old wood floor has to be REDONE. Oh. You didn't save yourself any trouble...you simply delayed the trouble...and now you have to do all of that anyways. Oh dear. How disappointing. Had you known that when you purchased the other floor, you would have done it all at once. Oh darn!

Sigh. We see this all the time. All it takes is a little forethought and a snick of knowledge about timing and you can go ahead and make the best possible decisions for the FUTURE...not just for "today".

Hardwood finishes have a lifespan of (roughly) 20 years. Yours are 18 years old. The change is coming...there is nothing you can do about it. But what you can do is recognise what is coming and PREPARE for it in the best possible way! One of the best ways to do it is to lace in matching hardwood and have it all sanded and refinished all at once. Tah Dah! Big improvement!

The best look is getting wood to match and doing what Cancork is advising. Basically killing two birds w/one stone. The money you will pay for quality hardwood in the other room (that won't match what you have) will pay for the oak flooring and finishing. the only extra money will be the cost of having the original flooring redone. but at some point that 's going to happen anyway.

"I'm so lame at this. When you tile, do you mean tile wood-look or traditional tile?"

Either.

I've seen some cool looking wood tile, but it's not for living rooms. Tile is for bathrooms and kitchens.

You may also want to consider that you may need an additional underlayment under the tile (depending on what's there now). That will change the height of the floor.

I would attempt to match the wood flooring as well rather than do a contrast - i had the same dilemma in a former home and thought about doing a mosaic mixture of the two woods to create a pattern in the breakfast area that would incorporate some of the old kitchen hardwood and some of the new great room hardwood. The new wood would then flow into the great room. Unfortunately i didn't have anyone to create that mosaic and with my lack of talent and a larger lack of cash i took another route...i also thought about creating a transition area with several lengths of the new wood perpendicular to the current wood flooring and then starting the new flooring in it's own space- I would still do everything I could to match the floor components- same wood, same plank width and lengths etc but at 18 years old you'll never match perfectly even after it's all refinished simultaneously. The transition zone helps that contrast. Sorry I don't have photos to share of that.

We had new wood flooring added up against 28 year old floors. They look perfect!

save up and do it right. as suggested, match up existing hardwood and refinish the whole thing, it will be worth it down the road

Thank you all again VERY much. It seems the best way and the right way to do this is to wait and be able to match, sand, and stain!