The length of the plank should run parallel to the longest wall. In your case, you'll want it to look best at the front door and in the LR/dr. The hall is of secondary importance.

The longest length of wall is your first priority. The second priority is "light source" from windows. And if those two are diametrically opposed, go with what works BEST for MOST OF THE SPACE! "Most" can be translated into a percentage. If, out of 100% of the space, you can lay 75% of the floor "the right way"...then you should stick with that option. And ignore the little bit of floor that is run the 'wrong' way.

Your dining/living run (yellow stripes to the left of the image) are appropriate. Ignore the small amount of hallway (do NOT run it the opposite direction...keep going with the same direction as your dining/living install). The 3 bedrooms will all benefit from that same direction. That's what I mean by the "right" way.

If you take the TOTAL percentage of "benefit" at 80% or higher (add up all the areas that will look "right" and change that into a percentage) is what you are after. The small strip in the hallway that will look wrong is a VERY small percentage. If you have 700sf, and only 30sf (the hallway) is run in the "wrong direction" you have a achieved a VERY high percentage of "right" install. Like 95% has been installed in the "right" direct. That is MASSIVE.

I also ask people this very simple question: "How long do you spend 'living' in your hallway?" The answer is always "Very little. I just use it to walk from one space to another." And that is the defining answer.

Do NOT sacrifice the look of the ENTIRE home...just to get 10 ft of hallway to "look right". Make sure the "living spaces" (where you spend YEARS of your life sitting, reading, watching TV, sleeping, etc) are laid properly. The hallways and entraceways can be sacrificed because you spend very, very, very little time "living in" them.

Thanks! Here is a pic of the samples all laying in my kitchen. Do you think laying them perpendicular (orange) would look better than the length of dining/living (yellow)? I definitely spend a lot of time in my kitchen.

We are going through a similar decision, and are going with following the longest lines in our space, which ends up perpendicular to our front door (against common design thoughts). I'll post pics when we finish.

Thanks Alayne! Ours is actually being installed next week (materials are only a month past due...)! We're going to go with perpendicular to the front door so that the lines will go with the direction of the kitchen, hallway, and the largest of the two bedrooms. Doing it otherwise would have made for a really choppy hallway, which is already really cramped with a low ceiling and lots of doors. I also really wanted it longways in the kitchen and leading into the dining room. Can't wait to see your pics!