Is your existing wood floor able to be refinished? If you could keep it and continue it throughout the house I feel that the areas will become more unified and feel way more up to date. I'd be willing to give up the 7" boards if I could continue the existing 3" wood floor throughout.

Just looking at the existing engineered wood it is about 2mm so I'm not sure how much it could be re-finished. I would be ok keeping the color I guess if I could find a match, but I don't know if that is even possible.

if it's engineered, I don't think you will be able to refinish it. If you install a wood floor and finish it in place you can tweak the stain and gloss to be really close to your existing floor. Not sure about cost difference.

thanks! We are on a slab so engineered is our only option. However, I think we might just extend this wood into that area and call it done if we can find an exact match. I took a shot in the dark just now and found a sample strip the prior owners left in a closet that matches exactly and it had the sku sticker on the back. We are going to order samples and see if they match. I think that is our best bet to get the look I want without spending 9K and tearing our entire house apart :)

Continuing your wood will give you the nicest look. If the new wood doesn't match exactly, you can put a perpendicular piece in the threshold as a slight separation.

You can glue down a 1/2" solid wood to slab, engineered is not your only option.
I feel wood would be your best investment. It's warm and inviting, much softer than tile with less echo.
If the wood that is down now is as old as the tile and is engineered it could be a product from Bruce Hardwood, color Gunstock. It was a very popular product some 20+ yrs back. No you would not be able to refinish this thin veneer product.

If you are going with wood, i would recommend continuing the hardwood you have in the rest of the house, two different types of wood looks bad, in my opinion. I would find a grey/white floating floor to match your kitchen- its durable and easy.

I installed a Mohawk laminate floor and wish I could jump into a time machine and undo that decision, If you like the look of wood and the durability of tile, consider faux wood tile. unlike when I was shopping for flooring, there are now some very good looking wood facsimile products out there.

The bummer with the laminate is if you drop anything or wear shoes in the house or want to vacuum your floors, you will do irreparable damage.

Cinar Interiors, Inc. - You called it! That is exactly what it is. I know it is not the best product, but surprisingly it has held up and I lived with it enough to feel comfortable with it in the kitchen area since we have been here for 3 years. I don't hate it, but don't love and this is not our forever home, but I do understand what you are saying. If money was no object I would have the 8K floors completely re-done.

If we can find a match we are going to go with it.