I suggest, like others, getting a good flooring guy in to look at your floors. They may be able to be saved, and it will most like be less expensive than installing flooring over them. If you do go the route of installing new flooring, don't go with laminate. Seriously, we did in our home only because the budget didn't allow for hardwood. I hate them! You have to be so careful with water and with scratching them. Once laminate flooring is damaged, all you can do is replace, because it can't be repaired. Now I'm just waiting for these floors to get so horrible that my husband agrees to replace them with hardwood!!!

I agree with the others - you can blend in some new pieces with the old wood floor and with sanding and patching it will look complete. I took out walls and had to blend in 2 1/4 wood panks throughout my 45 year old wood kitchen/dining floor. You cannot even tell what is the old floor vs. new planks. I would use a clear stain with a bit of "weathered oak" color stain which is a gray to ensure the yellow in the wood is toned down. I love the gray walls looks great.

I also agree - use the beauty of what is there. Find someone who is experienced in historical restoration - they know how to patch bad spots and will be able to tell you if it won't work. No dark stain, just go with the natural wood - that will highlight the beautiful brick and rustic character of the home. Good Luck!

What color paint and brand did you use on the walls? It's beautiful.

it's ppg paints stone grey

I'm going against the grain here but I recommend a light beech-tone floor because the brick wall is heavy and the grey on the walls is cool. I love light wood tones with grey walls. Ignore the age of the space; go a lighter, cleaner, Scandinavian look. It'll brighten the space and offer breathing room in which you could add traditional or contemporary pieces of furniture, lighting, and area rugs with deep jewel tones. The grey walls hint that you might do well with a more modern look.

I would suggest a much brighter color on the floor as it will give a fresh and not necessarily a modern look-feeling to your home plus the fact that it will look bigger and not dirty. Putting a new floor surface on top of an old one requires that good professionals would it. Good luck wih your project.

Use a caramel color, goes well w/ grey, and not too dark, not too light.

You will do yourself and your house a disservice if you don't at least consult with a few experienced floor restorers. Depending on the extent of damage floor boards can be harvested from closets and other hidden areas. Or, old flooring material can be sourced for repairs. I live in an almost 100 year old home with beautiful original red oak flooring. My previous home also had oak, which we thought looked impossible to save when we removed the carpeting. After patching and sanding the previously damaged areas were impossible to detect. The patina can't be duplicated in a new floor. I agree with other comments - don't go dark and don't go with a laminate. I'd avoid grey too - I think it will be as dated as the pickled white floors of the 80's in a few years. I'd go for a medium, classic tone or just a clear poly - the wood will inform your choice. Beautiful house.

I can't imagine that there would not be a closet with decent flooring that could be used to patch the holes. Even if you have to sacrifice the floor in a small bedroom to make the living rooms original it would be worth the effort and probably as cost effective as going with modern flooring.

Certainly refinish what is there - great "wood" floor!

They look great as they are, medium brown will keep the style of the house and will allow you to change your color palette when bored with grey.

You house has beautiful features and I believe it would be a shame to put new floors in if you can save the ones already there but in the end it's realy up to you. A medium color would compliment the brick walls. As for the nicks and scratches, spaces between planks as well as repairs needed the best way to go about them is a good cleaning and sanding as well as minors repairs. For the repairs where you need to replace planks you can take some from your closets. A good floor finisher can restore and fix your floors for a fraction of the price it would cost for new ones. I believe these interventions should be completed with an oil (that can be tainted). It would do marvels ans add extra charm and character to any style. Oiled floors are easy to fix and maintain and look great!

100 year old floors? Most likely pine. You'd be surprised at how well they may sand out. Although pine is not the easiest wood to sand and stain, it is possible, so if and when you sand them down, and find any water damaged areas where the color has changed, you might want to consider a medium stain to help camouflage it.

The Flooring Blog

https://theflooringblog.com/water-popping-what-it-is-and-why-it-should-be-considered/

Your floors are priceless and irreplaceable. They can be repaired, polished and would be stunning in a dark finish. If you want the red brick to pop, I would lighten up the walls (Sherwin Williams, Creamy is my current favorite). Another option is to paint the brick the same creamy color, with the dark floors would be incredible.

Wood. English Walnut

If they are in decent condition, lightly sand them and stain them a medium color....not dark, not light.

for me u dont have to buy new floor,u can just wax it,and shine,that would be great

depends on the look that you're going for if you're going for Ultra Modern I would say go with the darkest floor that's really going to make the gray pop and give a really clean sleep presentation if you're going for more of a classical but not to traditional look I would say the second to darkest piece of wood I'm going to include a photo

Provincial stained wood!

What did you end up going with?

It broke my heart to have to replace our 80 year-old heart pine flooring after Katrina. It had been sanded many times that nail heads were sticking up. We even had the This Old House floor guy look at them. Repairs (which he couldn't guarantee) were going to run around 12K--AND the floors would only last another 3 years at best!

We made the decision to get MILLED pecan flooring. It was installed, sanded and sealed. 12 years later its still wonderful. The only drawback was the wood we got from the Mill was what was available. I thought I was getting a consistent pecan brown coloring but its striated. My husband loves it and I like it very much. Its neither solid light nor dark but hides the dirt well.

You have a vintage home. If you want to honor its history, do what you can to preserve the original floors. Otherwise, choose a medium toned wood , rather than dark, which would show every mote of dust. Good luck!

It's perfect the way it is.

I think it partially depends on the furniture you are thinking of using, but love how the current color looks with the brick fire place!

Though dark does show dust more, my wife and I did dark floors in our house with gray walls and we love them! It adds a really nice contrast, especially if the furniture and home decor is on the lighter side.

I think with the age of the home I would go for trying to preserve the hardwood that you have, even if that means juts re-sanding it and staining it a lighter stain!

I think it depends on the furniture you want to use, consider the color and the size and the space.

You should definitely go for a darker floor and a lighter wall! It will give your house a nice contrast!

Even if a refinisher cannot sand out all the mars, it will just add character to your house. Who can live for 100 years in a house and have perfectly shiny floors? Doesn't happen. Life takes a toll on the floors, and many other things (like out faces!), but that's the beauty of life and history.

light floors. the house is coming off dark anyways.the light floors will open it up. I'm going to try to find a pic standby

Your floor are better than anything you could buy. I'm with the re- finish crowd. Spend your money on fabulous base board and rug.

I would try and refinish what you have already there. If that isn't possible, new floors are expensive but I would do a medium stain like Early American, Minwax. The room seems dark I think, so I would do whatever I could to lighten it up. The fireplace might get whitewashed or painted a white.

I would refinish and stain a slight dark color or one that has a little more red undertone what there now.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Home-Legend-Matte-Chamois-Mahogany-3-8-in-Thick-x-5-in-Wide-x-Varying-Length-Click-Lock-Hardwood-Flooring-19-686-sq-ft-Case-HL303H/205756512

DO NOT PAINT THEM yikes what bad advice from a PRO,,,??? NO stain either they age natural

I would refinish the wood that is there!

If you ever change the brick lighter DO NOT use paint. It'll be pink. Only use white mortar mixed with A LOT of water, very little mortar, paint on, wipe off immediately with a damp sponge. Wait a couple hours to see if you need more, it dries lighter. Search online for the technique. Don't change it if you refinished the floor, and I love the wood floors.. classic.

Anthony, I have an old home with a red brick fireplace. I have spent two years looking at best matches for flooring. In my opinion, offered just for fun, the most successful is a medium tone wood floor. Classic and what people expect to see in this style of home. I really urge you to go to salvage stores to match the existing wood floors, a patch and sand job will be more cost-effective than a cover and demo. As for the gray floors, I guarantee in 10 years anyone who buys the place will see it as a dated trend that they will have to tear out to reveal the wonderful old wood beneath. Just like all the horizontal glass tile everyone put in 5 years ago. I always ask myself, would this have been beautiful in 1850? 1930? 1965? The goal of staying with a classic is that the features that seem so important when you are choosing them will fade into the splendid background of an interesting and comfortable life. By the way, I would NEVER paint brick. Almost impossible to unpaint ; ).

slowly getting there

not as dark as it looks

very nice choice !

I was hoping we'd get to see the "after" pictures! Yay!

The floor is big and expensive. Select its colour first, then adjust the wall colour to flatter the floor.

Are new floors meant to run the same way as the old floorboards?

Pirate Foxy, generally yes. wood flooring is installed perpendicular to the floor joists so you don't see any sag that might exist in the original substrate. installing new flooring over existing wood floor is not as critical because the original floor spans the joists but most installers will still install perpendicular to the joists

A light to medium wood floor will not make the place too dark. You don't have a lot of natural light, so keeping the floor and furnishings on the light side, and adding floor and table lamps will keep the space more friendly. In this case, the addition of a mirror and framed art with glass will help reflect and spread the available natural light.

Progress! before and after living room

dining room. before and after

Thanks for the update! It's a shame you couldn't save the old floors, but I like your choice. I'm glad you didn't go with a grey or a very dark floor. This traditional color is in keeping with the age of the house and I think you'll find it very livable and will be happy with it for a long time.

excellent update pics ! I say hang the bikes up circa Seinfeld. I'm pretty fond of my bikes (Serotta)