I would suggest purple flooring.

Just kidding. ;) It really doesn't have to match down in the basement - unless you would like it to.

But do you have a theme in mind? In other words - what is going to be going on in the basement activity wise, décor-wise, etc. Do you have any thoughts on this ?

Wood and laminate don't always work well in basements. Basements are natural places for moisture to collect, so pick a flooring that is moisture resistant. I'd suggest LVP or carpet squares.

A well installed laminate (aka. has a properly installed vapour barrier) with a great underlay (like 1/4" cork) will do just fine.

If you want to work with the LIGHTEST colour visible in your oak floor (super blonde) you are welcome to go searching for something that will do that for you.

And if people are at the top of your stairs STARING at your basement floor landing, then they are probably a bit too nosy :-) I would go as light as possible inside the same colour family of the oak. The light yellows/golds do very well in dark spaces. It's like sunlight coming from the floor instead of from the sky.

We are doing vinyl planks in the basement as we feel this is the safest bet with kids, dog, creek in backyard. It will not match the main floor which is hardwood.

In most cases, wood goes with wood, even in different shades so no need to worry about the transient, especially at a staircase. The real issue is hardwood and laminate are not always the best choice below grade. For hardwood, you'll have to go with engineered (a little cheaper too) and laminate should have moisture protection (a little more expensive than regular laminate).

There are plenty of realistic wood looks in both ceramic tile and luxury vinyl flooring you may also want to consider.

I disagree with laminate being "bad" for below grade. That's not quite true. It will REQUIRE a vapour barrier. So will engineered hardwood. So will vinyl. They all require the SAME requirement for moisture protection.

That means if a VINYL plank can go over basement cement, so can laminate and so can engineered hardwood (and cork floating and marmoleum floating....any thing floating = goes in basement).

If you expect the floor to SURVIVE FULL SUBMERSION....then porcelain tile and finished concrete will make it through. Even vinyl planks have issues (the homeonwners find out how MUCH EFFORT IT TAKES to save the floor that they give up and purchase new flooring).

I would be more concerned about finding a good, reputable installer than trying to match the flooring!

bellburgmaggie, my last two houses have had completely dry basements. We've been in this house for 4 years, our previous house for 14. No water or moisture issues.

That said, hardwood should not be put in a basement. You will have to do something else. I don't think it needs to match the upstairs. We have a finished basement. The paint, flooring and trim and door stain is different from the first floor, and it is fine. In fact, the basement was finished shortly before we bought our house in 2014, and I think it is MORE updated than the rest of the house.

Our installer is planning on putting in porcelain tile over the existing ceramic tile in the basement rather than pull up all the tile (1200 sq feet). Has anyone had experience with that?

Sigh...sounds like you have someone who isn't willing to jack out 1200sf of tile (back breaking but do able) and then grind down the thinset and then fill the low areas (aka 'subfloor prep). Of course the COST is something most homeowners don't like to see on a 'job cost' proposal. Many a contractor has lost a job because s/he quoted the cost of the BEST PRACTICES option. So the installers have gotten smart and started quoting 'low ball' work. This is just to get them the job (so they can feed their families). But what that means is they are forced into the 'not great' practices.

I always recommend the homeowners get a full quote for the job. That includes flooring REMOVAL and SUBFLOOR PREP (two different costs) and then the installation costs (a third cost). If they are purchasing the materials then material costs are another cost to be added.

To jack out tile = $2-$3/sf. The subfloor prep can be another $2-3/sf (these quotes will always be a 'range' of cost because the installer won't know the amount of TIME it takes to do the work...some tile is SUPER STUBBORN and other tile pops off like Pezz candies.

With a situation like yours, that would have added as much as $5/sf = $6,000 MORE than what you have already been quoted (I'm assuming some things here). My question to you is: would you have hired the person if they had quoted you $6K more than what you were offered?

Now onto what is usually the best option: Remove the tile and prepare the subfloor for the new porcelain tile. Please ask your installer to draw up a NEW quote for those two jobs to be ADDED to your job and ask for a new time line estimate (could be 2 days or it could be 5 days...we don't know). And ask him/her if s/he has the ability (in their schedule) to revamp your job to suit the new requirements = remove tile, prep subfloor, install new porcelain tile.

In other words ask for a new quote using 'Best practices' which include removing old tile and subfloor prep. You will want to see their reaction to this. They will either jump at the chance to earn another $5-$6K or they will scowl at all the 'work' ahead of them.

I am dealing with this dilemma right now. Solid oak hardwood upstairs, and wondering what to put in the newly finished basement that is cleanable and coordinates alright with the rest of my house when I know it’s not going to match.

I’m thinking of a whitewashed look oak laminate, because my basement is also quite dark. Wondering if that would look too harsh?

Also, I don’t think it is realistic at all to assume everyone gets water in their basement. Whether or not you have water in your basement totally depends on how your house was built, what condition it’s been kept in, and what the climate is like where you live. My house is a newer build in good repair and I live in the second driest state in the union. Guess how many times I’ve had water problems in my basement in the six total years I’ve lived in it?

Zero.

We've never had water in our basement and we've lived in it for 23 years. Not. Even. Once.