That is marble flooring, I just saw this episode last night.

I doubt you could get the strong contrast seen here with a natural wood product....Maple and Ebony is maybe closest...but yes, the pattern could be done with natural wood. Sort of like marquetry or inlay. Hardwood contractors do fancy borders...think of it as an entire room of fancy border.

I think you might be better off in the long run with an area rug in a similar pattern, rather than committing to an installation that would be permanent . It is stunning. Good luck.

Darzy is 110% correct !!!

That's basically a 2-tone Chevron pattern that can be done with 2 species or prefinished in 2 different colors (Black & white for example)... if hardwood is a consideration.
Forgot to add, however, that in the pic, material seems to look like something other than wood...

I have seen patterns like this done with linoleum
http://houzz.com/photos/3120378

its marble

Here is a painted wood floor on the diagonal. If you plan carefully, maybe you could do a design you like on your wood floor. Taped off and sealed before painting will give you crisp lines.

Do not paint wood. The picture above is tile cut and layer like that. Saw the show last nite.

If you have old floors that need covering up, go ahead and paint. Simply or complicated. Some are not installing inexpensive laminate for the purpose of painting it to get "the look" of a paint hardwood floor.

Go ahead and paint. If you aren't experienced, pick a pattern that isn't as challenging..like the diagonal pattern that Darzy posted. Farrow and Ball has a great floor paint but the real key to success is the prep.

Certainly you could paint your floor; prepping floor would be essential and sealing with several coats of poly- u would protect and give the glossy finish. But why not use porcelain tile? There are so many "new" porcelain choices on the market....6x24 tiles can be cut to mimic this look for a fraction of the price of marble and less headache of painting. Prepping and painting is extremely time consuming and you can't forget the dry time between coats. I am currently doing a similiar design in my kitchen using a non- glossy porcelain (glossy finishes are slippery) and it's turning out beautifully.