The difference will be sigificant, but like you mentioned. It is on different levels, not side-by-side. You're fine with installing a different wood specie. Install felt pads on all furnitures.

Question: what type of finish was used on the pine floors?

Thanks G&S! The finish is aged barrel coated with bona traffic hd.

Can you suggest what kind of oak type and cut would match the pine grain most closely?

I was thinking red oak since the pine has pink undertones?

IMO pine has yellow undertones and red oak red undertones I would speak to your flooring comapny and insist on samples on the new wood and compare those with the old wood you are working next to that is the only way to know for sure

They're never going to match 100%, but since you have a carpeted stairway in between I wouldn't let it keep you awake at night. I had very old pine floors in one house and you're right, they don't hold up as well as oak.

Use white oak, it will look better with the aged barrel.

Thank you for the advice - this is what the pine looked like before it was finished, definitely pink undertones and very knotty

Pine is super soft. I'd do a nice white oak, stain it dark if you like. when it comes time for the other part, you can use the same wood.

as a suggestion for the fireplace, remove the dark trim around the edges, bring in a nice reclaimed wood beam, some art, maybe do some white shelves on the side, or a floating bench. (if possible I would redo the hearth in a black granite/or basalt (you could use tile w/this one) or, get a remnant piece of white quartz or even marble. remove the screen and leave it open, or do one like this
I gave you a dark navy wall so that the white pops a bit.

Like black better? try something like this angled chevron tongue and groove, do a nice wood console on the right side, hang you tv above it.

for the left side, i'd put a bench against that wall, hang some art over it, or do a tall potted tree

rearrange your furniture in the room so that it looks like this:

bring in some textures, some color.

or something like this. move your sofa a bit inward. looks like it's too far back.

on the one long wall, I'd do a very large painting w/some color.

palying around w/some other designs.

If you like this look better, fir out the brick, attach cement board, and do a cement overlay (about 100-200 for everything IF you can DIY it. Float some wood benches, install some sconces.

I also love the black brick w/the walnut accents. notice the black hearth

another idea you can do that doesn't cost much.

fir out the brick, (diff ways to do it. do the whole thing, (inclucing the hearth)

or you could do a partial stone surround using 24x24 basalt tiles, cut to fit.

Or, fir out all of the brick and tile w/a slate look, basalt, or whatever you like. white built-ins w/a wood top that matches your new floor stain, tall plant on the side (or art or a bench). gave you this ARticle walnut side chair. (I have this one and love it)

you could even do the tile on othe bottom, wood above it, tree on the left (in a textured planter container) and the built in bench on the other side.

what do you think about doing a lighter, natural oak floor like this one?

Mount your tv on the wall, float a piece of wood under it or get a nice console or chest.

see how they did this fireplace and wall mount tv w/the white surround? looks better than the dark.

spruce up the white brick, darker wood mantle, white built in on the right w/sconce, new black firebox insert (or just clean up what's there and lose the screen. stack some logs.)

sorry to get off track, but you have a great room to work with!

Thanks Beth - love your ideas for the fireplace. We actually went ahead and demoed the whole structure (hence the large hole in my living room floor and the impending flooring decision…)here is what the final product is supposed to look like

looks great. are you shifting the fireplace? because your before photo doesn't have the same side dimensions.