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Wood floor dilemma: Combining different wood flooring

12 months ago
last modified: 12 months ago

We are looking to tear out the carpeting on the entire second level of our home including the staircase to put in wood flooring. I am faced with two dilemmas. 1.) the downstairs flooring is a rustic warm red hickory hardwood put in 7 years ago. It is adjoined to gray tile at the entry way which then leads up to the carpeted stairway. 2.) Our master bathroom was recently redone with wood tile flooring (gray hues with some brown). At the time I planned on recarpeting the master but have now decided I want wood. Any suggestion on how to in corporate the upstairs wood tile with the master bedroom; colors/tones? I know it's best not to try and match it which I don't want to do. I was thinking of pulling out some colors of the gray wood tile to compliment it and since the wood downstairs is separated by tile I was hoping I could get away with it being different. For context when you walk in the front door you see the stairway on your right and the hickory flooring on your left with tile inbetween. I hope that makes sense.

Thank you!!!





Comments (13)

  • 12 months ago

    Not going to happen. The best you can do is bring home samples and find something you are comfortable with.

  • 12 months ago

    Back in the ” old days” it was quite common to have a wide variety of flooring throughout a house. As the years have passed I realize how nice it is to have unified flooring. I would remove the entry tile, replace it with the same wood as in the adjoining room. My preference would be to continue it throughout the entire first floor with the exception of bathroom or laundry room.


    Our primary home has 38 year old white ash floors, and i still love them. Our second home , a condo, has LVP throughout the entire space except for the master bath that has tile. I hate the tile. I love looking throughout the whole space and seeing the same flooring.. It also makes decorating so much easier.

  • 12 months ago

    Thank you but the tile in the entryway was intentional and not my delemma. Dan1888, you’re right ripping it out will not be happening. My delemma is the tile in the master which was just put in which also will be staying. Putting wood upstairs was a change of plan as I decided against re carpeting. I will defintely get samples.


  • PRO
    12 months ago
    last modified: 12 months ago






    No to this. That appears a hallway? It's your primary bath? Your post is quite confusing. .........

    Your stair? Clean up the treads, paint black, paint the risers white, add a runner, end it at the top stair

    Piecemeal refreshing usually gets one into trouble, doesn't it, even though we ALL understand resources. But no to this......please





  • 12 months ago

    I want to make sure I understand what I'm looking at. Is the sample you're showing identical to the downstairs wood? Is the flooring the sample is next to the tile that is in the primary bathroom?


    The two types of flooring you're showing aren't complementary at all. Unless you can get comfortable with the clash I don't think you have a choice except to leave the bedroom carpeted. You would probably end up getting an area rug if you did change to wood, so look at carpet samples beyond standard plush and see if you can find something more interesting that would appeal to you.

    HU-224520412 thanked kandrewspa
  • PRO
    12 months ago

    The downstairs hickory is gorgeous. Do that EVERYWHERE. The gray stuff was a big mistake. Rectify that mistake. Don't be caught up in the Sunk Cost Fallacy. That costs you way more in the end to keep throwing good money after bad on little changes here and there to work with the mistakes.

  • 12 months ago


    Quick question... How many types of flooring do you have? Warm Hickory, Beige Tile, Dark gray wood (or maybe it's tile) and Carpet? Is that 4 types?



    You wrote...


    Any suggestion on how to in corporate the upstairs wood tile with the master bedroom; colors/tones?


    Can you post more photos?

    My only suggestion is to bite the bullet and redo all the floors to match. I know this sounds crazy but what you have showing may disappoint you. Since you are posting a question you must have some doubts. If this is indeed 4 different types of flooring, if they flow together from room to room it is not going to feel peaceful.


    Is it possible to find more of the floor you put in 7 years ago or something that can be stained to match? And use this floor for the stairs, bedrooms, hallways etc...

  • 12 months ago

    Sorry for the confusion. The downstairs is hickory througout. The grayish upstairs is only in the master bath. I was hoping to get rid of the carpeting upstairs due to the dirt that notoriosly forms a dark border. if we lay wood upstairs it will butt up to the gray wood tile. I had no intention to put the hickory downstairs next to the wood tile upstairs. My other thought was to pull a color out of the gray to compliment it without trying to match.Another thought was to just carpet master and do wood on stairs and other rooms with hickory that matches downstairs This would elimate the bathroom tile all together.

  • PRO
    12 months ago

    Gray floors are always a mistake. That ship has long since sailed style wise. It's over the horizon sinking into the sunset. Natural and warm tones that are naturally found in wood are what are perennially popular. Like your hickory flooring. Just buy more of the hickory. And replace all the gray anything.

  • PRO
    12 months ago

    Match the hickory. Everywhere.

  • 12 months ago

    I agree with those who say to bring the downstairs wood upstairs. And then just get rid of the gray wood tile in the bathroom. From what you show of the bath, it looks like you could use almost any kind of tile there. So get something that you love that works with the wood and the rest of the bath.


    I know you just spent the money on the bathroom tile, but it was a mistake. You will be glad you did it in the long run.



  • PRO
    12 months ago
    last modified: 12 months ago

    "Another thought was to just carpet master and do wood on stairs and other rooms with hickory that matches downstairs. This would eliminate the bathroom tile all together."

    How does WOOD from downstairs, eliminate TILE ( porcelain I assume?) in your bathroom?

    Redo your bath tile, bring the Hickory up to all rooms, hallway upstairs. Redo the gray tile entry at main floor.

    Find a beautiful edge to edge broadloom for the stair runner in a forgiving whatever as all the effort will still need a runner for comfort, safety and looks, So WHAT if it edge to edge! Spend money to bail yourself from the conflicts you created.

    Honestly......: ) At some point you will keep painting yourself into a corner of redo. Bite the bullet. You goofed in common piece meal fashion, which IS why we say wait,save first and consider consecutive issues.

    HU-224520412 thanked JAN MOYER