I think with all the character on the walls that lighter on the floors is better.

i too like the lighter the better. Even if it is pine it will darken and have character when a clear coat is applied. After it is sanded go to the lumber store, buy the same wood in a raw board and try just water on it and you will get an idea of what it will look like. And if you feel likght mahogany or other light names are too light then make your own and mix it with clear and it will work out. Are you doing satin? Or the tough shiny gymnansium finish? I do think like the above, the walls are enough dark wood. A light floor will look current, updated. A darker floor will look dated, i think anyways. Plus darker floors show every dust-bunny!

I go with lighter with the dark walls

Our floor guys recommended Miniwax Cherry tonight. However, I'm really torn. Is that too much warm color? We have that dining room wood, too, to contend with.

Did you say you were going to paint the wood walls? I couldn't really understand what you meant.

It is a matter of what you like.
I love cherry and it would look great too.
If you love everything else then pick the floor you love and don't look back.

We are keeping the walls the same (not painting them), so its a dilemma finding something that goes with their dark warm hue. Cherry is reddish/pink so it creates a weird contrast.

Think of it like this, your walls are your sweater, what color pants would you put with it? Something contrasting I would think. Not something close, so that it looks like you tried to match it and missed. By the way, this is the Mrs. Dunafon Construction :)

Cherry is pretty alllll by itself and it can get more red overtime - maybe not a good idea. I think the reason why this has become a hard discision is you are overthinking it OR there is just too much wood everywhere. Maybe you should just pick the same color thats on the walls and cut it by half.

That's a great idea. I just wish I knew what color the walls are, stain wise. How do you cut a stain?

The flooring people should be able to match the stain and the tone I think is done by how long the stain is on the wood before they wipe it off - or maybe they add more lacquer- not sure. If the floor guys are any good they will know. I am still in favor of a natural finish.

What about a white wash?
I hope I am not just adding more things to think about.

But, when I was looking at getting pine floors from Carlisle I ordered some samples and I got the white wash and it looked good. It might be nice for a good contrast and to add some lightness.

My floor guys, I've determined, suck. They only gave me four options and aren't flexible with exploring other ideas. If they hadn't sanded the floors already I'd have gotten rid of them by now. My solution has been to buy myself time until today and frantically try out Miniwax combos on the floor. I have Natural, Golden Oak, Cherry and Special Walnut. Any suggestions for combos?

Put a clear coat on it and roll. You will be happy and it will enlarge your space considerable and be easy to keep clean.

Give yourself some time, if you need it.
Don't let them pressure you.
We just built a house and got pressured throughout the process.

It is your money.

The floor guys are going to push you to go with a stain because they make more money. No stain means just a clear coat and thats cheaper. If you are not sure of these floor guys just pay for the sanding job and find someone else. This is just to important and cost to much to be unhappy with the final result. Just to make your life a little more complicated I just saw a wood paneled dining room with Ebony floors and it was beautiful. But really dark floors also show every bit of fluff. I would also be interested in what kind of dining room furniture you are putting in the space.

I have brazialian cherry and they show show everything too.
Sigh.

This is really helpful advice, thank you! I looked at the floor alone and it actually doesn't have very interesting grain unstained. I think the cherry is too pink, so I've mixed the Miniwax Natural with it to make more of an orangey pink (see right color in this photo--the far left is cherry alone, with natural next to it, which I think is too yellow). Like? Hopefully the floor guys will carry the Natural as well so they can recreate it.

Maybe try part natural and part walnut. I am saying walnut to get away from any pink or red.

Hi --- I just looked at the Minwax stains - I like these - Minwax Wood Finish (Special Walnut #224 ) or Gel Stain ( Aged Oak) or Water Based Wood Stain w/ clear tint base ( Coffee)

I ended up picking 1 part natural, two cherry (top right). It has a warm feel without being too pink. Thank you very much for your advice--I couldn't have done it alone!

I like it!
And glad you can stop thinking about it.
I know how exhausting it can be.

Thank you! So far my mom and husband don't like it so I'm glad someone does. :) So important not to regret things--no two people have identical taste!

You have a great attitude! Be blessed.

I am sure you are going to love your choice - NO REGRETS ! Once you get your furniture in and finish the room - it will be beautiful ! .Don't pay in full until your happy with it. Send us a picture when its done - this kind of became all our effort didn't it . At lest I hope we didn't make it more difficult for you.

You certainly made it easier. Thank you so much, I'm very grateful! I will send the finished product when it is done in a couple of days!

hello. I too like your choice. If your husband doesn't like driftwood grey or this one, then is he like my hubby and just doesn't like change? Do what you want. Its nice, beautiful but it does sound like those floor guys stink. Don,t pay until you are satisfied and its completely done. If you are in Manitoba let me know......I'll come over and give you the moral support you may need dealing with them. The suggestion above was right thou, pay them up to this point and hire someone else. And if they say they dont have clear then show them the door :). I am not really this ugly in person....i just hate pushy contractors.

jewel, where were you when I needed you? :-)

Thank you! I'm in NY but thanks for offering support.

so.......whats happened today?

they stained it...I am going to see it tomorrow once it has been polyurethaned...very excited to see!!!

This is kind of exciting isn't it ?I can't wait to see !

Me too! I really hope it looks good....

I want to see it too....... oh this is fun!

This is soooo fun! They will be beautiful. Almost like waiting to see my own floors..... I love this site. I just found it not long ago and love seeing and hearing about others triumps and questions. its cool seeing inside other everyday houses from different climates (some are everday regular people homes but some are WOW) (I am in a regular 1400 square foot house in manitoba canada), neat seeing different furniture and things available somewhere else, isn`t it? Whats really interesting to learn is that others are as unsure of themselves and make bad paint color choices just like I do!

I'm so grateful for all the support of my online cheering squad--you guys are the best! Well, my news is not great. I just went by to see the floors and I have no idea why, but it looks like they just painted Natural stain on without mixing any cherry in. The floors just dried to normal yellow pine color. I'm totally baffled...they didn't speak good English but I mixed the color with them in person so how could they make such a big error?! Arrrgh...I found a stain by Minwax where you can paint over polyurethane ( http://www.minwax.com/expert-wood-tips/change-stain-color-with-polyshades), so maybe I'll just do that and go darker. This is one to sleep on.

maybe you have to wait and put furniture in. The walls are reddy wood and probably reflect on the floor right? And maybe, is it possible that you are over thinking/critisizing? I know when i do something i can go overboard and see the tiniest flaw that noone else can. Maybe its a blessing in desguise because it they had put the wrong ratio and it dryed pink...?.......could've gone that way too.Post pictures. I have used polyshades a few times. its just ok.

It was too dark to photograph but I will try to return tomorrow. I'm trying to keep an open mind, I'm just baffled as to how it turned out this color!

It will be ok.
Get some rest. Tomorrow things will look different.

Hi lulu - I am so sorry things have not worked out for you. I would say if you are not happy with the job they did then - call them back to fix it. It probably cost you a pretty penny for this and you have to be happy.It should NOT be up to you to fix it yourself .

so......how is it......? we are waiting for the beautiful pictures! :) :)

They are supposed to come back and meet with me about how to fix the floors but keep delaying. They did agree to add some more stain to the final coat of polyurethane...I'm hoping to have some nice pictures soon!

Good for you, lulu - stand your ground - some times these MALE contractors intimidate woman - I have had that happen to me.

good! as lefty47 says...stand your ground.....you are the customer and sounds like its going to turn out so we wait for the pics! And just think, in two weeks from now your furniture will be on the beautiful floors and last week will be a bad memory!

Thanks, you gals are great! These guys were not bad, they met with me today and agreed to fix it. Unfortunately I have to wait until our painters finish the interiors for them to do their fixing, so it may be a couple of weeks, but I promise to post!

good, looking forward to seeing them :)

So? How is it going?

Still awaiting the floor stain--they are waiting on our wall paint to be done. Home things take at least ten times longer than planned, it seems! Thanks for checking in!

So. It has to be all done by now. Give us an update. And pictures too!

and we are all waiting...........

So sorry I didn't respond for so long, I got locked out of my Houzz account and took forever to get a new password. Yes, everything turned out really good in the end, but it took many months and we had to resand the entire floors. I'm really happy with it. Will upload a photo when I can take one. Thank you again everyone for your support and ideas!