When we built our house, we installed Brazilian Cherry hardwood in our formal living room. The kitchen attaches to the living room with a small pocket door that's always open, and from there, the kitchen opens to the family room. Altogether it forms an upside down L. We currently have vinyl in the kitchen, and laminate in the family room.

We will be renovating to expand the kitchen and turn the family room into a formal dining room. We'd like to put hardwood throughout, but the transition is causing me stress.

1) Do we continue the cherry throughout, assuming we can still get it to match? Or would that be too much of a really intense colour?
2) If we go with something completely different, I am thinking something quite a bit lighter, or would that be weird? There's only a 2 foot opening where the floors would touch, but you can see a large portion of the living room from the kitchen.
3) What about installing a lighter hw in the kitchen / dr and having a Brazilian Cherry border run around it to give it some continuity?

I don't want a different floor material. Tile is too hard and unforgiving, and we live in a cold climate. We already have laminate in the family room and I've hated it since day 1.

Ideas? Thanks!