I asked a big long question a coupla days back and got no responses, so I thought I would break this part down, since it's the most important.

We bought an older house (49 years old) with 1 1/2" oak floors (face nailed). And extension to the house was built with just carpet and lino on wood subfloor, with no hw.

I am uncertain that if we went with different wood that it would detract from the appearance and eventual value of the house. Should we try to match the new wood in width and type to the old, or would it be ok, or even desirable to lay new wood that is more modern (wider) and of a different colour for contrast in the newer rooms?

If your talking separate rooms.... you already have two different floors as you transition from one room to the next. How do you like that look? Is (or was) the transition between rooms clean, crisp and pleasing to you?

One of the pretiest houses I've seen lately here in SO MD (about 60 years old) had been remodled slowly with a ditfferent floor in every room.... tile to wood to carpet to lino to wood to different wood in a defferent pattern to another wood at another angle to slate etc etc etc. Very tastefully done, unique, homey and interesting. The owner just sold the place for big $$$ and (I believe) his floors enhanced his sale.

Just my thought.

If you’re talking separate rooms.... you already have two different floors as you transition from one room to the next. How do you like that look? Is (or was) the transition between rooms clean, crisp and pleasing to you?

One of the prettiest houses I've seen lately here in SO MD (about 60 years old) had been remodeled slowly with a different floor in every room....and the house a a lot of rooms. Tile to wood to carpet to lino to wood to different wood in a deferent pattern to another wood at another angle to slate etc… etc… etc…. Very tastefully done, unique, homey and interesting. The owner just sold the place for big $$$ and (I believe) his floors enhanced his sale.

Just my thought.

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Well, the transition to the two rooms is terrible right now, as it goes from beautiful thin strip oak to ugly beige carpet which is full of stains.

Thanks, for the reassurance, Dave. That's what my wife and I thought, until a few people started telling us that having different wood appearance would create a weird look as we went from older 1 1/2" oak to possibly 2 1/4" Brazilian Cherry. My wife and I really like the warm colour and look of the Jatoba, and we almost set on it when we got those comments. So it got me thinking, and I thought I would post up here, where people with more experience than us can comment.

FWIW, HW flooring is just starting to pop up more often up here. Most homes here are still carpeted (We are up in Canada). I have a lot of allergies, and we have 3 cats, and I really want to get away from the allergy nightmare that we have in our townhome now.

Gary

You can mix and match floors. It's done all the time. I just did a CUSTOM home where the owners choose a dark scraped and distressed solid hickory for the office, slate tile for the very large entry, finish in place horizontal grain natural bamboo for the dining room, red oak strip for the kitchen and nook and carpet for the family room. Personally, I thought it looked busy and cut up. I like the continuity a single floor covering lends to a home. It is a matter of preference.

Wow, that does sound very cut up and busy. These must be big rooms. For my relatively little house, I think the two types of wood, plus probably cork in the small kitchen and nook, will be varied enough as it is.