Tiles or Hardwood in Kitchen (hardwood floor, laminate, refinish, stove)

[trusam]

We want to remodel the house we want to purchase. It has hardwood in kitchen, entry, breakfast area and a bathroom. The house was built in 1998 and the color of hardwood is slightly yellowish and lighter than the hardwood in the newer homes.

Is it possible just to change the color when we refinish the floor.

If we choose to remove the carpet and install hardwood in rest of the areas, will it match with existing floor? Or we can refinish existing floor and change the color so that it will match with new hardwood? Or we just have to remove the existing floor and install new floor to match color?

I also have another question about the installing tiles in kitchen and breakfast area and hardwood in rest of the areas. What is the trend now a days? Tiles in kitchen or kitchen + breakfast area or Hardwood?


Thank You!

[Padgett2]

The yellowish look is probably the aging of the finish. Refinshing it will lighten it some as you remove the old finish.

I, personally, would love the look of the wood in the kitchen, but I've been around long enough to know that unless you have rugs down, the area in front of the stove and sink, and the area under the legs of the chairs in the breakfast area will show lots of wear first. Sooooo, I made the choice to put down tile. I don't have to be as particular about mopping it either.

[ShaneSA]

I put a real hardwood floor in the kitchen 6 years ago. I put down pine and stained it kinda dark, not real dark. I sealed it with polyurethane. to date, it has not darkened or shown any wear. it's not Pergo or other laminate....it's real wood. makes a difference.
The rest of the house already had real hardwood floors. I ran the kitchen wood in a different direction becasue it would not be the same color. the rest of the house is original floor from 1934, so there is no way to match the color. I love it and get alot of compliments on it.
The trend nowadays in decorating is to do what you want. it's your house, and do what you like, not what you think others will like. that is, if your going to live there.
I don't do a house as if I want to sell it, i do it the way i want it to look. of course, i don;t do drastic strange things. I guess that makes a difference.