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[GCR18]

If you aren't able to get a good size sample, I'd buy a box of light and a box of dark.  Lay them all out.  That should ease your mind that you're making a color mistake.

[Carolm]

@GCR18  @Lilysmom  @ItsME @itsmagic @Chicagosuburbangirl .  Thank you for all your good advice.  I appreciate you taking the time to respond.  Actually, its just me and my kitty.  and right now I have light maple wood that was damaged by a leaking patio door.  The door was replaced last year, but this choice has me stymied.  Perhaps I'm just too picky.  But I'm going to follow your advise and hopefully by 2025 I will have a new floor.  By the way @Chicagosuburbangirl , I live in the Chicago suburban area, too!  Thanks again, all.

[Carolm]

When I bring up the @list, I don't think everyone is listed, so I may not have thanked everyone, and for that I apologize.

[ECBG]

Medium floors are the easiest to care for.  Dark will be a dust nightmare in every corner you'll have a Swifter duster every minute.

I have a large country kitchen with a "honey" tone floor.  Love it!

[Kachina624]

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@queendiva wrote:

How many people living in your home? Cats and/ or dogs?

The darker the floor, the more dirt, dust and hair it will show.

Without seeing your home, I would suggest a medium tone for the flooring.

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@Carolm.  I agree with @queendiva , the darker the floor, the more dirt, dust, animal hair, grass clipping etc. will show on it.  I, too, would go for a medium shade.

[CAMOGIRL]

Deep down you probably do know which way to go.

Walk thru the home -

light walls, lots of light, openness? You could go dark.

dark walls. little light, small areas? You could go light.

Mid tone floors will work well for just about anywhere.

Also - look at your decor. Does it all lean towards darker tones or lighter tones?

Do the flooring opposite, so everything just does not blend all together.

There is the dust factor - darker will show more period.

Just keep those corners dusted a bit more! No biggie!

Some homes look best with dark floors, and if that is the case, then go for it!!

Don’t over think it, go with your gut as they say.

Don’t be negative and think you will make a mistake.

Think positive, think “I really like this one!”

[nomless]

Split the difference. Get a medium tone.

[Fressa]

I do this with every manjor purchase. I want to purchase once and have it last for years and still like what I picked. I'm in the process of picking flooring for our lower level which is very large and semi open floor plan. The first level is the same lay out.

I did purchase/bring samples home from the flooring store to stare at them in the various rooms. You need to see them in the various times of day and with your "things". This makes it much easier to decide or eliminate a few.

The one thing I've learned is to stick to your budget. There are many options regardless of your budget. If you sway from this then it becomes overwhelming with options.

Go with the color that you like or the style. Then search the options of grain in that style. I found that method works better for me so I'm not looking at all these sammple of grain that I don't want. 

Good Luck!

[juanitalinda]

I am right there with you.  I also was drawn to the Acacia, but one store I went to said they have had many complaints and are considering removing it from their inventory.  Apparently the large color variation ends up being a problem for too many of their customers.  

So .... I am still bringing home sample after sample.   I guess I am not in a big rush because I want to repaint at the same time I have the furniture moved out.  And the painters here aren't doing interiors until October.  

Hopefully we will both have something picked out by then.  

[Lucky Charm]

Whatever compliments your living room and dining room furniture (and kitchen cabinets, too)---that's what you go with.

Most will say that if your furniture wood is dark, you would go with a contrasting lighter flooring.  Same for kitchen cabinets.

Doesn't have to be that way.

My livingroom and diningroom furniture is off white

I prefer lighter hardwood floors with no dark staining.  Mine are ash and they're so light they look white.  You can see dust on them.  (My livingroom has 11 windows.)  But I want to see the dust--not pretend it isn't there!

So go with floors that will bring out the best of your furnishings.