Can't decide on a stain color for red oak floor

[Mears]

My contractor is a day ahead of schedule and is going to start staining tomorrow, and I still can't decide on a stain color. I talked to my SO about this yesterday and we couldn't decide on anything. My entire first floor is an open space and includes kitchen, living room, and dining room. Previously, half of the floor was carpet and the other half was red oak with a golden pecan stain that I wasn't fond of. I'm having the existing red oak floor extended and the entire floor refinished. My walls are a lighter gray and my kitchen walls are a pistachio color. Trim is/will be white. My current cabinets will be replaced next year, so I'm not factoring in how well the floor with match them.

Pictures of the area are below. My girlfriend likes the red mahogany stain, but I'm not sure how well the red stain will go with the walls, and from what I gather redish floors are dated. I do have several other accessories and pieces of furniture with either a redwood or cherry finish, so she is pointing out that this will help coordinate. However, I'm not sure it will help since it won't be an exact match. Originally, I was thinking of something dark, but I'm worried it will darken the rooms and be a nightmare to keep clean with a Malamute that sheds non-stop.

Any thoughts? I'm thinking maybe Jacobean, and after seeing this site, I'm thinking maybe walnut, which neither my gf nor I liked in the color samples: http://7thhouseontheleft.com/category/renovations-101/hardwood-flooring/

Here is the area:

 

[MichaelD]

Word of advice: Being that you've already given your SO a say in the matter, just let her decide. (She is your WIFE, I'm assuming? If GF, then screw her opinion). If it's your wife, whatever you pick will be wrong, even if she approves of your choice b/c YOU chose it, not her. Let her pick. I'm sure you have a man-cave room. Be happy with that.

ps
Any man considering "Jacobean" color is already whipped. Let her pick.

pps
Nice house! I like the open staircase.

 

[AreaCode707]

Red oak has beautiful grain, nice pick. Don't go too dark, select something that lets the natural beauty of the wood shine through.

Red won't date badly unless you go REALLY red, but don't pick a floor that matches your furniture, pick something that offsets and complements it. In your house I'd go lighter; stay away from yellowish but pick something with a nice natural tinge or gentle tan shade. It'll make your furniture stand out, make the place feel bigger.

 

[Greenman]

Go natural with a waterborne finish, it will be beautiful. If you use an oil base finish it will yellow.

Side note, that looks like a Red and White Oak blend in the pics. Your contractor did a nice job toothing it in.

 

[IronWing]

Go light as possible.

 

[lxskllr]

I like oak. I'd just clear coat it.

 

[chipy]

i prefer a lighter stain.

also love the stairs and the chandelier. where did you get that light fixture?

 

[alfa147x]

I like oak. I'd just clear coat it.

^ second this

 

[edro]

We stained our red oak with dark walnut. It looks awesome. It's not too dark IMO.

 

[highland145]

clear.

 

[Texashiker]

What have yall done to those red oak floor floors? They look terrible.

Have you ever seen red oak in its natural state? Its a beautiful wood with lots of natural colors.

Sand that crap off and put a clearcoat over the wood

 

[edro]

Oak with clear looks tacky to me. It looks straight from the 80s.
Any stain brings out the wood's character much more.

It's personal preference I suppose.

Here is what our red oak wit walnut stain look like:

Maybe I'm just a fan of the walnut tone... but do you see how it brings the textures and grain shapes out more?

 

[Trey22]

We stained our red oak with dark walnut. It looks awesome. It's not too dark IMO.

We chose Mahogany and it didn't come out too red, but a nice rich color where you can still see the grain of the wood.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Oak with clear looks tacky to me. It looks straight from the 80s.
Any stain brings out the wood's character much more.

It's personal preference I suppose.

Here is what our red oak wit walnut stain look like:

Maybe I'm just a fan of the walnut tone... but do you see how it brings the textures and grain shapes out more?

That just doesn't look right with the rest of your house IMO. Yellow walls with a dark stained wood floor? A lighter finish would of looked better in your situation.

 

[Modelworks]

Staining a wood another color usually means you chose the wrong wood and are trying to make it look like another species. If you look at classic antique furniture you will notice the only things used were varnishes to protect the wood, not to change it to another species by making it red or brown or black. The coloring of wood started when people couldn't afford things like cherry wood and used pine stained to look like cherry. If you spent the money for red oak, why try to make it look like anything else ?

 

[edro]

If you spent the money for red oak, why try to make it look like anything else ?

Because red oak is one of the cheapest hard woods.
Walnut hardwood floors (if you can find them) are much more expensive.

That just doesn't look right with the rest of your house IMO. Yellow walls with a dark stained wood floor? A lighter finish would of looked better in your situation.

Again, that is totally personal preference. I think it looks great.
I do not like light wood floors at all (maple or unstained oak).

If it wasn't such a huge cost, I would use unpainted wood trim too, but it was already white and pine and refinishing is a huge PITA.

BTW, that's not a pic of my house, but honestly, it looks almost identical. (light colored walls, white trim, same floors, same bookshelf style, etc)