The medium colored wood in the photo below is what the kitchen cabinets are being made of.

The flooring leaning up against the white walls is what one of the designers selected. What do you think?

This is what the other designer likes. Is this a good fit?

What do you prefer? I think the distressed floor is going to offer a casual/rustic feeling, and the darker floor will seem more contemporary/transitional in style.

Do you have some examples of room styles you like, or the furniture you will use? That might help guide flooring choice.

Edit -- It seems like either floor would work and it's just a matter of your personal style.

This post was edited by melle_sacto on Fri, May 30, 14 at 18:39

I think it also depends upon how much upkeep and cleaning you want to do. I would prefer the lighter wood with the grains so that dirt and dust wouldn't be as visible - especially if this is a place where you want to relax and be a little more casual. I'm having new wood floors installed in another week. The installer has said the same thing that others on this board have said, "You can go dark, but every bit of dust and hair will show on it." Just a thought.

I'd prefer the light color distressed floor for several reasons. First, a dark floor is going to make the floor and ceiling feel more sandwiched and enclosed. Also a dark smooth floor will show more footprints, dust and nicks.

If you go with a darker floor, will there be a darker beam or two to tie the floor and ceiling together?

I guess it depends if you're going for a more lighter and airy feeling or heavy feeling.

Here is another shot of what the cottage looks like. It is open enough and the ceilings are tall enough that feeling enclosed shouldn't be an issue.

JMO but I can't even picture that dark floor in that room. It seems like the lighter one "goes" better, to me anyway.

I think with that ceiling, the darker floor will contrast better. I think the other will make the room look like a mish-mash of different woods, each with a different grain/knot pattern. I think that will make the room feel clutter, mismatched, too busy, and even like "too much wood". I think the darker floor will tone all of that down and bring the ceiling out more.

Such a gorgeous room. I can see how the dark would ground the room and offer some contrast to what is already there. But dark is a struggle to keep looking nice, at least at my house with kids and a dog and my less than stellar house keeping skills.

I'm not so sure about the light option. I'm a little concerned that the ceiling already has a lot of (gorgeous) knots and variation going on. My in laws once had a log home with lots of different wood finishes with lots of character. I always felt a little overwhelmed by the amount of knots and pattern and movement surrounding me at their place. Each wood was beautiful on its own, but the sum total was too much of a good thing to me.

I think I'd personally be looking at a medium color option with minimal knots, etc. But that probably isn't ideal with the medium kitchen cabinets and I'm not sure how set you are on that choice.

If it is just the two choices you present, I would go with the dark option.

I like the contrast of the dark floor. Otherwise it may look too much like you tried to match, but missed. JMO

Most important is what do YOU like?

I agree that the dark wood would "ground" the room, but I really do think it takes a lot of work to keep the clean look. I would agree about too much of the knotty wood in that tone if you go with the lighter wood, but I also thought that the furniture and a large area rug would break apart the ceiling and flooring so that you wouldn't have to worry about a "near match miss." As melle_sacto asked, "What does your furniture look like." And are you using large area rugs to anchor the areas on both sides of the fireplace?

Another thought... could the designers show you a mock-up room view with each of the floors in order to help you decide? Or, have I watched too many episodes of The Property Brothers? :-)

I prefer the dark floor and maybe throw a few area rugs down.

The room is already so busy, the lighter one just seems to add more confusion. But the dark floor is way too dark. Is there something in between...a little lighter with less graining?

You know, I sort of hate it when someone asks, "Do you like choice A or choice B better?" and someone responds, "Neither, I would use choice C." However, I'm going to give that kind of response...sorry. With that much wood, I would want a stained concrete or stone floor to contrast with the walls and ceilings.

Yep. I'm going to do it, too. I'd use a light/medium toned tile or stone with minimal pattern for the floor.

If it has to be wood, I'd choose a medium toned brown with minimal grain and pattern.

Thank you everybody for your posts. Keep 'em coming.

As far as furniture goes, we haven't bought anything for the great room yet so we have lots of flexibility.

A stone floor will be used in the screened in room.

The floor we pick will go in the master bedroom too which will also have the same white walls and cedar ceiling.

The floor doesn't have to be a choice between A and B. If someone here has a floor they think would be perfect..I'd love to see it.

And just to add to the confusion I would love to see a brick floor in your beautiful cottage. WTBS, if you go the hardwood route I would say look for the lighter wood, tone wise, with no knots and little grain. Dark floors would look better but they are a pain to keep clean. You could buy a Neato or a Roomba to help keep up with it. You definitely should go lighter or darker on the floor compared to your cabs so you have contrast.

I think a light wide plank French oak floor would look great. Less knots. I love it for a beachy feel!

Also, a travertine tile (large format) would look excellent too, in the great room.

[Rustic Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2111) by Irvine Interior Designers & Decorators Blackband Design

Agree with nepool that a wide-plank floor is an excellent idea; again, it would take away from the business of all the wood slats. It would also add charm to the room.

I have to agree with Fun2BHere and Frankston 2010, in that a stone floor wood contrast better with all of that wood. Plus, it would be easy to maintain and you could always add an area rug for a touch of color.

I vote for light floor, minimal knots/grain....won't show every speck of dust and won't look busy and compete with the other woods.

What about a white-washed floor to match the walls with some large dark area rugs to define spaces?

Dark floor.
You already have alot of light wood already.
If you have the darker wood floor, it would contrast, and actually make the room look bigger, believe it or not.

Tallying the votes to this point, there are 7 for Light, 7 for Dark, 3 for Medium and 5 for something completely different. Talk about a lot to think about.

The one area where there has been close to a consensus (7 to 1) has been to keep the floor free from a lot of knots. So the floor in the 3rd photo will be eliminated as a contender.

I too would go for a completely different material. How about stone?

I would say the dark floor for contrast. However, I had darker floors once and they were impossible to keep clean for longer than five minutes after a ferocious cleaning. I am not a fan of the knotty look in that it will make the space look busy with all of the other wood in the room.

I would either choose a stone (LOVE the brick idea!), or concrete and finally a different wood.

Here is an example of a type and color of wood I would select.

Here is a link that might be useful: One idea

Light floors, no knots, etc. It's easy to keep up, casual, but elegant, and will look great with any kind of floor covering or rugs, from orientals to floor cloth and rag rugs.

However, it also depends on what style you are going for. I personally like a Scandinavian look.

{{!gwi}}

Can kswl put up pics of her brick floor? That would be stunning with some big, beautiful rugs, and virtually maintenance free.

I think the dark floor reads as more formal, at least to me, and formal isn't what I think of when I hear "cottage." And there's the aspect that it shows every speck of dust.

The lighter flooring with few/no knots would be my choice, or nepool's oak floor or the whitewashed floor.

That ceiling has so much interest that I'd want a plainer floor, so as not to compete.

Stone would look lovely, but I wouldn't want to stand on it for very long. But maybe you have younger knees than I do.

I agree that stone would look good, but also agree that it would not feel good for me. Cold and hard underfoot. I go barefoot inside all the time so that's a big deal to me.

i tend to prefer darker floors, but i don't think i would want dark floors with minimal grain in your house...... i would probably be looking at something more carved/distressed with some grain/variation. i def wouldn't want smooth, ungrained, very dark floors with kids and/or big dogs.
but, you are getting alot of opinions because it is all a matter of personal taste-- any number of surfaces/colors could look great!
what are you doing with the fireplace??
i don't think i would want a stone floor in my master bedroom... and, i have to say that based on the people i've known with brick floors, they are not virtually maintainance free!!

Well, if you're giving me free range, I'd go with a LVT product that looks like stone...cushioned, warmer and easier on the feet and legs, a breeze to keep clean. Also easier and cheaper to install. Lots of people make it these days so there's a huge choice of styles and colors. This stuff is not the old stuff in your mom's kitchen that cut easily....this is tough stuff with 20-25 year warranty. We used it in our house and are very happy with it.

I think an unstained light maple floor without so many knots and activity or something like that would be the best.....or travertine or something light in stone. I have a couple of houses--with multiple types of flooring in each. By far, the most difficult to maintain is dark wood. I think I wouldn't do it again.

YOu know what might be nice? A warm terra-cotta tile floor.

Something like this:

Or this:

Is the lighter one the same color as your kitchen cabinets? I would want something lighter like the lightest color in your ceiling, but without the knots.

From what I gather there is no question about type of flooring ..
Yeah wood!!..The question is what shade and style.
You've probably imaged searched 'till your fingers went numb..
I'm liking the wider ,lighter with less knots.But...I'm kind-of liking the last photo ,just a hair darker....

[Rustic Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2111) by Park City General Contractors Phillips Development

[Industrial Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/industrial-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2113) by Shelter Island Architects & Designers SchappacherWhite Architecture D.P.C.

[Traditional Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by Santa Barbara Architects & Designers Tom Meaney Architect, AIA

What a view! I like the wood up against the wall.

How large are your rooms? Looks like a wonderful house.

The landscaping begins next week as well as the stonework along the bottom but here is what the entry side currently looks like:

Here is what the lake side looks like before the siding has been put on and before the landscaping begins:

The kitchen is 17x16 with the attached dining room 17x11. The great room is 21x23 and the master bedroom 17x14.

There is a clear winner for me....the dark one.

Dark floors not only ground the room but will also make the ceiling look even higher. The contrast between the light wood on the ceiling and the dark on the floor will look awesome.

You might consider the flooring against the kitchen cabinets more than worrying about the ceiling. After seeing the darker wood leaning on what is presumably cabinet material, the dark wood is wonderful in bringing out the grain. Yes, I had dark wood floors for seven years and did not find them difficult in the least, but we have no children or animals. Put in a sweep vac pan and use a microfiber cloth mop to dust. Second choice is to look at what Annie offered. Some nice, easy to clean choices there. edited to add: Medium wood floor might give it that more wood, wood, wood...feeling.

This post was edited by voila on Sat, May 31, 14 at 15:28

Have you seen this office space on Houzz. Your flooring dilemma came to mind when I saw this space this morning on Houzz. This architect chose all medium and light woods, some with character and some without. What I really love about this office is the wall color. I think the wall color keeps the ceiling from feeling top heavy.

Here is a link that might be useful: [See Why This Architect's Office Has a Built-In Safety Net[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/see-why-this-architects-office-has-a-built-in-safety-net-stsetivw-vs~27289332?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u524&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery2)

Stunning cottage!!!

To me, lake house says wood and cottage says low maintenance. For that reason I would avoid the dark brown and go with a lighter color. The dark is completely stunning but will show scratches and dirt more, which to me isn't a cottage thing. I'm also thinking a very dark floor may be oppressive with the relatively dark ceiling.

I would just be concerned about getting the undertones right with the cedar and the cabs. Personally I'd go as light as possible to provide a nice neutral base for that stunning ceiling!

I don't like the more formal dark stained floor in this space. if you don't love the rustic knotty flooring, ask the designer to come up with a less rustic choice.

I'm not sure why you are using two designers, though.

I don,t think the light dark color matters nearly as much in this case as the type of wood selected. I would put in a smooth even color so it doesn,t compete with the everything going on in the ceiling.

Dark wood floors look beautiful in someone else's home! I have several friends who have them and they all tell me the floors are a pain to keep looking nice.

i wanted brick flooring but my builder said no

seems his floor people do not carry that product and therefore will not put it down......

i really think he's part owner in the flooring company....
i settled for slate but i am not a happy camper.....