Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Hardwood T&G addition

I am installing hardwood T&G floors in my living room that will be next to a hallway that has existing hardwood floors. How do I merge the new floor to the existing floor instead of just butting up the new floor to the existing straight edge. The existing floor does have short 10" strips alternating at the end that I could remove to merge the new strips in to continue into the living room.

"Feathering" into existing floor with new wood into old, which will not be an exact match, will tend to less aesthetic than using a T-mold between the two separate floors.

My initial suggestion was a t-mold, however, we have a t-mold between a hall and bath and my wife hates the look. Our house is fairly new construction (5 yrs old) and the lumber yard still carries the same brand red oak t & g. We also still have the stain used on the existing floor and I know the polyurethane brand used.

I hope I am not being overconfident but I was considering setting a circular saw to the depth of the flooring and making parallel cuts down the center of the short strips. Then removing the groove half and prying up the tongue half. I would then slide the new strips into the alternating spaces and either use set nails or beginning nailing where the strips exit the existing flooring.

I am having a professional sand/finish the floors & I would ask them to sand/finish over the feathered area.

What do you think?

You are correct in the manner you are going to use to lace the floor in with the old. The older floor will need to be sanded and finished for it to go unnoticed good job on homework and going with a pro to sand and finish.

Phil