Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Need help picking out hardwood for new home

Hi,

I am purchasing a new home that has very promient oak trim and oak cabinets in a finish that looks like this:
http://www.windrivers-gsp.com/greatroom.jpg

I'm thinking it would be nice to have a satin finished hard wood floor in a lighter finish then the trim.
At first I was thinking natural vertical bambo, but I'm debating if it will not go well with the oak.

I was also thinking of getting a natural (light) finish oak or maple. Hickory is another option.

Please help, I need to decide soon

Thanks!

Natural red oak would certainly be in keeping with the oak trim and cabinets. Its close grain and pinkish/reddish hue would be lovely in your home and in keeping with the traditional style of the mantle you show. Natural hickory, much harder than red oak, tends to offer a more rustic look. Its graining pattern is one of the most varied of the Appalachian wood species. There is the light white sap wood and a variety of reddish-brown tones from the heart wood. Bamboo is an up and coming flooring choice (not a wood but a grass). The vertical bamboo offers very straight and consistent grain pattern and also comes natural or with different stain colors.

Borrow some samples from your local flooring store and take them home. Place near mantle and trim. Observe at different times of the day and night under real and artificial light. Also, think about your decor. Will it be more traditional, rustic, or contemporary. What kind of wood is your furniture? How will it look on the wood flooring you choose? What wood tones and graining best meets your personal taste and works well with existing wood in the home and makes a happy transition with your wood furnishings?

Another option would be rift and quartered red oak. Less grain pattern than plain sawn red oak if you are looking for a toned down floor that is still oak. Or if you want even less grain and texture, as you mentioned there is hard maple or its less expensive anternative, beech. You can get stained floors in almost any shade. Lots of options depending on your budget and taste.