Flooring upstairs/downstairs not matching

[MMMdude]

Last year I did our main floor with Costco laminate flooring - it's dark stuff - brazilian walnut color.  Stuff is awesome and with install was only about $2500 compared to the $20K my brother paid for hardwood in approximately same amount of space.  Anyways I want to do the upstairs now (which is carpeted).  Unfortunately they don't sell the same color at Costco, nor anything very close.  My plan is to leave the stairs carpeted (laminate stairs can be slippery too) and then on the second floor go with something lighter.  Anyways...will this look strange?  You can't see the upper floor when downstairs and vice versa (except when walking down the stairs).  I don't really care about resale as plan on living here til I die

[Cassie]

It will be fine since it is on different floors. We always leave our steps carpeted because of the slippery factor. That was always the only place in the house with carpet.  If you can see it when you look up the stairs I just would not make the color change drastic but rather similar colors. It does not matter that it does not match exactly.

[dragoncar]

I wouldn't worry about it.  There's not much alternative anyways -- the carpet upstairs currently looks different from the laminate downstairs.

[Osprey]

From an aesthetic perspective I'd say that if you can't match exactly then do them completely different colours - there's nothing worse than nearly there/juuust off because the brain will be irritated by the subtle change. If you're careful to choose the same undertone (warm or cool) in neutral colours then the floors should "go" together even if they don't match.

[Gray Matter]

I agree that you should go with completely different colors rather than a "near miss."  I think you'll be fine.  It was very common in old houses to have different (less expensive) flooring upstairs.  Our first home had maple floors in most of the main floor, oak in a back-room addition, and fir upstairs.  I found it charming!

[szmaine]

I agree that you should go with completely different colors rather than a "near miss."  I think you'll be fine.  It was very common in old houses to have different (less expensive) flooring upstairs.  Our first home had maple floors in most of the main floor, oak in a back-room addition, and fir upstairs.  I found it charming!

Same here...1840  house with maple hardwood downstairs and board upstairs painted gray. Very typical in these parts. I suppose the idea is that the upstairs is private space where company is not apt to be going.

[SwordGuy]

We have 3 different wood flooring styles on our first floor!  Looks great, too!