SFGate

jansgirl Depends on the all over style you are going for throughout the house and your budget. Personally, I wouldn't try to "match" a wood look laminate to the hardwood. It will look like you tried to match the wood and failed! Use a vinyl that looks like slate or.....?

Susan Flowers I just laid a laminate by alloc called trend line....it has the look of very narrow wood bands...would be good look for 60's ranch, but I don't think id transition from wood to laminate....I think the laminate might be too obviously fake...if you don't want tile, what about one of the new Groutable vinyl tiles that have lifetime guarantees....I would lay without grout...check out Home Depot site. I would not use too many diff materials so would do kitchen dining room alike if you can't be consistent from living to dining room

Design Organize I deal with a lot of homes that butt tile right up against hardwood and it looks great in every instance. Hardwood is a superior flooring and laminate wood or linoleum just don't match up. A nice big tile though seems to have the same upscale feel and so works every time beside hardwood.
Your fireplace is interesting and the full window nearby is really a plus. I would clean above the firebox so that the stones are all the same color and then mask the lighting with shades (or new sconces) so that the glare is reduced.
Decorate the mantel simply and don't overdo the hearth. Place your furniture so that you frame the fireplace (showcase it) at the same time that you create a cozy conversation grouping with your furniture (a loveseat and two upholstered chairs?) Have a ottoman nearby for additional seating and soft lighting at either end of the love seat and betwen the chairs (on tables).
The walls in the Living Room appear to be green. You might want to pull shades of that color all the way through to the dining room and kitchen (even painting the cabinets.) A tile that has tones of the fireplace stone might be nice in the kitchen and then eventually put darker countertops in (with shades of the grey stone and green walls).
Red/rust upholstery would be nice complements to those colors...(with shots of tourquoise as accent).
Best to you!
DesignOrganize.com

Cancork Floor Inc. Laminate-hardwood interface is very difficult. Not just visually but sound wise, you will notice the transition as soon as your foot hits the laminate.

By going with a floor that goes away from a wood look, you will be doing yourself a favour. You will give the spaces a defined line or organization as well as a visual break between the two floors that will feel natural.

Icork Floor LLC and Cancork Floor are awaiting the arrival of "Stone-Cork" flooring. That is, real stone (slate or mica) layer onto a cork floating floor = slate looking floor. We are retailing this floor for $5.99/sf and it will come with a glue down version for $4.99/sf. Or we have a "blue stone" replica in cork called "Dolerite Ripple" (after the standing stones at Stonehenge). The Dolerite Ripple goes for $3.39/sf and it goes in kitchens very nicely - floating floors can be floated above any hard surface...you don't have to remove the floor that is in the kitchen. The same for the Stone-Cork = floating/click together stone floor! Our competitors sell the same (Nova) for twice this amount. Nova and Cancork/Icork are the only two producers of Stone-Cork floors in the WORLD! It's really cool looking stuff!

cyn222 I also have to agree that I would not install laminate against hardwood. I love the stone tile look. Vinyl is a better choice in wet area like kitchen.

Susan Flowers Cancork....retailer in west pa? I currently have cork in kitchen, eating, hall....LOVE the look, warm in winter, cool in summer, soft.....HOWEVER, not suitable for 3 dogs who bounce around hall...lasted 10 yrs with maintainence...but finish coats difficult when it totally cuts off access to bathrooms for 24 hrs.

Cancork Floor Inc. Hi Susan,

We are a warehouse/direct distributer out of Seattle/Kent WA. We deliver all over the USA, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, etc. You can find our USA sales website:
www.icorkfloor.com The Stone-Cork would do well with your pups. This is a click-together floor that can sealed in kitchen areas. The stone is 1/16" and under that is 1/16" cork over top the floating plank. You will get half the benefit of cork + half the benefit of stone without any of the draw backs of either!

I hope this helps.