I agree with Gallifrey, gloss and no stain is the way to go. Our brush box floors are nearly 20 years old and survived our youngest son rollerblading and riding his trike the length of our house. Yes, it does show dust a bit more, but it is much harder wearing.

The cypress pine that you have upstairs is a very distinctive look and I am not familiar with any laminate timber manufacturers doing anything similar in colour and knotiness. This means that you won't find a close match, so I would consider other materials that are completely different. Don't go with a timber-look laminate as it will look really fake compared with the real timber boards that are upstairs. In this photo there are three different flooring materials that are working harmoniously together. There is the clear-stained cypress pine on the lowest level, hardwood treads on the stairs, and slate floor tiles. (If you want to see more photos of this Pettit and Sevitt house then visit: https://secretdesignstudio.com/mr-mrs-modanest-danish-style/ ) Will your ground floor be on a slab, or on stumps? If you are on a slab then consider tiles, polished concrete or carpet. For your stair treads consider polished timber treads. Remember that tiles and polished concrete will last forever if correctly laid, whereas carpet and timber laminate flooring have a limited lifespan as they are much less durable. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

I was in a similar spot with my renovation a few years ago and ended up going with engineered wood floors in a dark oak finish for the main living and kitchen area. What really sold me was the maintenance, so much easier to clean after kitchen messes, and the boards still looked good even after a few scratches from the kids. I found the better-made engineered boards with a thick top layer can be refinished at least once, and they feel pretty solid underfoot. In my hallway, I went with solid timber as a bit of a test; honestly, both have their strengths, but the engineered option gave me more of the color and look I wanted with less stress about upkeep. If you’re leaning towards a dark timber look, I found a lot of inspiration just browsing different styles at places that specialize specifically in natural wood floor, places that let you see the real thing laid out. It definitely helped me make the final call.

Hello Louise yes I think this mix will look good. I would suggest limiting the proportion of Lighter timber though, and using a greater proportion of white (like in some of the images above and here below). I would also recommend that you don't stain (colour) your floors but just polish (clear lacquer) them. Before sanding and polishing you could also fill the small gaps and cracks between the boards with Calking and then sand this calking back (when dry) along with the timber to give a more flush uniform, modern finish to your floor. Hope this helps, Malcolm