We've had some rough experiences with hardwood floor contractors lately.

Our recent contractor said he could just sand and restain our kitchen and it would blend perfectly with the rest of the open area. As you can see from the photo there is very visible brown edging where the new area meets the old.

Any ideas on how we could go about making this look less visible without having to spend more money getting someone to buff and refinish our entire living room area?

I was looking at a few online forums, and someone said that I could potentially use 'mineral spirits' to rub off some of the stain to achieve a more blended look.

I'd appreciate anyone's advice and thoughts on the matter.

I've tried to upload an image but I'm having difficulty. If anyone would like to see a photo I am happy to send along.

Thanks in advance!

He just thought he could match it.
His next excuse will be give it time.

It is nearly impossible to match an existing stain or even natural finish.
You can get close, but you only got real lucky if you did.

If it is the original contractor and he logged all stains tints and finishes used, it is still going to look different, unless it was done very recently and a repair is done.