Hi, I am going to begin an install of hardwood and everything is ready but I cannot figure out which direction to run it. The wife and I have argued all the way down to the last minute and we have different "pros" tell us different things. OK - The room is an entry into a great room with a fireplace dead in the middle. That room has an opening into the kitchen (almost galley style) that is beside it and more narrow than the great room. The flow is definitely supporting that we run the boards so when you walk in they are the long way and not side to side. The floor joists are supporting that we run it side to side for the wide look and my wife wants it that way as well. My problem is that we have this some what narrow kitchen and I think it would look weird side to side and not long, but we don't want to change directions. One guy said it would be ok to run it long even though the joists don't support it that way because they are 16" wide and it would be ok with out additional plywood on top. Another said it wasn't because of the joists and he said since this is my first install you might see wavy lines when you walk in. So, is flow more important than joists? All the pics on google of great rooms are of long installs. Thanks for the help

Add 1/2" plywood and run the flooring in any direction you like. Even change directions for different rooms if you prefer.

Yup, add plywood underlay and run the floor in the direction of focal point for each space, point it toward the fireplace in the great room, and I recommend a change of direction in the kitchen so it flows in direction of traffic. This will also enable you to recoat the kitchen separately from the the balance of the floor if needed due to excess wear.

Diagonal.