Greetings. I lost my mind and tore down a wall last winter leaving a 7 inch wide gap in the red oak flooring in my hallway and dining room. The hallway now runs directly into the dining room which is what I wanted but I hadn't considered the flooring strips not lining up. I also tore out my entire kitchen but that's another story.

The strips in the hallway and the dining room run in the same direction but are off by 1/2 inch AND they were laid in opposite directions, (excuse my layman vocabulary) but the tongue in one room is opposite the tongue in the other so they can't just be patched together. It's the old #1common red oak, 2 1/4 inch width from the 60's. The void is about 14 feet in length with subflooring under.

Off course, I am on a budget. Flooring pros have suggested just placing a header or, ideally, removing and turning around the dining room so the tongues line up then knitting it all in nicely which is about $2500 more spendy. The kitchen floor will be installed and all of the flooring in the house is to be refinished and have 3 coats of 'natural finish' which I'm guessing will wind up being that pinkish icky color. Not my favorite.

Recommendations? Options? I understand the perpendicular laying option to simply fill the void (header--would this be a single board width or the entire void where the wall used to be?) but am not a fan of that jolt of wrong direction. I could tile the strip I guess but again there's that stark transition 10 feet from the front door looking down the short hallway.

What to do... Also how can I persuade the 'natural finish' guys to add just a wee bit of stain color so it's not quite to darn pink?

Thank you for your time and expertise.
Rebecca, the impulsive wall demolisher

The pink look in red oak will fade with exposure to light. The red pigment is fugitive. The floor will become more orange as the wood turns and the finish ambers.
Sorry that the flooring doesn't line up. This is most common.
Save up for the right fix and re-lay the floor by taking up the best side to work with according to your floor contractor. This is the best solution.
Find some plywood to lay into the void until you can move forward, screw it down.
Or get a loan with your home equity and have the work done when convenient for you.

Thank you--that was fast!