Why so dark in a kitchen where you want warm and sunny? And just on a personal note, why not try bamboo flooring instead of oak. Probably less expensive, just as beautiful and long lasting, and more importantly, bamboo is completely sustainable and renewable. Oak isn't.
As far as putting wood floors in a kitchen, why not? As long as they're finished well, with polyurethane, just as easy to care for as any other floor, and better, in my opinion than carpet, tiles or linoleum.
