I don't think you'll go wrong from the medium shade in your pic, to the darker end of what I've seen. It's a beautiful wood in all tones, plus, like you mentioned, your area rugs will add significantly to the feel of things.
The pic at the website is very similar to the actual product delivered. Not dark. But, the samples we had varied in age, and the older ones were definately darker. No matter, the product is really beautiful. The new floor should be installed by the end of the week. :)