I am planning on building a built-in bench and paneling for our small
entry hall which we use for putting on & taking off shoes and coats.

I plan to finish the bench and paneled walls (up to a height of about
5 ft) with stain and poly.

This may sound like a stupid question... but I like the look of oak
paneling; however, as a newbie, I don't know the difference or
pros/cons of using Red vs. White Oak or Flat vs. Quarter Sawn for the
paneling.

Any suggestions or is it just a matter of tast.

Thanks