Now it's beginning to work! Luv the rug! A few more red showstoppers, and I luv the post about matting your family pic, and larger frame for it. Looks like you might be a bit uncomfortable with the great post idea of moving your sofa out into the room away from wall. If so, could you accept putting it diagonally from the entrance doorway, across that corner where it is, stopping at the edge of your window? That's a bit of a move outward, still can see the fp and tv, and show off your new rug, which could go diagonally in front of the sofa. Then, if you like that, after a while you could move it on out as Deb K suggests. Sometimes intermediate steps are more doable for us than those big changes.Same with painting; if you could first paint just the fp wall, then later paint other walls...seems some color would really make it more homey. Would you cosider a quite contemporary fixture for the light in the center ceiling? Maybe a bit of red could go there!

Bought an old home...I loving refer to as my retirement bank..124 years old. If your husband or you have any carpenter skills or a family member who loves you a lot...look for old doors that includes barn doors that are too large...cut them down or refigure to size...its custom. You did it...wood is thicker and better....paint them all the same color....instant character. Or start with the one that is the worse problem...see how it goes...mine are beautiful...add something different and built to last. Most were $25.00 to $50.00 except the front door..but new doors they are thin...not real wood and to me cheap . its work to sand strip and measure ....make sure to measure about five times...keep in mind old homes are not square...but for us it worked...old doors you pick up for almost nothing aren't either. I made paper doors to take with me to lay on top of old doors to see how it would be...that wasn't easy but used old cardboard first and butcher paper taped together I could fold and take. You can check the height of the door knob which is important I found out..we have a door that we mismeasured and it like a dutch door I think they call them top opens and bottom opens or together..it goes from kitchen to dinning room so like a pass through. Which worked out to look good but what a headache..so the butcher paper template is a must. You are in for a lot of work and fun...as long as you know. Just about anything can be changed someway to work...diy magazines and web sites are educational...good tools...borrowed or hope for as a gift a blessing...renting if your sure you can get it done in a day is an option. Lots of info...custom doors start at least at 200 where I live uninstalled not real wood...for us this made sense...not for everyone...we love our house or recycled doors.good luck...doing it make you love it more.

Beautiful clean modern kitchen! You have a great opportunity to put your personal stamp on the space with a unique backsplash. As you've heard already there are some different approaches. I'd probably place the backsplash up to the wall cabinets and up to the base of the hood. Then continue the backsplash at the same height (18"?) behind the sink. Then place an inspiring colorful picture above the sink to break up the wall. Here's a picture with pendants that aren't too obtrusive. Having multiple levels of lighting at different lumens makes a more inviting feel to the space. I couldn't decipher your flooring, but you may also want to consider adding some nature elements like a type of wood flooring, wood stools, etc. Good luck! If you need software to plan out materials check out our Home Designer software: http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/

As chookchook said in her recommendation about painting, put a drop cloth on the floor. Get a very safe ladder. remove the lightbulbs, and cover the outlets. Turn off the electricity to the chandelier. Then spray it with a mild cleaner (I use one I found at Target that's basically water with vinegar, until it's dripping wet. Start at the bottom and work your way up, so you don't have dirty spray dripping on the bottom of the chandelier.Work your way up and down until the dripping spray is clean. The chandelier may be gorgeous and expensive, but it seems totally out of place in the architecture of the room--more at home in a chalet than a sunny room with a window wall. I would probably try to find a way to get it removed, and sell it to someone who appreciated it better than I.