Try this. Hang the television to the right of the wood stove on the wall opposite the french doors. Use the wall with the high windows for a looong sofa and add two chairs across / angled slightly - low back so you can look over one to television. use console / sofa table on entry /bed door wall just past where entry door opens so you have a lay down surface. Forget glass, it isn't for this era and won't make it feel bigger. Paint ALL french doors inside and out and small windows and entry door same color and trim same color too. Try a charcoal rather than a black - something in the blue-green-gray shades like new providence navy. do all the walls in kitchen and living in a warm white - this tone has the wood as an undertone - http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/woodash then, for the cabinets . . do a bungalow thing and go deeper on the cabinets to a classic drabware tone - with the wood walls and floors / try bm bracken biscuit http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/brackenbiscuit these will all go together like gangbusters, keep it light and bright but interesting and work with a new blue green gray back door in a tone like bm beach glass http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/beachglass templeton gray as a counterpoint on some craigslist piece of furniture . . add warm undertone tan and oatmeal nubby tweed upholstery to start . . the teal navy gray will work with the black iron stove and accents without going black. start keeping the left door to the kitchen closed and get a door stop to hold the other one open permanently . . this will work because you need a little more wall to make the tv work well - in the kitchen, pull your table away from the wall just a tad - consider a padded bench on the wall to provide a kind of sitting space in there and put the chairs across - if you shift your television to the wall (high enough the heat is not an issue , you can still have big speakers work well - and remote the media equipment - run the wire and patch the holes. Hang it mid-height - eye level when you sit plus 15 degrees . . check out the amazing sconces you can put on the entry wall - shades of light petersik pendant with home-made trim wood brace to pump it out from the wall since the power is high? over the console? round wood table in middle - even a hd butcherblock round on a painted drum base in trim tone? With those tones - teal gray, biscuit, creamy off-white, muted blue-greens - paint your white chairs and a hand me down bench wythe blue and find a graphic sunbrella print with a little blue green, chocolate and orange for cushions and pad skirts with velcro at the table . . make a galvinized pipe leg / plank 1 x 12 / clear finish console for behind the door . . now you are cooking with gas . .

The blue is awesome (grey is too trendy)! The reason it stands out to you is perhaps because it's the only real colour there. Bring in the blue in a window treatment, a small appliance that sits on the counter, a pretty tray or area rug. Also, it is more appealing often if there are more than 2 colours - so right now you have a white and blue colour scheme - bring in red or orange or fushia - something from the other side of the spectrum (like you did with the yellow flowers but in a more permanent way)!

I recently saw this episode of Ask This Old House where they demonstrated painting tiles - especially as a solution to get one through till an entire redo is possible. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/ask-toh/video/0,,20902001,00.html Looks like you are doing a great job!

I'd take a totally different route . It looks like there is that narrowish window in the lounge or dining area -- I'd look at whether you could make that into a ranch-slider ( yes , I am in NZ too -- if you say ranch-slider it confuses the Aussies haha ) . You'd need a structural engineer to make sure that wall isn't load bearing , and also electrical cables are able to be moved , but I'd suspect the load bearing bits would be the corners , and you'd be able to 'open up' that wall onto the deck . While it initially may seem counter-intuitive , you could then take out the door and that other taller window -- close it in and add a couple of small windows , or how about doubling down , and seeing if you can 'open up' between what you call the 2 windows above the stove -- have 1 long flat window along there , OR even do another bay window -- that will add more light , but also by taking out the opening door , you will get an extra metre of space , That way , you can do a different kitchen design -- maybe a wall mount oven , or a pantry , a breakfast bar in a different spot -- basically , plan the kitchen and the window placement at the same time . The advantages would be more usable space , more light , an indoor/outdoor flow but through the other room , not the kitchen . But with more glass actually in the kitchen , it will feel lighter and airier , plumbing won't be as much of a hassle , it will look better . The only possible downside would be the wall you put the ranchslider in will need to be kept clear , as you may lose a bit of space there , but the breeze and openness will make up for that IMO .