Thank you so much for your comment after all this time. The colour you have suggested brightens the front door area beautifully and if the two red pots were painted in a tone to match, we think it would look great. Not sure if you can get Crestview doors in New Zealand but there must be something similar. We like the idea of going away from another cedar door - mainly because it would stand out too much while it was weathering. I don't know whether we would have been that brave but the tangerine works so well with the jade green of the joinery. I have re-laid all the stones and put a new wider front step in. The timber colour will soften down in time. I put a big pot in the garden to draw visitors to the front door and have added some colourful bromeliads to the garden alongside the house to make the area a bit more cheerful. We can't make a decision about what to do with a larger 'overhang' to protect the front porch yet - it is a project in progress. Thanks again for your post.

Thanks for posting new views of your room. You are right, nothing can go in front of the paneling, and we won't block the built-in cubby. In that case let's work with the rest of the space. I found a picture on Houzz for your gallery wall. I think this will allow you to bring in color and texture and interest to your wall without taking up space like furniture would. Try to play with portraits and a couple of paintings in there too - mix it up. Otherwise I would not put anything at the top of that landing (I'd remove that console table). That picture wall should be enough visual interest to your space and it'll draw the eye to the furthest wall as you walk in your house. I would try a small piece with closed storage between the bottom steps and that door by the entry. It looks like the space is no wider than 26", so it'll be a challenge to find something that fits and is tall enough. I would not use the wooden piece you showed above because you want wider proportions and fairly narrow depth so you don't bump into it as you walk by. (something like this ) I would hang a mirror on top of primping. By the cubby you could add a single seat stool. I'm not particularly suggesting these colors for the stool and bombe chest but something along these shapes. At this point if you do that big picture wall and add these two pieces of furniture and a mirror, you might not need to hang anything on the wall above the cubby. Also, I noticed your chandelier is quite substantial for the space and hanging pretty low. Would raising it a little or replacing it by something a little smaller be an option?

I would suggest you take out the cabinet that is to the right of the stove and use it elsewhere in the house -- perhaps in the bathroom or dining room with a hutch above it. Then, I would suggest you have someone install a lazy susan cabinet in the corner between the sink counter and the stove, meaning you would move the stove down a bit and have a small cabinet/counter top to the right of the stove. I would suggest you have the cabinets refinished in white and then paint the walls a pastel you like. If you would prefer white walls, then add white-painted crown molding and paint the ceiling a light neutral blue, such as Sherwin Williams Niagara Falls Blue. Then, I would suggest you choose a favorite accent color and use this sparingly in accessories like towels, pot holders, small vases or floral arrangements, and a valence above the triple windows. For a genuine 1940s look, you might have white ceramic square tiles with a rectangular red border installed as a back splash behind and above the stove. If you are replacing counter tops, I would suggest a light color such as white with a beige or light grey vein or striation for some sort of pattern. You might be able to find the same color and design in floor tile OR opt for a wood floor as another poster suggested.

Ok! Red and white then. This is kind of a neat room, but you do have a lot of furniture. So, my first thought is to move the furniture around a little bit to give you more functional space. The desk is really neat, but it is meant for a corner. Since you have the door to outside, one of your typical bedroom corners is missing. Let's consider if we can take the return that makes the desk an L off for now and put it in the garage / storage. It just doesn't work well for you here. It also seems that you need more storage by the desk. I would like to see the tall bookcase in the corner by the dresser where you have the short bookcase - that gives some height to that part of the room instead of having all the tall visual things in one place. Then, is there room to turn your bed onto the end wall and put both nightstands on either side? You may even be able to center the desk under the window so you can still look out, and put the short bookcase just to the right of the desk. If when you turn the bed, the desk doesn't fit where it is, then put it on the entry wall in front of the window left of the sliding door, and put the small bookcase at the left end facing the door when you walk in. You can swag back the curtains here to the left - and I have new curtain recommendations coming. Let someone else use the little green tiffany lamp for now - great in a bathroom! Center your dresser and mirror on the wall it is on now and add even rows of 3m command hooks (i like the silver ones) running up the wall on either side of the mirror and put your hats on them. Now for decor ideas. We need to find you some curtains to tell your color story - look at these - http://www.pier1.com/Flocked-Leaves-Panel/2689183,default,pd.html?cgid=curtains#start=4 they bring in your red and white, and also tie in your blue chair with the pretty birds without going all too patriotic in style. Use these on both sides of your window, two pulled together to the left on your door. Then, add an off- white comforter cover - called a duvet - this can be taken off and washed / bleached so it will be fine that it is white and you'll put your existing red spread folded in thirds at the bottom of the bed. With the duvet, you will get shams for your main pillows. Now you will need a bedskirt, but if you use a print here, it will add a lot of interest and we can make accent pillows that match to make your bed look very chic. I went looking for a red fabric with a small off-white print (you might find a red and white striped bedskirt with the red of your bedcover throw) , or buy some fabric and take it to the local tailor and they will make you one - here is a good fabric example. The red needs to be dark like your bedcover, but have a little white. Tell them you want a tailored skirt, not a ruffle - 2 yards would be enough to make a bedskirt and a pillow sham or decorative pillow bolster for your bed. Here is something that could help make the room look decorated - it matches something else we are getting to - http://beautifulfabric.com/asccustompages/products.asp?fav=0&fpage=1&page=1&categoryID=17&productID=6061&pStart=200&recNum=247 If you want to paint walls, you can, but I have some stencil ideas instead that will work nicely with the creamy white walls you have now. I think I would get a stencil to match the little print in the fabric - and stencil my closet doors with a reverse pattern -the off- white underneath and red on top. You can test sw rookwood red - match it to your red bedspread. You can even use craft paint so you can mix it to match the right red color - http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/collections/moroccan-stencils/products/casablanca-trellis-moroccan-stencil You can also do the wall where the head of the bed is changing to. Definitely don't do the whole room - it will feel too busy. Take the cork/ pin board and mask it off, then paint that frame red. Put it over the little bookcase. I'm going to suggest you and your mom go shopping for a headboard for your bed - sometimes craigslist has some terrific finds. Something solid against the stencil wall would be best instead of another open pattern. Paint the headboard the same dark red you use for your stencils. Here's rookwood http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW2802-rookwood-red/ Your dark furniture will look beautiful with this deep red and white. Put the art by your pinboard on the wall between the entry door and the window - it is too small for a big wall. Buy one large piece of art for over the bed - ask for it for a birthday or christmas - here is something like what I mean - this has your colors in it and was made by a fine artist - http://www.art.com/products/p12280045-sa-i1657569/joaquin-sorolla-y-bast-clotilde-and-elena-on-the-rocks-javea.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=0&dimvals=5004429&ui=b5ff7eb13dc247bcb1178e6f636a3f96&ssk=joaqu%u00edn+sorolla+y+bastida You can get this in wrapped canvas that doesn't need a frame - just get a big enough size / around 2/3 as wide as your bed - or buy something that is just line art - a black sketch on white matted in the same deep red and framed in white. It might take you a while to get everything the way you like it. Be patient and work on this with your parents help and advice. Hope this gives you some visual things that could carry out your wish for your room.