You need light and bright. Being rented is tough. First change out the drapes with to the floor length. Cream with a horizontal stripe of brown to match or furniture. This will 1. get rid of the horrid things hanging there 2. pull the initial visual to that wall instead of the floor. Tall and high colors ( mango, aqua, yellow) decorations on your mantel with shorter cream and brown items. Then a large square table in the middle, painted distressed cream, with high color items setting on it. DIY project or Ikea. Green is the number one calming color, just don't let it put you to sleep. :)

It sounds lovely. The ceiling will be more than suitable for a transitional style. I think the wainscoting would also be fine but as I'm cautious I'd be adding after I'd lived there for a while. It does seem more traditional than transitional. On the other side I'd love the bead boarding in the hall.

Hi Michelle - It looks like treated pine to me, and looks as though it has been recently built. If you did nothing it would fade to a grey colour within 6 months or so. This would probably blend in with the house quite well, and you wouldn't have to do a thing! Otherwise I would stain it - there are lots of stains on the market - see if there is one you like. A dark one would create a nice contrast with the house and make the fence look more like a feature. Good luck!

Michelle and Jeremy live in a 3-bedroom weatherboard house built in the 90’s, and was very much still stuck in the 90’s! Michelle is a great baker, often whipping something up on request; she juggles working in an accounting office and being a mum, while Jeremy works in IT. They are famous for their potluck dinners and often having BBQ’s into the colder months. Our expert designer Mark, moved the existing fridge location from the middle of the room to a wall cavity, instantly creating a better flow and opening up the kitchen. With a splash of colour on the back wall which wrapped around to the side wall, it gave the whole room a fresh feeling in keeping with the Hamptons look the couple were after. This stunning kitchen has Snowdrift White Cabinetry and a Pewter laminate bench top. The bar back is a vinyl wrapped tongue and groove patterned panel giving the kitchen a stately Hampton's look. Before Before Before After After After