rejig the furniture,take the piano away from the window,its to high to be there,why not put it on the stone wall..put the painting above the fire and the mirror opposite... or put the piano where the painting is now and put the sofas opposite eachother... making a corridor along the stairs...

Sorry I am so late coming to your site - you are an inspiration to all, homeowners and advisers alike. For your planting advice, I suggest you call Merrifield Garden Center to see if they will come out your way. They currently have wonderful garden centers in Merrifield and Fairfax (both in Fairfax County) and a new one in Gainesville, but they may come further south to wherever you reside. (www.MerrifieldGardenCenter.com) Even if they don't send designers to your area, they are worth a trip to see their huge selection for a day of pleasure and inspiration, or to pick up some plants. Most of my clients are in the Fairfax and greater Washington area, but I am currently living out west below Front Royal, VA on the Shenandoah mountainside - wonderful views. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

I like the tiny shelves idea because that way you have more storage for your things.

The all black kitchen looks scary as. Maybe because there's no lightness in there at all.