Thank you for your help, I had never questioned my taste until a recent visitor commented on my lack of color! I like the look of the mongolian lambs wool cushions-have not seen here in New Zealand, I will have to search. Thanks for the reminder about mirror, it mostly does reflect the dresser but yes the doors are focal too, I hadn't noticed. I used to have more height on the living area coffee table but when I removed the Television and hung the vintage ceiling tiles (photo attached) on the wall the height interrupted them from another angle (not photographed). Our house is located semi rural with bush and water views, with this being quite focal in the lounge (with the wall paper) which is why I have not hung art. With this (as photographed below) would you still hang something? Really appreciate you all taking the time to answer. Thanks.

Oh, and a few months ago, I was playing around. This is what came as the result :D

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.

I think it is awesome to give a piece of furniture a new life. It is sometimes a bit daunting to take a paint brush to a piece made from genuine old timber but if you are going to get many more years of life and enjoyment out of it I think it is better than dumping it. I believe it shows your love. jbof4 I started with a heat gun to remove most of the many layers of paint, (some are easier than others to strip this way). Then I used an orbital sander and sanded and sanded and sanded. You might also try liquid paint stripper although I find this very messy. I believe you can also get them professionally stripped. Good luck with the resurrection, go for it what have you got to lose.