Now it's beginning to work! Luv the rug! A few more red showstoppers, and I luv the post about matting your family pic, and larger frame for it. Looks like you might be a bit uncomfortable with the great post idea of moving your sofa out into the room away from wall. If so, could you accept putting it diagonally from the entrance doorway, across that corner where it is, stopping at the edge of your window? That's a bit of a move outward, still can see the fp and tv, and show off your new rug, which could go diagonally in front of the sofa. Then, if you like that, after a while you could move it on out as Deb K suggests. Sometimes intermediate steps are more doable for us than those big changes.Same with painting; if you could first paint just the fp wall, then later paint other walls...seems some color would really make it more homey. Would you cosider a quite contemporary fixture for the light in the center ceiling? Maybe a bit of red could go there!

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

Hi flair lighting. The back door over by the laundry is the one that would be used by us day to day. as the cars will be parked around the back of the house (maybe under a carport later on) away from our view. When guests arrive they will come in through the front door, which we are having some design issues with. We like it so when you open the front door people can't see straight into your living area. you never know who's gonna knock on your door! i really hear you about the fact that it leads to the bedrooms, but really unsure how to remedy this.also the laundry is by the back door so when you do the washing you can easily nip out the back door to the washing line which is out the back also away from view. our coats and shoes can be stored in the laundry also. was thinking lisa, that maybe a bench seat against the wall as you walk in the front door with a couple of coat hooks for guests? Lol we dont really get guests. In our current home i can count on one hand the amount of times the front door gets used. we just access through our internal garage.... any thoughts.

You want very easy care so you won't have to be weeding, pruning, watering and feeding because it is hard work on a steep bank like that. Along the bottom edge, I'd plant a few soft, smaller plants that won't require trimming back and are OK to brush against. Many natives are great for tolerating poor soil and not needing to be nurtured or fussed over. Clumps of hardy grasses - enough of each to make an impact, say groups of 5-7 minimum. Perhaps red tussocks (Chionocloa rubra) for their bronze tints, and Silver tussock (Carex comans) for their graceful light green fronds, and Chionochloa conspicua, which is very pretty in flower, (like a miniature toetoe.) Mix in NZ iris like Libertia perigrinans for its bright orange spear like leaves and it will tolerate clay well. Marlborough rock daisy if it is a dry area. A little further back put in that lavender, smaller hebes for flower and scent, and possibly some of the many miniature flaxes which come in a range of colours. There are a few spreading prostrate coprosmas that are great in areas like this too. If you don't like the bronze rambler but it is growing well, think of it as the background to set off something that you like, so perhaps a spiky silvery plant like an astelia will contrast with it and be a feature, or a little bright green hebe, with white flowers would contrast nicely. Behind those, put the feijoas, full size flaxes, corokias, the larger hebes, pittosporums, and coprosmas.