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!

Oh so cool you noticed that we're trying to achieve a french country/industrial look or did we write that somewhere? I've attached some other photos of a bedroom and the foyer (of those we've taken so far), but are absolutely open to suggestions on a "beachy" feel as well or instead of. Although because its a beach house we don't want to go over board on expense and hence keeping what we already have, and just adding personality to it, if you get what we mean. Kingsize Black upholstered headboard to come in that bedroom.

You have lovely pieces to work with. To my mind, it appears you have a long and a short MCM credenza/buffet. I'd prefer them switched and then move the art pieces so they take up no more than 75% of the credenza's length. Also keep them closer to the furniture and lower than the door and window frames if possible. Red is a wonderfully appetizing color and I'd love to see it on the dining room wall as well, although I know it may make the air unit more obvious. The dining wall is the one I'd fill with a bookcase for the cookbooks. As a one-time owner of nearly 100 cookbooks, I found they made for great dinner party conversation, along with an unabridged two-volume set of the English language dictionary. An IKEA bookcase could work well and hold plenty of books. The white shelf system with the red wall behind and the backs of the shelves painted red would look great! Or you can paint the bookcase red and leave the wall white. Group books by color for another touch of fun! Don't forget to show off some great "foodie" accessories too.

Hi Jennifer K, thanks for your comments. The photos you have posted are really lovely but not really suited to our environment and house, which I know is impossible to tell from one photo. We have built a modern farmhouse on 10 acres. That room looks out to beautiful green countryside and the river below. The dining room is a bit of a feature and is completely different to the rest of our relaxed lodgey style house but I don't want it to be too modern, if that makes sense. The photos have given me a few ideas so thank you so much for your help!