Carpet has come under fire because of the allergy/asthma reactions. Carpet can hold dozens of pounds of human skin/dust/mites in it. It can never be fully cleaned nor can the dust be completely removed. Because of this, many people are looking for solid flooring options which reduce allergens, reduce asthmatic events, are easier to clean and last longer. High end carpet (the stuff that is worth more than hardwood) still has its place in high end homes - often times in luxury bedrooms/luxury appartments (noise issues have to be taken into consideration) but on the whole, the general public is shying away from wall-to-wall carpets. Cork flooring is seeing a huge increase in sales because it "takes over" for carpet. Soft, quiet, warm, easy to clean, hypo-allergenic, antimicrobial, instect resistant. It is the "go-between" type of flooring for people used to carpet who need to move to solid surfaces for their health. As Canadians, we love this flooring because it is so warm.

I agree with Diane's ideas! Grey is a nice color. The only thought I had on having a corner sink cabinet, you may not be happy with it in the end. You have a little corner, and the sink may be too small for you in the end along with not having any storage space. If you can't find any curtains that you love, try a cheap roller blind for now. It will give you a visual look and an idea if you want to stay with a curtain or going a bit modern with a patterned blind or even a roman type shade. It could turn the cozy look into a clean modern look. Framed mirrors are expensive. Call a glass company in your area and have them give you a price on mirrors. It might be quite nice to take the mirror down, and replace the wall there with a complete wall mirror to fit, stopping the mirror at the vanity, and continuing the mirror across the vanity between the sink and window. It will make your bathroom feel much bigger, even though you wont be able to see in the mirror over the sink. Close up the vanity doors with new door. Use props first (white poster to cover up the doors) etc. before you buy anything! Stick on tiles are a great idea! They clean nicely and look great. Although I wouldn't go with the wood look. Your bathtub tiles are old fashioned, go with a stick on floor tile that is easy to look at, try to get samples first. Remember Gray is a sleek clean modern color. It is not a cozy country color. If you don't like the grey in the end, maybe a real pale blue or butter yellow (that would be more of the cozy cottage look).

I would embrace the element, but I would get rid of the wood chips. I'm thinking back fist sized river rocks. Then I would get a tallish flowering tropical such as hibiscus and add a few ivy plants to grow between the rocks. Additionally, a small water feature might be nice. For me, the bigger problem with the entryway is the door. You have an obviously contemporary home, yet you have a -very- traditional door. I would want a wood door with some sort of art glass element in it. The wood would of course need to be stained to match the existing woodwork. The door will be some big bucks, but it would remain regardless of flooring changes. These two doors are not specific recommendations, but examples of the type of entry door I have in mind. Best wishes!

Is your stone veneer to be laid on a slope? I would want to see an example of that beforehand. The stones in a sloped wall are still set horizontally, but the veneer will have joints that look skewed if laid sloped so it could look quite odd.