I just found out that blue green colors really bring out the beauty of wood. I know its not the same but I have honey oak cabinets and just repainted my kitchen a blue green and it really made the cabinets look stunning. Maybe you could try something in that color family to enhance the wood. Just a thought.

We are planning to use a dark taupe on one side of the lounge (left wall as seen in plan), and the same dark taupe in each of the bedrooms (1 side only, wall behind bed). Is this a good idea or would u prefer using a diff colour for bedrooms? Thanks

OK - I'm a beginner here on Houzz so my opinion isn't worth a lot but here it is: the room is a bit bland and lacking in character. I think you have to find some pieces you really love to bring it alive. All the suggestions are good for widening your horizons, but ultimately, you need to find things that matter to you, because it's your home and not a magazine photoshoot. That said, if it were me, I'd throw a couple of small, colorful rugs down, and put either one large painting or three smaller ones over the bed - not in a line but at different heights - to break up the binary look. I'd also put something on the wall above the heater. Then, play around with a few cushions and maybe a quilt that picks up some of the colours in your artwork.

Textured linen or with a subtle print wont date. Feature walls make a room smaller as they jump out ar you. Wouldnt recommend. Get some interesting art or craft. Pick up colour with accesories