While I am sure that zazfuzzroc loves her own white cabinets, they are less sensible for your kitchen. The difference between your vision and the dream photo is that the look is not serene so much as it is high contrast, and will be glaringly more so when juxtaposed against the rest of the design in your home. Advice to look at other aspects and to minimize is on the money.

C, I meant more generally. Having some space between items (throughout) helps to give the sense of lightness you requested. (If you were to take Maureen's advice, for example, and add white/light items to the overhead open spaces, then one per smaller box would be enough.)
You have a nice kitchen - it is certainly nothing to be depressed over, especially when some of the tweeks that have been suggested may result in the desired effect less invasively.

I said nothing about things on the counters (perhaps inferred, but not implied), but am always glad to clarify comments for OPs.

Hi Car, hope you and yours are doing well. 😊

Make sure your lighting is 4000k and you have under cabinet lighting what color is your floor?

(Welcome to HOUZZ, BIllionaire -( PS your paintings are a bit too unpretentious - when do we get to see them?)

Terrific find. So many possibilities!!

Monicabaker: any "after" pics, yet? Pics of this beauty in its new home?

I say wear a little schmear to bed. Win,win.

I say let him eat. I think it's part of the wedding vows ... Love, honor, and eat whenever you d... please.

uh... no. Safety hazard. You don't want to send your poor hubby to the ER. Even worse, what if that person that trips is you?

A sofa w chairs gives you the nicest conversational group and flexability. Measure your space before purchasing additional pieces, so they are scaled correctly.

Yes, it did post three times, and I answered a different thread.

Since red seems to be a color you wanted to play up, why don't you just continue with it? Here's an inspiration pic Add a plant, side tables and touches of grey and mustard pillows. You already have the grey rug so another shade of grey (for the pillows) will complement it.

Your top would fit nicely in the space with recutting, and some larger, yellow dominant plates will read better on the wall and help tie your colours together more. Rather than trying to center to anything, you might concentrate on filling the space - replace the mirror with the new plates, lower the picture so that its top is a few inches lower than the top of the plates, and place the shelf lower and to the right of that, so that it can hold decorative S&P, napkin holder - whatever you use and need to reach from the stools. Your vase is very pretty, and your fresh flowers are just the thing to set it off - no need to leave place settings out between meals.

lts coming along! very cute bowl of fruit too!

maybe no flower boarder and two more little frames.

I'm going to suggest using the floor to advantage, and painting the walls in similar fashion - SW jalepeno, for example - and using greige for the cabinets. The medium cabinet tone will play well w the appliances, and allow some cooler contrast , while minimalizing the palette will help cheat you toward a more contemporary look.
[houzz= ]

Great idea Donna. I'm not sure what they consider espresso but I'd stay away from any color resembling black. I'd suggest a warm dark grey. In my experience, black trim, too, shows every scuff mark and ALL the dust. It's a lot of maintenance, especially for the kitchen.

Thanks for your suggestion. Can you show me a sample of the color

This may help:
http://www.houzz.com/over-cabinet-decoration

What are you trying to achieve by adding items on the top of the shelf? You have a lovely new kitchen and it would be nice to draw the eye to the new cabinets and kitchen rather than above it. Plus there is a nice horizontal line that has been created by following the same void along and above the door. Let it do its work.

Perhaps a long horizontal painted sign (elegant not rustic) of some sort that says "bon appetit" or "cafe"? White background and black letters.

:) Putting horse heads on mantels.

ahem...
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/what-to-put-on-the-living-room-mantle-dsvw-vd~968979

Hi, Ann! What color did you decide to go with for the main walls in your house? Please post some pics. I love the way you decorate!

I am going to pop in for a moment as Ann is traveling right now, but she went with Accessible Beige and loves it in every way. Gosh, I know she has lots of house pics on here, too......but where are they?

You might be able to arrange it so that the bookcase and bureau weren't next to eachother, by replacing the bureau w 2 2-drawer nightstands to replace the 4-drawer. If budget allows, however,I think incorporating all the storage into a single hutch piece would be a cleaner look, and closer to your inspiration photo.

Attach to the wall via french cleat. Google for how-tos.

I would consider painting the bed and the your desk a dark chocolate color and try to construct a wooden headboard in the same color. It would be nice if your bed is your focal point, so I would put 2 nightstands (maybe out of metal or something more modern...) on its side with table lamps. A big piece of art over your headboard could set the color sheme for your room. I could imagine something in dark blue or teal... I think, that the shelf needs to go... Instead I would consider some shelving that go up to the ceiling, similar to your inspiration picture in white...

Oh great idea!

I cringe to hear about ruined tables, and offer this for anyone considering fine furniture:
A fine wood table is best protected by table pads when a hot meal is served, and a cloth over the pad is a must; that way your high polish is left unmarred to enjoy at other times. For Houzzers with antique or fine tables but no budget for custom underlayments, a felt lined plastic tablecloth is the next best thing under your dinner tablecloth. At breakfast, hardboard placemats can provide a more casual protection.

I always assume bird droppings, but that violent visual should keep cloths on the picnic tables Houzz-wide!

I couldn't even have breakfast without a tablecloth on my table

I don't have a tablecloth for the table in my formal dining room, but I use one for formal dinners.

for our everyday breakfast nook ( two or three meals a day), I tried without for few days for a more modern look in the kitchen, and within two days, the wooden table had scratches. So now, I am back to a tablecloth, and we put placemats on top to eat

Oh, I don't know. My siblings and I spent every Thanksgiving dinner on a bench - very good at nice dinner parties for containing little guests that are wiggly anyways.

Previous owners photo
Celiawk, I agree with you about the corner fireplace, we never had one in the corner, and I thought it would be nice to have the fireplace, and the tv close to one another, but it is not turning out to be good; one wall is all windows, and the other walls are all open to the rest of the rooms, so, I guess we have to live with it.

fyi, and we like this very much:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Brondell-Dual-Temperature-Bidet-Attachment-in-White-FSW-20/203357953

I also like the idea of a larger storage ottoman, but you are suggesting that the one you have seems too large - it is not: everyone seated should be able to comfortably set a cup on it. If a larger table seems daunting, there are a few things you might do to integrate this one: adding camel colored throw pillows to repeat the colour, a patterned area rug to diffuse the extremes between neutrals, and drapery panels to soften a few of the hard dark lines.

I personally would have put a very large round ottoman in that area. But you chose it because it appeals to you and is suited for your family. Throw some matching colors (espresso) on it and call it good. Hit goodwill and purchase some books with dark covers. It's just a coffee table.

You have the option of altering the color of the wood of the table, if you choose too. Even if you just added a bit darker toned varnish to boards 2,4,6,8 and both ends....or just the 4 boards that create the edges. Nice table, should last thru 2 generations! But, bringing in some lighter toned items works, as would painting the legs edgecomb or just painting the top Edgecomb, even(tho who doesn't like the color of that pretty woodgrain!?) At least you can do some minor things and it will be perfect.

If the pics are inaccurate, it is time to stop polling.

I like the way the glass subway looks but we already have granite tile floors (shiny), granite counter tops (shiny), and stainless appliances (shiny) so I'm concerned with adding yet even more shiny with glass subway.

We went with ivory honed filled travertine. Had a 3+ month wait for the tiles to come in but we love how they look! Still need to finish the cabinet trims so excuse the unfinishedness of that. Now to pick out paint for the exposed walls...

I suggest that you don't replace that table, which appears low functioning, and look for a larger coffee table, instead. To function well, all guests should be able to reach it easily to set a cup down on it.

I take it back; like the nesting idea better. :)

I wish it wasn't distressed

21x21x21

http://www.wayfair.com/Wildon-Home-®-Kyla-End-Table-UT3803.html

21x19x21

http://www.wayfair.com/Sterling-Industries-London-Side-Table-ELL5333.html

20x18x18

http://www.wayfair.com/Wayborn-Helene-End-Table-3525-WYB1130.html