The Wedgwood vase is very pretty - it reminds me of the startup silhouette on the Kindle app. But the Beagles Biscuit tin is perfect! Raboo - my Lab chooses to spend part of her day and every night in her crate. And we haven't closed the gate in over 4 years. It's right in the kitchen where she feels like she's in the center of all the activity. She loves it, it's her den and her favorite snoozing place. We have dog beds in the study and family room too - but she still prefers her crate.

The natural jute or seagrass rugs will not look as good on carpet and may permanently discolor the carpet. Plus, it is just another edge for kids to trip on, so I personally would not layer flooring in that room just for looks. Reluctantly agree with above poster who speculated that bar table, while cute, would end up as a horizontal surface only (read: repository for anything you need to put down) and not as an eating area. I would maybe get a bigger ottoman than the chair (if you replace the chaise) would need, and get a nice big melamine tray with sides and a handle for the top for their food. (If you decide you want to try a table I wouldn't try a round one if it is going up against a wall for obvious space considerations, and I would get a regular height one, not the pub height...... think kids horsing around and falling off those high stools, their center of gravity is pretty high.) I bought a bolt of green and white mattress ticking fabric online years ago and had slipcovers made for two sofas. The slips outlasted the sofas! The navy and white (more in real life like navy and off white) is very durable if the fabric is cotton twill and woven, not simply printed on the surface. If you google signal flag pillows (images) you'll see an embarrassment of riches. If you go the signal pillow route you can always just do solid color pennants on the rafters. There are etsy shops that will make them to order in the colors you desire or you might find them already made. I have to say though that I really like the flags on rafters picture posted above!

aktillery9 Thanks for the color inspiration! I love the idea of adding in a fresh color (after all, my entire house can't be white, cream, and blue!), and green is an unexpected yet beautiful choice. (And thanks for including a picture-- it's such a great example of how dark, traditional furniture can be paired with the right items/colors to produce a fresh look! I'd definitely like to do something similar in my space!) suzyq53 Thanks for the feedback. Your comment made me realize that my plea for help might not have been clear-- I definitely don't want a casual beach bungalow look. Ultimately the rooms will be formal spaces, and I'm happy with a more formal, traditional-leaning look... but I do want it to have subtle coastal references, through texture, color, etc. I continue to hope that there's a way to bring "coastal" and "traditional" together in a unique, beautiful way. ARBA Studios I'm mulling over the idea of adding shiplap or something similar to the wall around the fireplace. You're right-- it's not a huge area, so I don't think that it would be a costly change, and it might be a nice way to pull the room from traditional to coastal. Thanks for the inspiration pic! ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9 I agree! BIG rugs are definitely the way to go. I think that once rugs are added, the room will feel much more inviting. And I agree, everything that's currently on/above the mantle needs to be changed, and the dining table is screaming for something beautiful in the center. celerygirl I'm on the hunt for a wicker tray similar to the one in your picture. I think that the texture will be a nice touch, and with the right decor pieces placed on top, I think that it will go a long way to pulling the room together. Please keep the feedback coming, everyone! And if you have specific ideas for items that would look great in my space, that would be much appreciated!

Here is the room as it is now: