You are all so wonderful! I'm kind of having a bad day, and coming here to 28 responses made my day!! :) Some background I should have included: I am having reconstructive surgery on my knee next week. I tore my ACL skiing this winter...the only trip my husband and I have had together for about 8 years, and look what happens. Oh well! But for the past month, I've been in total cleaning and re-decorating mode. I know i'm going to not be able to do a lot of things for a few months, and so I'm trying to get things done now. Every spring brings lots of projects inside and out, and I'm trying to get done now what I can. Plus, I'm addicted to HGTV, and watching it every day will definitely make you want to get working! By the way, I've had lots of help. I'm able to do a lot by myself, but I don't push it. :) Those light fixtures are from Rejuvenation and were pretty expensive (for me! I saved for all three!), so I don't think it's anything I could replace just yet. I had a chandelier here when I moved in, and I just felt like my house wasn't big enough for one. My house is really small. Well, maybe 1500 square feet with a finished basement, but it's a common 20's foursquare. I have no entryway, for example. Just a big front porch and a door that opens straight into my living room. I will consider moving the table sideways - thanks! And the pics of my babies, I will consider that, too. I will find a pic of the rug and post it tonight. Why I got a dark-colored area rug with two kids is beyond me! :) But it's pretty. Hopefully, this fall, I'll be able to return to part-time work and have some extra cash for accessories. I love this room, but I just felt like something was missing. Granite would be awesome, in my dreams! I never thought I'd forget the details of my kitchen remodel, but I have! I will try to remember the name of my laminate. It really was a good choice, I think. Lots of people think it's something other than laminate, and it's held up pretty well. Some scratches, but nothing major. Here are some more pics of the kitchen until I can get more of the rug. Thanks for making me feel like my kitchen isn't outdated yet! I would love interior shutters on this window. As you can see, I have a lovely view of the AC unit next door. :)

I just wanted to update with a few pictures of my dining room. I did go with Woodlawn Blue, and I love it! In low light situations (most of the day), it is a quiet gray blue that still livens up the room: In evening and early morning it goes much greener: It is NEVER baby blue, thank goodness. The chair rail and white portion of the wall are Chantilly Lace, which I chose because it kept its crisp whiteness even in the shadowiest times of day. (And... I liked the name.) BUT it doesn't match the trim at all. I will repaint it to match but couldn't quite face the task of doing it once I was done with this project! (You can see here how the original trim color looks dingy next to the Chantilly Lace.) I can see now a dark blue gray would have been a big mistake! Also, when I looked at pictures online of Woodlawn Blue I really disliked it, but it seems completely different in my space. Thanks again for all your help!

Sounds like a fireplace re-do might be a longer-term fix. In the meantime, I'd paint the mantle a dark brown, a similar colour to your end tables. It's not trim and shouldn't be white. It pops out too much in the white colour. Another idea that doesn't involve any ripping-out is to go right over the existing mantle using a mantle slipcover in wood. Here's one of many how-to's on the internet. If you stained your brick as well, you could have a whole new look. https://www.fwmadebycarli.com/2011/01/making-of-slip-covered-mantel.html

Edgecombe Gray Accessible Beige