Thank you Loribee, boxerpups, deedee, and Computermom for the compliments on the room. I don't like to post pictures of my rooms because we have dark woodwork, and that's kind of anathema here. (I love that word, and don't often get to use it!) And deedee, I did have some berries wrapped around the candles in my lanterns and liked them. I'm going to try that too. Igloochic: I've had books there, and didn't like dusting them from the amount of dirt dragged in by my two aussies. But I have a couple downstairs I'm going to hunt up to see how they look. Les: Yes, I love orchids, and may do that. Suero: I used to really covet a chocolate set. Thanks for the suggestion. Thanks bumblebeez and gayle for your input. I spent the afternoon shopping my house, and tried a bunch of different things I had. I'm kind of like a magpie; I like shiny things with glass and pottery. I'm missing the texture thing. But, thanks, allison, for your idea about the natural. The funeral thread reminded me I had a lovely piece of driftwood in a pot from my FIL's funderal 24 years ago. I'm going to use it in place of the horn you suggested, if I can get everything together. Thanks, all! Dee

Our island in the house we moved from last year was 6x6.5'. Yes it was massive, maybe a little too big. But I kind of liked it. The "cooking" wall had a pro cooktop w/ double convection ovens to the left and base cab and a counter top cab on the right. Facing the cooktop was the island: d/w, big sink, tray cabinet. On the right side were straw produce drawers, trash pull-outs, 50-lb icemaker. Next side (facing the family rm) was an open display/cookbook shelves w/dead panels on each side. The fourth side, facing the breakfast room, were a base cab, microwave opening w/drawer below for dog sweaters, dead panel which was the side of the dishwasher. I hope that's clear. It did have some dead space which I could clean by stretching! I sometimes debated if I would do it that way again, but I did get alot of stuff/storage there.

Yes I would say to cut them down a bit You should try air layering if you want a bigger plant there's a couple nice videos on YouTube where a guy gets a nice 1' plant with branches off an air layer

Not a huge fan of window coverings although living room and dining rooms are fully draped. RLR, you and my DH would get along well. We have the Pablo Design Swell lamps in the kitchen which is just to the right of this space and they are very similar. (please don't mind the mess we are still trying to figure out where things belong.) I'm trying to bring a little flair to the niche, that's why I asked for a cabinet that didn't look like the kitchen cabinets. We have a lot of antique Art Deco furniture in dining room. This cabinet is a light hearted play on that, more light and airy, less shiny.