Thanks so much for your sweet comments about my "less is more" attempt this year! Jane, I'm in a Boston suburb...in a little town sandwiched between Lexington and Concord. Denali, there's a story to the print over the mantle (isn't there alway a story...) The painter is a Bermuda artist named Alfred Birdsey. The print is of a small town on Cape Cod, named Osterville, near where we vacation in the summer. My DH and I have been to Bermuda several times. On our very first trip there we went to Birdsey's studio in Paget and fell in love with his work. We bought some of his work and some of his daughter's also. His daughter was an artist who did animal prints. We brought home several prints for a soon-to-be nursery (I was pregnant with DD#1, who will be 29 soon!) On subsequent trips to the Cape we found his small summer studio in Osterville and bought 2 limited edition prints, one of which is above the mantle. They were gifts to me so we chose the number that correlated with my birthday that year (29 out of 100). The one above the mantle is of Osterville center. The other print hangs above the sofa is a sail boat print, which is much more traditional, but still has a touch of the Birsdsey whimsey. I'm sure Birdsey is deceased but his work might be found. He was quite prolific, and what a character! Thanks again!

Thanks for the additional suggestions -- - So for those who say that the white mat is too stark (and I can see your point) What would you suggest instead? - Oopsie - Are you suggesting I rest the painting on the mantle? - Barb - I tried the light pot up there, but thought it just looked like pot-pot-pot... The clock was a different type and material, so it broke the pot-pot-pot thing -- though I agree it's not perfect. A 'horsehair pot' gets it's decoration from horesehair dribbled onto the hot pot straight out of the kiln. That's what gives it the smoky brown haze effect and ridged lines -- actual burned hores hair. - CrazyOne - The fireplace stone is cultured stone in the Chardonnay color, Southern Ledgestone pattern. The seat and mantle are natural limestone slabs. And while it's supposedly legal for wood-burning, we prefer the instant gratification of gas, so that's what we use. No glass or curtain -- but if I find exactly the right screen someday... Here is a link that might be useful: Horse Hair Pottery

thregrad and dezinerchick - Thanks so much for your replies and suggestions - you both are thinking along the lines of hilltop, so I'll definitely be taking those ideas and see how they work for the room - if I get the house, that is. dezinerchick, you mentioned blinds on the window - what do you suggest for the door - I'm not one to have a pane of glass uncovered where, though it's in the backyard, one can look through it, esp. during the night. I love my modular I currently have, but it's too big for this room, and the color doesn't go. I don't know what's under the carpeting there - the owners say concrete, but hard to believe that unless it was an addition after they built the house - the rest of the house is wood flooring, though there is carpet in the living and dining room (can't understand the reasoning behind carpeting a dining room, but that's just me, I guess) I hate that carpet in there and will definitely be changing it to something else, probably wood. But that's a whole other issue. I think I'd like to go more cottage style in this room - any suggestions? Still hoping someone will post a picture of their room that looks similar and how it's laid out. Thanks again.

Hard to tell without knowing what look you are goin g for. My MO when doing a tree is always clear lights.....the color comes from the ornaments....once I tossed all the multicolored lights my trees got lots more like I wanted. The themed trees, like the one with antique scrap and old tiny German glass ornaments is easy, I just spread stuff evenly being careful not to put similar stuff next to each other. And the kitchen tree with the straw and Navajo and Pueblo ornaments is a little harder....but I just hang stuff on the ends of the branches, smaller stuff near the top and larger near the bottom. BUT the big tree in the family room has other "rules". Again white lights...lots and lots of them....about 1000 on a 7 foot tree. Then I hang the large balls, the ones grapefruit sized and larger near the center of the tree so it glows from within. Then the other stuff larger on the bottom and smaller near the top.....and finally smaller stuff on the ends of the branches, with a "focal" ornament on every side....like a large Radko Santa. The pickle is well hidden and then I drape it with glass bead garlands.....and pour another glass of wine and sit and admire it.