I truly appreciate all of the insight and suggestions here! This is such a great forum! I have no idea about the accents. I think with the exception of the art over the mantle I will be starting from scratch. So I'm going to try to look at it with fresh eyes. I was thinking of woven woods on the windows. I'm been envisioning that for some time. We have recessed lights as well as the sconces and eyeballs (2) and there is a table lamp to the right. There is just not a lot of natural light in the room. I could use some more light, I agree, but I have been trying to get an electrician to come to add some outlets and they don't come back (even the ones who did MAJOR work on our kitchen renovation - but that's another post!) That love seat will work great in the office, but it's too small and not cozy. Also, I think the whole room may be a little too "gold". Thanks for the compliments about the artwork! It's our first "real" art and we agonized over it. We really love it. Rosemary - good luck shopping. You have a huge space there - I'm envious of all your possibilities! Your King Charles Cavalier spaniel is precious!

I KNOW I had updated pictures of our Cowboy Chic den but can't for the life of me find them. The 24x26 room isn't a brown brown, more of a orangy brown. Walls and sectional pretty much the same color. The carpet is an antelope print (that's what it's called but it's really an axis deer print, same as the skin on the coffee table)with brown in it. My punches of color are the pillows on the sectional. They're all the same style pillow in brick red, sage green, brownish green, orange, dark brown and gold. Even the tile is close in color and dark brown wood coffee table and end tables. This is the only picture I can find...oh, AND the ceiling in this large room is wood too. I think it's a personal preference whether or not you think it's too much of the same color. We've got a 10 foot long white Austin Chopped stone fireplace (goes all the way to the ceiling) that breaks up the color and plenty of other accessories on the walls (plus 10 windows). Monotone-ish den Vaulted ceiling Couch. We've had THREE couches in this den in 9 years :o The first leather sectional broke (handle) and was replaced under an extended warranty. The second leather set, I never liked. It was uncomfortable and too formal looking for our room. The third time was the charm and it's NOT leather. It's our favorite by far! We have two grandchildren that are here as often as they can talk their momma into letting them come over LOL At least 3 days a week. Even tho food and drink isn't allowed in there and shoes are supposed to come off at the door, stuff happens. Hands don't get wiped or they'll sneak a leaky sippy cup in there while I'm not looking. This is some kind of microfiber that at first glance and especially at a distance, looks like leather. A wipe with a damp microfiber cloth is all it takes to clean it. It's definitely a miracle fabric :) And the baby on the couch...he's the best accessory :)

I had this set-up in a rental house years and years ago ... though the dishwasher was closer to the corner (imagine the drawer unit flip-flopped with the dishwasher). Admittedly, I was just out of college and was simply thrilled to have a dishwasher ... but I never once considered it a problem. I don't think the dishwasher is a problem here; rather, the thing to question is, do you have drawers under your peninsula? In this set-up, you'd be okay: you have drawers for your silverware -- you could easily move silverware from the dishwasher to the drawer ... and you could pass silverware over to the eating area. Ditto for prep items such as knives, etc. I would NOT want this layout with the dishwasher only /no drawers. I think a small kitchen is fine -- as long as you have a big adjacent pantry. In this picture, I think the question becomes, does the dishwasher open without hitting the adjacent cabinet hardware ... and does the open dishwasher door prevent you from putting things away in the cabinets? The fixture should be centered on table. Has nothing to do with window I think both matter. The light fixture should be centered on BOTH the table AND the window. It'd drive me crazy otherwise.

Here is our instructions for paint interior doors as well to help you out, good luck, and seriously get a new contractor ;) Interior Door Care & Finishing Proper care and finishing is very important to gain the maximum benefits from your interior doors. When finished properly your new doors should exceed your aesthetic and operational expectations. Below are a few key points everyone should know when it comes to the care and finishing of interior doors. Initial Care Interior Doors need to be acclimated to the environment where they will be installed. This process normally takes two days. Doors stored for more than a few days should have the top and bottom rails sealed with a prestain wood conditioner. Single (not pre-hung doors) should be laid flat on a dry, clean surface. Do not subject them to extreme or rapid changes in humidity or heat. Avoid finishing in hight humidty conditions. Finishing No finishing process exists today that totally eliminates the transmission of water vapor or moisture into and out of wood doors. The key to proper finishing is to slow down the transmission process so the door performs within tolerances. All doors have six sides--not two, not four, but six--front, back, two edges, plus the most ignored and most vulnerable, the top and bottom. Failure to finish all six surfaces uniformly is the number one cause of door failures. Sanding is critical--the first rule to remember is the importance of field sanding all wood door products. Every wood door, regardless of manufacturer or style, requires some surface preparation before finishing. The key component of this surface preparation is thorough sanding to remove naturally occurring surface blemishes, handling marks, dirt, etc. Each basic type of wood door requires a slightly different procedure. The following are sanding instructions from our key suppliers: Molded Doors Before finishing, lightly sand a primed molded door with 220-grit sandpaper. Blow off all dust, sand lightly between finish coats with 320-grit sandpaper. Remove sanding dust with tack cloth before applying your finish. Wood Flush Doors Lightly sand the face of the door just enough to remove handling marks using 100-grit sandpaper. Avoid spot sanding and using too fine of sandpaper. This can close the grain and cause staining problems such as light spots. Note the veneer is approximately 1/100 of an inch thick on a 4-ply skin. DO NOT OVER SAND. Remove sanding dust with tack cloth before applying your finish. Wood Panel Doors Before finishing, sand the entire door thoroughly with 150 or 180-grit sandpaper. This will remove handling marks, surface blemishes, cross grain scratches, drag marks, surface oil and dirt, thus allowing a more consistent finish. When sanding, always follow the direction of the grain to avoid cross-grain scratches. Remove sanding dust with tack cloth before applying your finish. How to Paint an Interior Door Supplies Required: High Quality Primer - Approx. 1 Quart (For wood doors - oil based primer only, for molded and MDF doors - latex primer is OK.) High Quality Paint - Approx. 1 Quart (For wood doors - oil based paint only, for molded and MDF doors - latex paint is OK.) High Quality, Synthetic Bristle Paint Brush Painter's Tape Sandpaper (Molded Doors 220 & 320 Grit, Wood Flush Doors 100 Grit, Wood Panel Doors 150 or 180 Grit) Cotton Cloth Elastomeric or Polyurethane Caulk (To ensure that the door unit is properly caulked and all fastener holes are filled.) Step #1 Ensure the door unit is properly caulked per installation instructions. If necessary, set and fill all fastener holes. Ensure all caulking is fully cured before proceeding to the next step. Step #2 Remove or mask off all hardware prior to painting. Step #3 Lightly scuff sand the door and jamb per above sanding instructions. Step #4 Wipe the door with a clean cotton cloth. Step #5 Apply a quality primer according to manufacture's instructions. Note: Make sure all six sides - front, back, edges, top and bottom - receive the same uniform coverage. Step #6 Apply 2 coats of a quality paint according to manufacture's instructions. For wood and molded panel doors, always follow the grain of the door. Paint the panels first then the stiles and rails. Allow the door to dry completely between coats Note: Make sure all six sides - front, back, edges, top and bottom - receive the same uniform coverage. Step #7 Allow the paint to dry completely before unmasking and installing hardware. How to Stain Our Interior Door Supplies Required: High Quality Oil Based Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner High Quality Oil Based Stain* - Approx. 1 Quart High Quality Oil Based Polyurethane* - Approx. 1 Quart (Oil based products are recommended for interior wood veneered doors. Water based products can raise the grain and cause multiple moisture related problems.) White China Bristle Paint Brush Painter's Tape Sandpaper (Molded Doors 220 & 320 Grit, Wood Flush Doors 100 Grit, Wood Panel Doors 150 or 180 Grit) Cotton Cloth Tack Cloth Elastomeric or Polyurethane Caulk (To ensure that the door unit is properly caulked and all fastener holes are filled.) *You may substitute an Oil Based Stain/Clear Top Coat 1 Step Product for the Stain and Polyurethane. Step #1 Ensure the door unit is properly caulked per installation instructions. If necessary, set and fill all fastener holes. Ensure all caulking is fully cured before proceeding to the next step. Step #2 Remove or mask off all hardware prior to staining. Step #3 Lightly scuff sand (220 Grit Sandpaper) the door and jamb per above sanding instructions. Step #4 Wipe the door with a clean cotton cloth. Step #5 Apply an oil based pre-stain wood conditioner to promote uniform stain coverage and minimize sharp color contrasts that can occur in wood veneer doors. Allow to dry per manufacture's instructions. Note: Make sure all six sides - front, back, edges, top and bottom - receive the same uniform coverage. Step #6 Apply oil based stain and allow to dry per manufacture's instructions. Note: Make sure all six sides - front, back, edges, top and bottom - receive the same uniform coverage. Step #7 Apply polyurethane top coat and allow to dry per manufacture's instructions. Note: Make sure all six sides - front, back, edges, top and bottom - receive the same uniform coverage. Step #8 Lightly sand (320 Grit Sandpaper) and wipe clean with tack cloth per manufacture's instructions before applying second coat. Step #9 Apply second coat of polyurethane and allow to dry per manufacture's instructions. Note: Make sure all six sides - front, back, edges, top and bottom - receive the same uniform coverage. Step #10 Allow the polyurethane to dry completely before unmasking and installing hardware.