March 9, 2009 - Update I checked all magnolias - all except for Edith Bogue have burn on their leaves. The burn is not severe, however the winter has been colder and windier than normal. My magnolias normally lose leaves in the spring when new growth begins so I am not too concerned with springtime leaf dropping. The trees have burlap screens on the side where the Sun would normally shine on them in the afternoon and the burlap is on the side that the winds normally come from. I gently "wiggled" random buds on all Magnolias. A stiff rigid bud indicates winter kill and possible die back. All buds that I tested were flexible indicating that they survived to this point. I have done this last year so I am confident that they have survived the worst of this winter.

No, I didn't lose the post you mentioned, I am hoping to get more responses and have posted pictures of the room. Thanks though. I know someone said to stay away from red, but........ I'm just frustrated becasue I cannot find anything that I like. I was thinking of a chocolate brown buffalo check with a brick red coordinating fabric, but I cannot find a nice chocolate buffalo check fabric.

If you buffalo check is bold, make the rug soft or solid. You don't want patterns and colors "fighting". Black and white buffalo check drapes + black rug or let the rug blend into the natural flooring color (whatever you choose for basic flooring)

Because the chocolate buffalo plaid appears to coordinate with your sofa, what about coordinating draperies in the other room with the chairs, but in a lighter shade (given that walls are painted blue and room may appear dark on overcast days)? Alternatively, select a white/cream from the buffalo plaid. In either care, raise the rods to a distance halfway between the upper window framing and the ceiling. IMO, I'd also suggest widening the width of the curtains by at least 6". Your rod supports appear to be too close to the window framing.