Hi Lisa. Your place is really darling.

I would paint the mirror a high gloss black. You will get a Pottery Barn look. Of if you prefer a Shabby Chic look, paint it white. I would also paint your fireplace surround and mantel white (or is it? hard to tell from pics). I would paint the walls more of a tan. I just used stark white, jet shiny black, and tan (neither yellowed nor rosy) in my entry and I just love it. I was sooo scared to paint the railings black but sooo glad I did.

A fireplace is a huge selling point on a home, and yours is just darling. Your home will (to my knowledge) lose $$ value if you knock your fireplace out. I would leave it alone. How about putting in sky lights instead? That will give you lots of wonderful light.

I think your kitchen is very charming. I love your light fixture, the fireplace, the mirror, everything. I do like the cream walls as it ties everything together. Very nicely done.

Thanks for the kind comments:)

I know hard to tell from these pics as the colour looks off, but the fireplace mantle is actually a pretty stark white. The kitchen walls have since been re-painted...very close to this colour in pics, but a little less yellow & a little more creamy.

Skylights would be a great idea-except we have 2 more floor above this one! (3 stories-Kitchen/dining/Living room on 1st floor, 2 brm.& family room on 2nd floor and master bdrm on entire 3rd floor)

We also have another fireplace on the 2nd floor in the family room and could possibly re-locate the one in the kitchen to the main floor living room.

Your room is beautiful. I love the cream color and all the white and cream. So soothing. I would paint the mirror white/cream to keep it with the shabby chic theme you have going on.

I always keep an eye out for your posts because I really enjoy seeing photos of your home. I've looked up your closet more than a couple of times.

Regarding the windows, I think it totally depends on what view you would be creating. Unless the view is really fab, then I wouldn't do it. I recently did something very similar at the house that we just moved out of, but I did it after landscaping the backyard.

Your kitchen is so beautiful it just took my breath away when I looked at it the first time. I wouldn't remove the fireplace because it's such an interesting and unusual feature, whether you use it or not. I'm a little surprised you find the kitchen dark with the windows you have and the very light colors. Everything is so beautifully coordinated in color and style. Unfortunately I can't get the photo bucket picture to show so can't comment on the mirror. Looking at your room, though, I can't see how you can possibly go wrong with painting it white. Congratulations on your beautiful space.

Thanks again everyone. I guess as the homeowner, you tend to look at everything with a critical eye.

We do get a fair amount of light...but would so love to have garden doors! Elizgonz-very valid point on having a view. Well...reality is-we don't have one at all! The back of our garage is the view...lol. (Now-you sure see some beautiful views posted in some of the threads here. Sigh!!)

Our back door opens on to a tiny...and I mean tiny backyard which backs on the garage. Yes-we live in suburbia where the houses are jammed in.

Here's the backyard. Kinda cute...but we are going to try to do some landscaping this summer and see what we can do with the small space. So...garden doors or not? Maybe I don't want to look at the back of the garage afterall!!!

Guess a decision could come down to costs also! (and I may regret losing the fireplace!) Can you tell I'm indecisive?lol.
{{!gwi}}

Now logging off & bed-bound...must be tired as I'm reading back and seeing I can't spell this evening:)

Id leave the mirror exactly as it is, it's really charming! Have you ever thought of changing out the light over your table...if you used a fixture with curvy arms and no shades, it would visually open up the dining room. :)

I love the little grate you have in front of your fireplace. It adds a lot of charm and interest.

No, I wouldn't care to stare at the back of the garage. What you want to do sounds expensive. Why not take some measurements and phone some contractors in your area? It wouldn't hurt to talk on the phone.

The room is beautiful. No way would I spend the money to put another window/door in a room with no view (I have the same backyard problem). The fireplace really makes the space special.

The two windows you have now, seem like they're a little blocked by the furniture. I think the fireplace could stand alone with maybe a plant or two flanking it. Perhaps the space is just looking cramped, to your eye, and you want to open it up.

Please don't take this as a critique of your furniture selection as I, truly, love both the chair and the console.

I agree with parma42, if there is another place in your home for that pretty console and chair, I would move them. Otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing! Your decorating is lovely. And, while your back yard is cute, I personally wouldn't spend that kind of $$$ on garden doors to overlook the garage :-)

LOVELY home!! Truly charming!

Another vote to paint the mirror off-white or creamy white!

I would not give up the fireplace! BUT consider changing the door -- AND the window beside it -- to a larger set of french doors. THEN switch the single window on the left of the fireplace to a built-in bookshelf or add glass shelves across it to grow herbs in creamy white pots.

JUST some thoughts to add to the discussion -- hope you don't mind!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Thanks for some great feedback!

Parma-think you hit it right-on! It did look cramped... the chair and cabinet were blocking too much of the window. I really don't have anywhere else in the house where I can move these too, but I have no problem in getting rid of the chair. (I bought some time ago with the intention of getting it reupholsted-never happened!

The bow-front bar/cabinet I do like (it's our liquor cabinet-hubbie says it needs to stay-lol) so have tried moving it in front of the left window. Fits perfectly in that space. It really opens up the right-side by the window/door. Maybe put in a window seat?

Teacats-Maybe a very good option for me to see what it would look like with garden doors on the right and keeping the fireplace.

Will take some more pictures on the weekend and post. (my camera is full-I need to do some downloading before taking anymore pics!)

Thanks again everyone!

Charming room! I echo Parma also. That fireplace MUST stay. It makes the room. I would paint the walls a creamier color. As far as the mirror goes - I love it there. You could leave it as is, or I could see painting it green and distressing it some - is that a green stripe in your valances? Take all that money you save not "blowing out the wall" and spruce up your yard so you will have a space you love to go out to and enjoy some nature.

I agree with the others. I wouldn't open up the wall to the back. I think it would clutter the view inside your home. Your patio/deck is lovely and could really be a knockout, but getting a full view of it from your kitchen would not enhance the kitchen/dining experience. The windows look very nice and would look better without the dark chair covering the left one, but it seems that there is something missing on the door. It looks a little blah next to the pretty windows. Maybe change the hardware?

I love your sense of style, the room is beautiful. The wood mirror adds texture and matches your wonderful floors. If (I) did anything I would see what a subtle gold-tone mirror would add to the space. 3 of my favorite
color combo's are gold, cream and white. The light
is very pretty and it looks like to be a brass fixture.

LOVE your kitchen. I agree on keeping the fireplace. My first thought was the same as teacats - make the door and window a double french door. Have you thought about simply adding some recessed lights? Most of us on my street have them in our kitchens and they add a lot of light and don't detract from the decor. Also, I love the arrangement you have above the fireplace. I don't care for TV's up there, and that is a lovely alternative.

Back again...

Do you ever feel like you're going backwards? I make changes as I tire of the same look and then wonder if I ever should have changed it in the 1st place! Oh well!

So here are some other old pics..
Some of you may have seen a previous post questioning this trolley. (I kept it over another piece) Not 'decorated' yet in this picture with pottery and print above.
{{!gwi}}

TROLLEY QUESTION
Another question-leave trolley as is or paint the same colour (off-white) as the other bowfront cabinet? I will keep the cabinet in this room-I think- but will get rid of the dark chair. (please disregard the piece 'peeking out' on other side of entry-that is no longer there. It was the dresser I was testing to decide between it or the trolley)

Also-here's another old picture before I had the chairs painted and hung the mirror. (oh yeah-the yellow cabinet now sits in storage in the basement. The scale wasn't 'right' with the mirror...therefore the trolley.

I could move the picture that was hanging on the wall before the mirror was hung above the trolley. (even though hubby hates it)

Re: LIGHTING:
enailes-the light above the table is actually antique/venetian bronze w/ ivory shade and the door hardware is now changed to venetian bronze also vs. brass as showing in these pictures.

jeane galo-pot lights are installed close to the kitchen cabinets, but we are thinking of installing them in the bulkhead by the table.

I can't change the light above the table again just yet (he'll think I'm crazy-this one is the 3rd fixture in past 2 yr-have to keep a bit longer:))
I would be ok to change the light by the back door...

I love your kitchen! As others have said, the fireplace is such a nice feature I would keep it even if you don't use it. Even if you had a great view, I'd still keep the fireplace. And did I say I love the fireplace? LOL. I actually like the mirror the color it is now. I like to mix colors of wood. You have so much white and light colors, it might be nice to have a little variety.

Your home is absolutely lovely, though I do understand the wish for more light. I do not think removing the fireplace is the answer though. It looks like there is a view of your neighbor's house outside the windows so you'd loose some privacy and view is not as nice as your lovely decor. It can significantly affect resale value if you do don't have a fireplace anywhere when all the other houses in the neighborhood have them. Is there any option to add any skylights or sun tunnels? I have two skylights in my kitchen (they are clear and I can even see the sky and trees through them) and they make a huge difference.

Also, have you tried removing the wood blinds? Or even just pull them up during the day. I notice a difference in the amount of light I get when my wood blinds are down.

I love your kitchen! It is warm and inviting. I think the mirrror would look great painted black. I can not tell from your photos what the color the chair is in front of the window. Is it black? If so- then the mirror would compliment the chair.

Definitely paint the mirror black- it would look great!

Lisa, if you haven't figured out by now, it doesn't usually do much good to try and stick another question in the middle of your OP. :)

You should start a new one about the trolley. For what it's worth, I really like the piece of art but not sure about the frame. It's a good size, too. You don't want anything dinky around the same area as your mirror.

I just love your room. The mirror really works on that wall reflecting your great chandelier. It's a room I would like to hang out in. Please don't remove the fireplace. I was just wondering if you could use the large floral picture propped over the mantel to cover the bottom opening. Just a thought.

One of the things I love about your room as it is now is that it is serene. It's uncluttered and the pallette is soothing. So my opinion about the painting is that it just isn't right for the space.