lol sue_ct: red is about the only color I don't have. although I do have one red leather chair bought just to add some interest to the great room. I don't know where to get these cabinets. they are thermofoil and are holding up great but I've never seen the exact ones again. We have rope lights above the upper cabinets and below the upper cabinets. My husband wants to add molding to both upper and lower so that will jazz it up a bit. We do have seeded glass that we just put into the pantry cabs that you see in the pictures. We're all about doing the less expensive stuff, we just haven't done the changes that cost more. I would like to get backless stools for the bar. I haven't yet because I don't know if we'll end up with a counter height bar like we have or a taller one to hide the kitchen counter. I guess I'm at a point where I'm going to have to commit to a design plan. I don't like that the microwave hangs below the cabinets. Can't duct to the outside. that's another thing I wish I had known about 10 years ago and before I knew of this forum. I'm thinking if I had an island I could put the microwave in that. I'm not sure if that means you buy a counter microwave? My dh will build out the cabs around the fridge. I'm wondering whether the fridg should be ss or remain white so as to not stand out. All white appliances except for a pro-look range? or all ss appliances. I need a plan:)

It's such an interesting arrangement of rooms...but somehow they just seem confused as to function. You have a living room that is essentially empty and then you have the family room with a desk area and tv viewing space and a table whose function is unclear. Not sure how much of this is because you don't use the living room or how much is because everyone wants to hang by the wood stove because it's warm. But other than the dr and the tv area, the rest seems to be without intention...but place holders instead. If you want a craft corner in the room, then be intentional about it...turn the corner where the maple credenza is into a crafting space with book cases or other storage and a light over the top and chairs all around a table that isn't too high...the one that's there seems high for children. This is one instance where I would want to add a wall rather than eliminate it....I'd like to see the wall between the kitchen and living room enclosed, then I'd move the stove there to tighten up the work triangle and then I'd turn the peninsula into an eat-at counter. That would make the living room a little more useful for furniture and a conversational cluster set up, and it would define a gathering space for family/visitors. In the FR, I would put the sofa back to the picture window so it didn't feel like such a barrier in the room....even if it meant I had to slide the TV away from the corner....then the arrangement of the other chairs would be more open and welcoming. The other thing that's bothering me is all the different wood colors...some mixing is fine, but I don't think there's a single piece of wood that is close to any other in color...the wood work, the dark built ins, the very light desk credenza, the medium colored table, the shelves, the picture frames, all of it is very different. Perhaps it's because wood is about the only thing to look at....there is no softness in the room....no window treatments, no pillows, no area carpets, no fabric upholstery, even lampshades are few and far between....As far as adding window treatments, I think they would go a long way toward softening the space. The baseboards are not a problem if you just hang a side panels...they need not close...and add one valance across the top of the 3 windows would look great. I'd pick the fabric first before I picked the paint as it's easier to match paint to fabric than vice versa. I'd do matching window treatments on the other windows...with or without the side panels, but leave the sliders alone. That will also go a long way to making the wood less prominent. If you want to define the rooms separately, I would go with stronger, more saturated colors and more contrast between the space...you have plenty of light so it could handle it. The colors would definitely have to work together well. But because of the open space plan and traffic flow, there's a lot of walls that are sort of unusable, so the only way to furnish them is with color. I think it would help warm up the space, but I would definitely stay away from the gray tones as they can be colder. When I see your rooms, I want to add warmth, cozy, and softness. But as I suggested, start with fabric first....then paint. HTH

It's good to see my cedar chest isn't an only child. LOL! I really appreciate all the input so far. I am hoping the samples will come in this week. I really want to start the headboard project since DH hates our current one for leaning against it while watching TV. I'm not sure it's the colors in the guest room as much as it's the room on a whole being close to completed. This is the guest room before I swapped rooms with the exercise room. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg0816385814947.html?31 I still need to repaint the new room but that's another post.

mike, find a window that you like. As wow explained, a pocket window is going to refer more to the installation. There are few windows that are only available for one or the other (pocket vs full frame), most have slight modifications (ie: a 3 1/4" jamb depth that gets a nail fin and jamb ext added) to accommodate either option.