Laurie, Thank you so much for your warm compliment about my house. As far as the paint...we used Benjamin Moore throughout. I remember the white was called "Linen White" which is on BM's website. There are actually two beige colors used in the greatroom. "#1031" is written on top of the lighter beige paint can. When I looked at BM's website it shows "Carlisle Cream" for that number but looks very lavendar on my computer. Not like the real paint at all. I wish I could help you with the name of the darker beige we used but the store kind of tweaked that color for us. It was BM's Moorecraft SPEC paint and on the top of that can is written "MC #47" if that helps. bristlingacres, Thank you too for your compliment. All of our interior doors are stained with white trim. They are knotty alder. I'm posting one pic of the stairwell door which shows color and trim pretty good. I got some samples yesterday of Hunter Douglas woven wood shades. They seem very light. I can see through them easily and they come in a host of patterns. I downloaded a picture (sorry it REALLY tiny) and a darker color than I would choose. What does everyone think of this option??? Do you think I would need cloth curtains on the sides like in this picture?

Are you going to cover the window and open/close or are you looking for side panels? At any rate I would keep it simple with clean contemporary lines. I'm still a huge fan of the grommet panels. I wouldn't do a valance or top treatment.

I think bamboo shades would be really nice in your space. I would consider the top down bottom up option because you say the room will have a television and this will help you adjust the shades for the best light and no glare. Something under the window, a nice bench with storage would be a great option. If you could find something that could provide extra seating and a comfortable cushion even better. I can envision something with cubbies on the bottom with nice natural colored storage baskets. I see toys in the room so I assume that children will be using this space, as well. The baskets would be a great place for storing toys, books, games, etc. when the kids aren't in the space. Regarding a rug I would consider an indoor/outdoor option. If the room gets a great deal of sun this would be a good option b/c it wouldn't fade and would hold up to lots of traffic and kids. Home Decorators Collection has some really nice ones for a great price.

YQ, I believe there is basically no change in the "new terms" as now appear on our forum, than those that have already existed for years. At least so far as theh conditions of posting pictores or information ( -I haven't yet ploughed through the rest of the guff !!) It's just a bit longer and more "up front" (- but then the electronic world keeps gets getting more complicated and people keep trying to get one step ahead of the legal ramifications, and people claim they haven't read the "fine print". To put minds at rest (I hope, but please feel free to raise this with the site-owners for confirmation) this matter was discussed with the then-owner and webmaster, Spike, some years back. At that time, it was a hazy legal area, that , by GW posting your photos on its web-site without your written approval, that act might itself constitute a breach of copyright - YOUR copyright. So the user rules were brought in to make it easier. Everyone is assumed to give GW permission to publish what they post, they also, in posting, assure they are the legal owner of the material. The second intention, as I understand it, is to help protect YOUR ownership of your pictures, by GW "assuming" ownership for so long as your picture appears on the web-site or through cached internet searches. This operates as a "back-off warning " to people who might try to lift & copy images from GW and claim as their own. I believe there is no suggestion I-Village wants to make a coffee-table book out of the pictures or information its members post. the worst might be to have your picture glorified in the archives or reference material, but I believe it goes no further than GW. If copyright is really a problem for anyone, then simply do not post your pictures ANYWHERE on the internet, if you intend to use them commercially somewhere else. However I do not believe there is any intention on the site owner's part that by posting pictures, the creator "loses" his or her unique ownership of the material. Alison (who apologises that the ramble is almost as long as the rules !!)