Oops. I forgot to mention that other projects I've considered tackling (after taking a class or something) are re-tiling the fireplace and/or a tile backsplash in the kitchen.

Plus I have landscaping to do and would someday like to tile and re-counter the bathrooms so, as you might think, I'm kind of a mess. Oy!

I am afraid I got caught up in "overwhelm" as well. I got confused as to what you want. Do you want wall colors for your house or someone to photoshop a design plan or how to decorate the walls. It seems as though you want a totally different house but since this one is only 2 years old, why not work wit it instead of against it? I think it is a very pretty home and you just need to find art work and paint, if you wish. I personally think green is a fine color for this home but if you cannot upholster the furniture or get slip covers, then you want to paint the whole house another color to accommodate that.

Help me out here. I agree, it's overload.

1) White trim would look amazing in your home! Simply pick a basic white -- and start in one room -- and make your way through the house. If the wood looks "shiny" -- then brush on Liquid Sandpaper -- wait about 20 minutes or so until the finish dulls down -- and start with a good primer like Kilz or Zinsser. Then paint!

2) In your kitchen -- paint the island to black to work in the color from your pretty dining set!

3) On top of your kitchen cabinets -- add a large plain black platter sitting up on a stand above the fridge. Look for a couple of plain black bowls that could sit up on top too -- or plain black jugs. Maybe one jug or vase in each corner. Keep the lines simple!

4) Eventually add plain black hardware to your kitchen cabinets.
In the living area -- swing the TV entertainment unit so that it covers the far corner (to the left of where it is presently located) It will mimic the same angle as the fireplace. Try the sofa "floating" to face into the seating area (with the coffee table in front of it) -- and the loveseat in front of the window. Try the end table between the sofa and the loveseat. Then look for a small cozy chair that would sit next to the fireplace and angle it into the new seating area too. Add a larger single chunky black lamp on top of the TV unit. Add a standing lamp by the new chair. IF there is room by the new chair add a dark basket to hold books and stuff.

In the hallway/foyer -- look for a black thin dresser with drawers and/or cupboard space for "stuff" -- add your tall black mirror and a tall silver buffet lamp. Very handy! Add a long brightly colored (in the dark reds etc.) runner or rug.

Look for a tall simple black-and-white photo for above the fireplace -- perhaps consider matting it in dark red with a simple strong black frame. Then add your photo collage on the walls to the left-- and right -- of the newly angled TV unit. Also add smaller black-and-white photos on each side of the tall mirror over the dresser in the foyer.

Your post does not match your pics! You have a wonderful blank slate to work with... beautiful floors, a wonderful new ss kitchen, great front door, etc.
My suggestions:
Kitchen - Decorate the top of your cabinets w/ greenery and decor stuff. Valence over the sink window (Reds/tans stripe maybe?), centerpiece on table, and silver hardware on the cabinets... Paint something like believable buff.
LR - I think BM Carrington Beige would look great! A reds/greens/ area rug under the table, some art over the love seat and around.... Your furniture is lovely.
White trim and a warmer countertop will be nice in time, but what you have is neutral and in great condition. Enjoy it!
Good luck - Relax and have fun. You can always change it again!

P.S. I think teacats has a great plan for you but could you tell me where you got the barstools? I really like them.

Sorry! You're totally right about me going in too many directions. I guess that's kind of my point; I'm terrible at prioritizing. What I could really use help with is for someone to step in and say "If I were you, here's where I'd start..."

To simplify and keep within the modest budget for now, I'll focus on the four easiest projects to tackle, in order of what I can start with most quickly.

- How should I re-arrange the living room?

- Should I get cabinet hardware & pulls? If so, any style you'd suggest would look best?

- What paint colors should I go with?

- What should I put in the entry hall?

Thanks!

teacats - Thanks for all the great suggestions! I do love white trim but it might have to wait until I have more time and can practice a bit first. A question though - Would I have to remove all the trim, sand, then paint? Or could I just tape off the walls and floors, put on Kilz, then paint over it? I've never done anything like this before. Also, the doors are all just slabs; no panels. (Though solid wood - not hollow.) Would I need to get new doors?

I'm going to try re-arranging the LR furniture and will re-post when I have pics. I never even thought about doing black platters, etc. over the cabs. The only things I have up there now are a small old red lantern and black iron bicycle. Black is a good idea. Thanks for the suggestions!

Japhnmarley - You're so kind. I think I get jealous when I see all the other gorgeous homes here. I should be happy with what I have and make the best of it. I didn't pick up a chip of the Carrington Beige but I remember hearing about that shade. I'll stop by the store to check that one out.

Patricia - I got the barstools at World Market. They're kind of PB knockoffs and were only around $79 for both! I love inexpensive knock-offs. The dining table is also from World Market and the chairs are from Target. :)

I can totally relate to your large to-do list and your desire to make your home an inviting area. I think that once you pick paint color you will see a big transformation and then you can take your time with some of the other things. I would focus on the kitchen/family room area and forget about everything else for now. If you plan to paint the trim, do it one room so it doesn't seem so overwhelming.

Here are some of my first thoughts when looking at your space. As far as colors, how about SW Restrained Gold or SW Blonde? Or try to match you paint color to your window panels (they stay, right?). I think you're on the right track picking a neutral paint color. You have a great start with the floors, layout, etc. The cabinets would look great with ORB hardware and a dark laminate would really perk up the kitchen. Why don't you take your cabinet diminsions to Home Depot or Lowes and get a price on counters, then you'll know how to budget.

I think for the FR layout, I would play with a diagonal layout. How about putting the parallel to the fireplace, angle the loveseat (perpendicular to the sofa) in front of the window and put the entertainment cabinet (armoire) on the wall where the loveseat is now? I think you cold probably replace the mantel fairly easily with something a larger in scale. Also, put a piece of art over the mantel instead of the mirror. The current angle of the mirror is reflecting the ceiling and ceiling fan. I think the angled furniture arrangement would be cozy and provide you with some privacy from people outside the front door.

A runner in the hallway would make the space seem more "decorated" without taking up space. Either a bench or table would be great in the foyer. I would suggest choosing a piece that suits the way your family functions. Do you use that door or it is just for guests? Do guests remove their shoes when coming into the house? If so, a bench would be great there. Do you have a coat closet? If not, how about some wall hooks or a coat tree? How about sheers on the front door or maybe shutters? I would also move the mirror from the mantel to the narrow wall in the hallway.

Your home has a lot of potential. Just take it one step at a time.

I know how you feel. I've had blank walls in this house for nearly two years.

I'm still not entirely sure the direction I want to go, but I'm focusing on "bones" in the meantime. I'll worry about accessorizing at the end.

If you love white trim, I'd start there. You can do it for the cost of some paint and your labor. And it will entirely change the feel of your place, maybe making it easier to make subsequent decisions.

Benjamin Moore "Cloud White" or "Decorator's White" are too popular options. We used "Simply White" in our house. Someone at the paint store might also have some suggestions for you if you take in some photos. Be sure to tell them which way your rooms face and how much light they get.

If you get ambitious, painting your kitchen cabinets white, would also be an option (maybe with the darker island, as someone else suggested). Having them sprayed will give you a nicer finish, however. I'd do this before new cabinet pulls.Another option would be to stain them darker.

The painting above the stairwell seems to be hung a little too high.

A row of tall bookshelves along the long entry wall would look great.

You've got a lot of great stuff to work with! Have fun. :-)

Your home has great potential! Just needs some finishing touches.

First---paint the walls. I think the trim is optional, and as you said, you may not have the time for that right now. You can work on the furniture after the paint and not have to move things again. A warmer paint color will go a long way also toward warming up the feel of the room. Id stick with neutrals as others have mentioned.

Teacats accessory ideas sound great to try. IÂd also add more reds also in the kitchen---love your old lantern and I have an old one thatÂs similar. Even a bowl of apples (red or green). Add some greenery around also.

If you'd like to try the sofa's back to the dining area which you were afraid would look strange (but which was my initial thought to try), one way to make it attractive from the hall is to add the end table on that end of the sofa (or loveseat if sofaÂs too long) with a lamp. Another idea is to put a plant there, a floor lamp, or a basket of magazines on the floor. A sofa table behind the sofa also makes that position more interesting from the dining area.

Then you could try the small armoire on the wall next to the fp opposite the sofa with loveseat facing window. IÂd move these around to all the positions suggested here and see which fit your personal taste.

If you want to use the mirror over the fp, hang it on the wall and it wonÂt reflect the ceiling. But I also like the idea others suggested of it in the hallway, too. Replacing a mantel as Cindy mentioned is a bit intimidating at first, but not so hard as youÂd think. IÂd be tempted to try painting the mantel and trim black or white, and adding molding to the existing mantel to beef it up if you have access to a miter saw.

Here are a couple pictures of hpj bachÂs family room with corner fireplace to give you some ideas. The area rug really helps with color and defining the space.

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OK; I rearranged the living room with the TV unit in the corner, the couch floating with the back to the dining area, the loveseat perpendicular to that, and the coffee table and end table positioned between them.

I'm posting a bunch of photos so you can see it from all angles. There seems to be enough room between the dining table and the back of the couch and to walk from the entry past the couch into the dining/kitchen area.

The couch and loveseat look a little smooshed to me. (?) The wall between the TV cabinet and fireplace is also totally bare and I think the suggestion was to put a chair there but I'm not sure if it would look lonely against the large bare expanse of wall. Should I move the loveseat to that wall instead and put a chair where the loveseat is now?

a href="http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a182/treinejl/?action=view&current=IMG_0729.jpg"; target="_blank">

And I can't forget the birds-eye view!

Jess -
I'm not good with decorating and accessorizing (which is why I'm here begging advice all the time). However, I do love to paint and painting trim is quite simple.

You don't need to remove the trim - just tape it off if you don't have a steady hand. I prefer the blue painters tape. Follow Teacats suggestions for liquid sandpaper and primer, or ask for recommendations at your local paint store. Choose a white paint you love in semi-gloss (all my trim is Duron Shell White).

Do one room at a time, and buy the paint by the quart only when you are ready to use it. Semi-gloss can get thick and goopy if you keep it around too long. If you need practice, start in the laundry room or the door frame inside a closet where the learning curve mistakes won't matter as much.

My absolute favorite paint brush for trim is the "Wooster Short Cut" with the blue rubber handle and angled bristles. If you need to stop in the middle of painting, or between coats, wrap your brush in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge until you can get back to it.

My final suggestion is to wait until you're alone with no distractions, turn the radio on to your favorite station, and paint away! I find painting very peaceful and soothing, with a great sense of satisfaction when I'm done.

Happytobehome - Thanks for the info! I keep looking around the house imagining the white trim and drooling and the process you Teacats mention doesn't sound too terribly daunting. Good suggestion on starting with the inside of a closet!

If I painted the trim would I need to paint all the cabs, too? (The bathroom cabs are the same oak as the kitchen.) And, like I mentioned above, the doors are flat solid slab so that might look weird. I'm going to file this away for future consideration though, since I'm so in love with white trim I might just have to try it.

Right now I'm debating whether I should remove my bedroom door from its hinges so I can get the chair out that goes with the LR couch set and see how it looks in the rearranged space.

No, you don't need to paint the cabinets if you paint the trim. Think of the cabinets more like furniture - only paint if that is your personal preference. Our doors are nasty brown flat hollow core doors that we are replacing one at a time with solid 6 panel wood doors (painted same white as trim). Everything doesn't have to be done all at once. I think the longer you wait for something, the more you appreciate it. Take your time and make sure you love every choice you make.

O.K. Try switching the sofa and loveseat BUT keep the same configuration. Use a bit of the "dead space" between the windows -- and allow the loveseat and end table to "sit back" on that bit of the floor. Hope that works! THEN the new small chair would sit by the right-hand side of the fireplace -- and face into the seating area. PLUS think of the chair, a standling lamp and a dark woven basket to hold magazines. With a photo display (and a dark shelf or two) above it (and on the right-hand side of the TV)

OR: ((this may sound odd -- but hear me out ...!)) Could the TV cabinet be moved in front of the windows??? You may have to have the cable moved ...... or could the wires be fitted around the edge of the carpet?? THEN the sofa/loveseat would be GREAT on both of the walls -- PLUS you could see BOTH the fireplace AND the TV!! JUST a crazy thought ............. LOL!!! Maybe a future change???

Could you slide the TV cabinet left along to the middle of longer wall??

THEN try the sofa in front of it -- and the sofa on the short wall to the side ...... can people still see the TV?? Just another thought!!!!

If you were able to slide the TV cabinet centered onto the long wall next to the fireplace where the cable hookup is, you could possibly fit a smaller chair angled on that short wall. The fireplace and TV would both be focal points, and you would leave the sofa and love seat as they are in the last photo, except that I would move the sofa back further, so that it is at the rug edge, and move the love seat so that it was also further away from the fireplace.

I like the arrangement of the last photo the best for both those pieces of upholstered furniture, but feel it would look more spacious if you moved them both further back from the F/P.

I did some more experimenting, trying to incorporate suggestions here and a couple things I saw in a catalog.

Teacats: Here's how it looks with the TV cabinet along the window. I started with it centered but it seemed to block too much light so I moved it over and at a slight angle. I could probably push it a little more towards the center still but I wouldn't want it at too much of an angle or you can see the cables from the dining/kitchen area.

Then there was this attempt:

And this one:

And, finally, with the cabinet centered along the long wall. For some reason the configuration with the sofa and loveseat at a perpendicular angle by the window doesn't seem right. Nanny2a: There's not much room to scoot the couch and loveseat. I pushed the couch's back feet along the carpet line but it only gave another couple inches. I shifted the loveseat away from the fireplace but it was such a small difference that you can't really tell. Any farther and the arm of the loveseat would be behind the arm of the couch.

Did one of them feel "right" to you? It is sometimes hard to get the right feel via photos. I liked the entertainment center on the window wall (I really didn't think I would) but will the light in the window cause you problems viewing the tv?

I also really liked the love seat and sofa facing each other. In photos it looked very cozy and comfortable.. how did it work with the dining room? and the view from the hall? How does it feel to be in the room?

I'm late to this, and you've been really busy! No need to work out tomorrow with all of the furniture moving you've done today! :) I have to say that you sound so much like me...I have had (and still have a few) of the exact same things to change in our home. Our homes are very similar. We've been here 4 years now, and it is a work in progress. Once you have the family room done, you will feel much more relaxed and able to move to another area of the house with much more ease. I learned that the hard way for sure!!

My first thought was really close to your last pictures, with one change. Can you (and I know, you may not want to move furniture again tomorrow!!) move the loveseat to the opposite wall (where the entertainment center was in the beginning)? That would open up the window space, allow for you to have a side table next to the couch on either side you prefer, so that you have a place for drinks and a lamp. It's amazing how much at home you'll feel when it's more functional. Maybe move the standing lamp to the side of the loveseat, so that it would be in the corner b/w the EC and the loveseat. It would help to fill that area a bit. Above the loveseat would be a perfect place then to add your collage you spoke of in the first post. Also, really simple things, like putting a big basket to one side (b/w the EC and the fireplace) of the EC for blankets adds to the rooms comfortable feel, as well as is useful.

I have similar colored couches in my family room, and we have SW Macadamia on the walls. Just another color thought.

Looking forward to seeing a possible loveseat move, if your arms are up for it!! :)

I am going to be the lone dissenter. I like the L-shaped conversational grouping with sofa facing fireplace. Two adults can sit on the love seat and watch TV but if you have enough guests over to fill the sofa and loveseat, you are probably conversing and not watching TV, as it should be and the fireplace is the focal point which is what all decorators (at least used to) recommend. I like the coziness of it and your armoire gives some credence to the flat wall juxtaposed. I would not worry about doing tile, but I would paint the trimwork (oak) white when I got the mood. Then I would put a soft gold color on the walls, nothing as dark as Decatur Buff, but something about like Toasted Wheat, that has less green, so that it does not fight with the upholstery. Oh, yeah and put something atop the armoire, like a nice piece of pottery.

I'm going with Patricia on this one - L shaped with sofa facing FP.

Excellent work!! Really really well done!

I like the arrangement with the TV placed on an angle by the window -- and the sofa and loveseat along the two walls. This one allows good TV AND fireplace viewing. This one "fills" the room -- without crowding. Go through this section of the Pottery Barn site -- GREAT ideas and inspiration. PLUS check out their ideas in "Design Tips" (look at the top of the page display -- just under their name)

Your photo gallery could easily work over both pieces -- along with several wall shelves where larger black-and-white photos could lean against the wall. THEN a larger one could go over the fireplace AND the mirror would work over your new dresser in the foyer.

Of course -- EACH arrangement did have its advantages -- so if you get another chair or bookshelves -- you now have several ideas to work in those pieces into the room. You simply have to decide which one works for you AND feels right for your current situation. NO room should remain static and staid -- moving items around is key to keeping a room fresh -- and working well in any situation!

Thanks again, everyone! I feel like things are starting to come together. (Side note: Ever notice you're more likely to feel an impatient need to rearrange and go for a change when the rest of your life is in chaos? Sigh.)

I have a young preschool DD who came home last night after being gone for the weekend. I had the room set up with the couch backed up to the dining area, loveseat perpendicular, and TV cabinet centered on the wall next to the fireplace at the time. She liked the change but I noticed that it was harder for me to see her and communicate when I was in the kitchen. I usually work on my laptop when sitting on the couch and the light from the windows and patio door behind me made it rather difficult to see the screen.

So... After she went to bed I moved it back to the configuration with the couch and loveseat along the two adjoining walls and the TV cabinet just slightly tilted by the window. We're trying that now as she watches cartoons. Much more open feel and no glare.

Tonight after work I think I'll move it into the L facing the fireplace again just to see how that feels for a while, as far as being functional and comfortable. It seemed that left a couple odd bare spaces in the room but that might also give the opportunity to add in a new piece of furniture or something.

After I've made a final decision between the two layouts I'll be ready to move on to the rest of the decisions. :)

You have very nice rooms! Hard for me to tell, as I like to work with floor plans, but I think the natural flow is to have the sofa facing the fp. Not really liking the loveseat on the left in front of the window, from here, but it looks as if if wouldn't work on the right. I'm thinking to maybe put the loveseat in another room and bring in comfy chairs instead, with the sofa. It's quite nice to have a loveseat in front of the fp, too, instead of a large one, but that probably wouldn't be as comfy for a relaxing tv room.

You have a wonderful home. Lots to work with. I'm not much good at this but I do see a plan. It is possible that someone else has suggested this and if that is the case then I am in agreement with whomever it was.(I get confused with all reading, I am a hands-on kinda person) I like the couch in front of the fireplace, placed at the same angle. I was wondering if there was room to offset the couch away from the carpet, and place the armoire in the corner. Is there enough room to place the loveseat in front of the armoire? The armoire is very visually heavy and if it can be placed in the corner it will balance out with the light coming in from the window. I was also picturing the mirror over the fireplace with a red painted frame. If the armoire doesn't have room to be placed in the corner and has to be placed somewhere else where it still looks heavy, you could put a large oblong fairly low white container and place somekind of white arrangement with a trailing white plant that would bring your eye back into the room towards the fireplace.

I don't know if this will help or if it works in decorating. When I was in photography, a rule I was taught to read a composed picture. You would look a picture and read it from left to right, just like you would read a book. Anything that is/was placed in the upper right hand corner would create tension and that is where your eyes would go. That wasn't always a good thing because it would take you away from the "focal point". Since you can only view the fireplace room from one direction, I hope this may help.

Have fun, don't stress. Oh and as for the oak. I have natural pine and I have found that the darker, grayish shades of paint seem to look the best. Since green is in the family of the complement to orange, I would stay away from green for paint. It will only make your oak trim stand out more.

I think room dimensions would make it easier to give you a floor plan (altho' your physical rearranging certainly helps too!)

It looks like your furniture is a bit too large to 'float'. I would stick closely to your original layout, but reverse the placement of sofa/loveseat. I'd place the longer sofa on the wall, and the loveseat in front of the window with side table on dining room side. I'd leave the TV where you had it, and hopefully the arm chair that you mention will fit angled next to the TV. I'd try the coffee table in front of each sofa, just to see which looks best -- my guess would be in front of the loveseat.

I'd probably use the mirror over the fp in the entry hallway, and find a large square mirror or artwork for the mantle.

I like this arrangement best, but move the tv cabinet to the wall to the right of the fireplace. That wall seems too empty now. You could move the sofa to the right just a little to give it breathing room and put the end table between the loveseat and the sofa.