So the LR isn't 100% finished, but it's much closer, and next weekend is filling nail holes, sanding and painting the rest of the trim. In the spring we'll yank out all the cheesy builder grade baseboard (not what we spec'd, but not the hill we wanted to die on with the builder) and replace it with some cedar 2 x 6 boards we're going to rip down to 1" and then rout out some sort of decorative edge. The BM Pine Grove and White Marigold turned out well and the Aura paint is really nice, goes on well and dries very evenly. Our decorating style is, well, kinda funky/crazy my cousin calls it Mary Engerbart on acid, but since I don't really know who Mary Engerbart is, I can't comment. Any more progress to report? sandyponder Not sure if you can see the brass ibis on the mantel and duck on the hearth, they are recent junk shop find (yes, I love brass, but I also love chrome, wrought iron, ORB, BN, I'm a hardware ho): Doorway to the pool room (room formerly known as the DR) is done, the doorway into the kitchen not done yet (sigh): The wall o' original art, done by me, my DD, real artists or friends: Opening to kitchen (with the trim I need to finish): Facing the lake, very hard to photograph, the snow and ice are so bright white:

oceanna, even though I've loved certain grays in photos of rooms in magazines and here on the forum, I never thought I would have the opportunity to use it in this house. Walking by the painting one day the idea of gray around that painting just struck me. It was not an intellectual decision but just something very visceral, which I felt compelled to pursue. By the way, I lived in Canada for five years but spent every winter in California which meant I traveled through Seattle quite often. I completely understand why gray is not your favorite color! It's also not a color I would ordinarily think of in relation to my very modest house in the hills of Southern California, which is why I'm using it in a relatively small area for a special purpose. I hope that it will work and want to thank all of you who have encouraged me to to go for it.

I have looked for pillows for many years at TJ maxx and Home goods to find PB replicas and finally just bought some this year at PB. Sometimes you get what you pay for. The crewel work is lovely and the patterns unique. I have some very nice needlepoint pillows that were high dollar from Michelian Home (not frou frou cabbage flower type either) that I have NEVER seen at the discount stores. I looked for a solid year on ebay under needlepoint pillows and never saw ones there either. At least not at a price cheaper than Michelian Home.

Thanks for the nice comments. The slipcover was ordered from Ethan Allen to fit the brown EA sofa. That was my big splurge; the rest of the items were either found on Craigslist or just moved in from another room. Most of the accessories were family things passed down from my grandparents. The tufted chair is also from EA, but I got it on CL. I found the red chest on CL in awful shape, and painted it myself; I'm happy with the way it came out. The rug is from CL, and I didn't see any label when I rolled it out. I'm chuckling at all the "orange" comments; maybe the lighting in the room gave an orange cast to the red things in the room? There's no orange IRL, except for the beehive clock, which is an orangey red. Have a good night, everyone!