Everyone, thanks so much. I am finally getting somewhere with the lighting. I do not know what has been worse-tile or lighting. Buenavida, the ambientart site is awesome and what reasonable prices! I saw similar works at another site and they were about eight times as much. For those also looking for nature inspired lighting, I found some good looking fixutres at highcountry.com, northernexposure.com, blackforestdecor, findleylaketrading, the wooly sheep andaspenlighting. This is a sconce we are considering for the foyer along with its matching chandelier. It's kind of "out there" but it conveys the vision we want. I need to learn how to put photos into my posts! Sorry for the inconvenience. http://www.highcountry.com/ROY-NICHOLSON-WALL-SCONCE_p_22-567.html

Hmmm...a lot to think about. Thanks you to everyone for your ideas. Joaniepoanie, I only paid $5 for the headboard at a local auction (I think they were just happy to have someone haul it away, but it was just what I was looking for!) and $175 for the armoire (Kincaid still sells it for $2200; I know the market is dead for armoires but it has drawers for clothing, and the opening is large enough for the size TV we'll use. Also, I don't like seeing TVs in the bedroom). One nightstand I purchased for $30 and another I had. So, I don't have too much invested. Bbstx, I love that armoire, but I imagined painting the armoire a solid color, with a glaze to give it depth, like coll_123 mentioned. I did a piece DH made for the laundry room, and liked the way it came out. Olychick and nosoccermom, I love those beds! And Thefoxespad, thanks for the info about cane drying out after painting. That's making me rethink my original plan because I don't want to lose that $5 investment! And, yagaga, that color is scrumptious, but I don't think it will go will the shade of blue walls I have; depending on the time of day, they're alternately blue, gray, and blue-purple. Coll_123, you are a wealth of information! I'm thinking now of using the rock miracle to remove the stain from the cane and leaving it natural, then painting the trim. If I do that, would you all suggest painting the armoire and nightstands the same color? Maybe a cream? Or go with the more brown-gray in my 2nd pic?

I had this set-up in a rental house years and years ago ... though the dishwasher was closer to the corner (imagine the drawer unit flip-flopped with the dishwasher). Admittedly, I was just out of college and was simply thrilled to have a dishwasher ... but I never once considered it a problem. I don't think the dishwasher is a problem here; rather, the thing to question is, do you have drawers under your peninsula? In this set-up, you'd be okay: you have drawers for your silverware -- you could easily move silverware from the dishwasher to the drawer ... and you could pass silverware over to the eating area. Ditto for prep items such as knives, etc. I would NOT want this layout with the dishwasher only /no drawers. I think a small kitchen is fine -- as long as you have a big adjacent pantry. In this picture, I think the question becomes, does the dishwasher open without hitting the adjacent cabinet hardware ... and does the open dishwasher door prevent you from putting things away in the cabinets? The fixture should be centered on table. Has nothing to do with window I think both matter. The light fixture should be centered on BOTH the table AND the window. It'd drive me crazy otherwise.

why shouldn't you go dark? I think it would look nice. what I would do is spruce up your landscaping, make your columns more modern by going w/a square wood post, and think about redoing the portico to something less colonial. If you redid your portico like they did here (open it up in the middle) and did more modern posts, a new door, paint the brick, you could have this look not bad. do a white or a soft grayish blue brick color. I like this style door too. Want to stay w/the colonial look? try redoing the gabled portico w/shake This one is also more traditional. just tweak the gable on what you have, new door, lights, and give the brick a soft gray/green color. I photoshopped this after photo onto your house. even w/the white windows it could work. look at something like Kendall Charcoal. love the landscaping on this one love this landscaping and the creamy brick color. the wood accents really work here. more modern. do your portico like this want more mcm style? try this I love a good black ranch! this one has the white windows w/the black. paired w/a flowerbed, black mulch, bright flowers, new modern front door, and redo you portico and posts, this would be fine. more classical style w/a dark brick. Use Romabio Masonry lime 'paint', and tint it to a dark gray. remove the colonial portico and redo the yard and walkway like this