What makes me say "wow" when I see others' kitchens is if they look real, lived-in, have their personality. My kitchen, 2.5 years after its remodel, is more WOW today than it was in my "after" pics because now you know who lives there and that we really *live* there. Nothing about us is for show -- we are for comfort and function. There are doo-dads which are pretty, sure, but our kitchen works for us, baby! I have and will always love rhome's kitchen because it is warm, inviting and tells you so much about who lives there. I don't know her at all but I feel as if I do based on her kitchen. And I like what I see! I do have the delight and pleasure of knowing cat_mom and I feel the exact same way about her kitchen -- it's insanely gorgeous, and that's her. (she happens to be gorgeous herself!) She is sleek and modern and she looooves her cats, and it shows in her kitchen. Her kitchen (home) is also a space which is inviting and makes guests feel comfortable. That's my definition of wow. I'm excited for your project!

pamghatten, what do you see as you enter? Which wall faces the entry? You've got, and are lucky to have, multiple focal points. On a scale of importance, the primary, dominant one is the long wall of bookcases and fireplace. That's a pretty massive unit and makes a big statement in the room. Wouldn't it be a lot less interesting without it? Would you want to, or could you, de-emphasize it in relation to the other elements? And so that they were all equal? You could paint it all out the color of the wall and it would be less obvious or toned down but would still be a dominant feature given its relative mass and scale, as well as textural quality. Often that wall is placed directly across from the main entry where it's on full display. A greeter, so to speak. That's the focal point for your room and you'd be hard pressed to have something else take visual precedence. As the dominant architectural feature, you likely plan your main seating area around it and facing it because its function is handy, it's structurally beautiful to look at, and it contains a warm fire if you use the fireplace. (Personally, a fireplace is a beautiful view for me whether it's lit or not.) It also provides storage for the tv, ever so important in today's world. Wouldn't it be odd to turn your back on it? Or not pay much attention to adorning it? Being prominent, you'd want to put some effort into making sure it looks good 'cause it's going to be standing out whether you like it or not. (A lot of people really don't care about what things actually look like, but those people probably wouldn't be reading a decor board.) Something like that is also a backdrop for your seating area. The French doors with a view to a pond sounds like your secondary focal point having more visual dominance than the bay window. You might accent it with beautiful drapes (or not for some). Capitalizing on its view from the seating area would also be a high priority for me. Then there's the bay area, likely less dominant overall than the French doors. In terms of not paying attention to focal points, color, for example, is often used around a focal point to highlight it. You wouldn't, however, do something dramatic like paint the French door wall (your secondary focal point) in an accent color. It would compete strongly with the main wall and wouldn't feel or look right. Why is that wall red? And it keeps grabbing your attention in an uncomfortable way. Not much flow. You could, of course, but it doesn't really make visual sense or feel right, does it. Color choices can be scaled to the focal areas, also, as some colors are more predominant than others. If you used red heavily to highlight all your focal points because you love them, it might be a bit overwhelming and confusing. Scaling the use of color, thinking about where you want some emphasis and its overall effect, would work better. For the overall space, scaling the focus throughout feels/flows better, looks better, and is more balanced, orderly, and interesting to look at and to experience. Whether you're aware of it or not, you're probably doing it or seeing it, and it probably affects whether you like or don't like a room or something in a room. All attention being proportioned equally would be pretty flat and confusing. Don't you try for that sort of variety on a small scale, when creating a mantel or tablescape? Focal points and emphasis really do make a lot of effective sense.

Thanks everyone! Luckygal, the paint color is Ellen Kennon Sage. I really, really like it. Glad you do too;) We do have a smaller dining room off the front living room, but have considered a table, as lavendar suggested, near the doors.... maybe doubling as a game, project, bigger dining when needed table. We don't actually have that table though - lol. The room might make more sense with it. Jan, I always appreciate your thoughts! I will think about moving some of the other chairs. My hesitation is that the front living room is really our friends and family gathering room, so I was wanting to keep the softer chairs in there. So far, my little family has not used this back room much and I'm hoping to make it more useful. Of course, for a good bit of time it was the box room! Oh, let's see, lavendar, the desk is kind of orangey. I don't want to paint it because it was my grandmothers. I may just need to find another place for it. The hutch could stand painting. My husband and I found it in the trash our first married year and painted it as is:) Funny memories. Hoping I answered everyone's thoughtful replies... Anyhow - here are some more pictures trying out that back corner. Sorry about the blurriness. I think our camera is acting up.... or it could be stress from moving - haha From house plans This isn't exactly right, because I still have the desk behind the loveseat, but it gives an idea:

I always wondered why anyone - even those with Wolf ranges & fancy cooktops - made their range the focal point of the kitchen... Easily explained. It' a primal thing...fire and all that. Home & hearth. A cooking range replaces the campfire, the open fireplace. And it's hard to imagine a cooker like an Aga, some of the French ranges, a Chambers or even an Okeefe & Merrit NOT being a focal point. It's not like they can hide away (unlike an induction cooktop). Conversely, I can't imagine a refrigerator--not even a Big Chill nor a glass front SZ--ever being a focal point--without it being disguised as something else, like say an elaborate armoire. Even though a refrigerator contains Life's Blood (food!), it's just cold and doesn't have the ambience of fire. All that aside, perching a huge plastered hood over an induction cooktop does seem a bit incongruous...kind like wearing a Ten Gallon hat with ballet slippers... I vote for something sleeker and making the island the focus.