wigardenerwannabe, For years I have picked up frames whenever I would see them cheaply. I have a stash of empty picture frames and when I have enough for spot I pull them out. Sometimes I rummage around and look for ones w/ dings and scratches and ask for a discounted price since the piece is damaged. Then I just take a black sharpie and hide the knick. My frames usually come from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Wal-Mart and IKEA. I always like things to fit into a perfect little box so all of my arrangements are even w/ nothing hanging out on the ends. That's just my personal preference for me. I often admire those gallery walls that I see that are uneven but I like symmetry 95% of the time. Often I will use my DR table as it is a long rectangle and just start laying out frames until I get a look that I like. If the arrangement will be larger I use the floor. I stopped using a tape measure and level a long time ago because when you buy cheaper frames the hooks on the back are rarely in line. I'm pretty good at eyeballing things and have usually been able to just start hanging them one by one w/ minor adjustments on eveness as I go. We'll see how badly that goes when I attempt a grid above my fireplace. And now thanks to my friends at GW who told me about 3M it will go much faster from here on out! pps7 - the wall color is BM Jonesboro Cream.

leela I am awaiting a sample to pour oil on & scour with grease cutter. this will help me decide lol. bdrl I will look for your post. I know, but I plan on degreasing to clean daily. At least I hope to.... from what I understand, the oil doesn't get absorbed into the stone and can be degreased. it will patina around the heavy oil areas like the cooktop, but should be able to blend well if I use a degreasing agent. I will test my sample when I get it. I have other soapstone that I used dish soap to clean it, and although not as light as unoiled, the oil spot fades pretty much with dish soap cleaning. mamagoose, love that mock up! thanks! All the way to the ceiling baby! Hood will actually be touching the ceiling, so I have to go all the way.

The wall color is BM Huntington white and the trim is Simply White. I think these are all great ideas, the idea of a vertical painting is a good one, I paint all the art myself on old canvases so I just have to find the right peice. The very white painting actually had a lot of soft blues and pinks, it's just totally washed out by the window! re: the layout. I've tried to flip the side of the room the couch is on and it just doesn't look right, the chairs seem out of place on that side of the room. I agree that that I need plants next to the TV instead of the lamp. I put it there to experiment with how to add more vertical height to the room (ceilings are 9'). However, I also need more lights in the room for needlepoint and reading - it's really been hard to figure out how to add them without breaking up the sight line. Brass lamp is from Target. I also agree about the fact he fact that I have too many bins, I needed more storage and went a bit crazy at Target one day. My theory is that once the room is decorated I'll figure out which ones match best and move the rest to other areas of the house. This photo is not perfectly styled or edited, but this is what's behind the couch! I definitely need a different window treatment or nothing at all & the plant needs to be moved (there is good sun there and she's a little sick)

Houzzers appreciate previous inputs! Viewed most suggestions. Front runner, still Balboa Mist. Talked hubby into considering a white-ish color for walls, provided there's contrast so ceiling trim stands out. Navy wall in dinning stays. Anyone done white-ish walls with oak floors? Looking for a the best white-ish color that will not pull yellow or beige tones.