Great ideas Penny! Thanks! Love the photo idea.... What about black and white photos, with some certain elements of the photos in blue or bright pink? I'm a photoshopaholic, so I could do design at home and then have anything over 8x10 printed at a shop.

I think that's a beautiful idea.

I love hand colored photos...and it's a great way to have coverage in the way of a grouping (large prints can be pricey!) and bring a touch of whatever color you need to the walls at the same time.

Getting ready to take the tree down for the year. Love the color it adds to the room though. Maybe I need a potted tree in that corner?

You did a smashing job on that table. It looks so good! You are mastering your skills for sure. Remember when you started and had no confidence! hahaha! You are the master now!

Agree with the others....that table looks AMAZING.

I have a corner also that I'm not really sure what to do with...I'm also thinking of putting a palm or something else green in there...

For your style, you could keep your eyes on ads for a piece of wrought iron (look)...a piece of fence or a fireplace screen or something of that sort. If it's not old you can diy that.....

An architectural salvaged something-or-other from a junkyard/someones back garden? Old window?

A single old kitchen chair can work in that corner as a "stand" also....Just need some interesting books/candle/plant/whatever-you-find-in-moms-attic....

Just some alternate ideas...

Table looks amazing! Great job. It is really coming together.

Unfortunately some of the paint peeled right off the top. So I scraped & have to start over.

Also... The gray on the legs didn't look good, so I sanded down & distressed it, leaving just a bit of the gray over the white undercoat.

I like the fact that you can take a problem and make it work better! You are awesome!

How about this rug with my carpet & couches?

I would wait on the rug until you figure out wall hangings and what you are going to do with the tables. I am loosing touch with the design style you want? The picture is interesting, but it is a French Scene I believe. Are you going for a more "French Country" look? I also like the lighter, cooler gray tones for the wax top coat on the furniture if you go that route. Your sofa and love seat are traditional, so let's kind of "reorient" toward a style preference. I think that will help you in decision-making. So, French Country?, Traditional?, more rustic/modern?, or glam?

Ummmm... Haha.... I'm not sure. I just liked the rug. What category does the clock I posted fall under?

Clocks are just too trendy for my taste. I don't ever use them. Art and interesting metal pieces would be better. IMO You can "like" a lot of things, and I do, but until you really nail down your favorite "style look", you will keep bouncing all over the place and never achieve a cohesive look. I have a feeling you lean French Country given the pieces you select and like. What other styles do you have in the home?

How about "French Industrial Fabulous"

I googled French Industrial Fabulous. Its too washed out for my taste. Thanks tho, Penny!

Flo, I'm still not familiar enough with the individual styles to say for sure. But from what I've seen....

I like some French Country (the wood & brick & iron touches are nice) but overall it seems overly flowery & frilly.

Traditional is nice, just so long as it doesn't get overly dark & formal.

I love the atmosphere of Tuscan style, but it won't work in my home.

Certain elements of industrial style appeal to me (aged brick walls, open ceilings with the ductwork & trusses showing, etc). Sort of the eclectic cafe/subway look. But, again, not suited for our house.

The bohemian look is fun, and while I'm not adventurous enough to do full-on bohemian, there things that appeal to me... unconvential approaches like string lights, fabric hanging on the walls, repurposed items, etc.

....

To be honest, I enjoy the type of decor you can buy at Hobby Lobby. Not sure what categories that type of decor falls under. I would imagine in professional decorating circles it would be categorized as "poor taste" ROFLOL. But I like it, nonetheless!

We call it "casual Texas!" lol You like simpler lines, interesting touches and fun items. If you select carefully at Hobby Lobby, there is nothing wrong with that and I shop there often, especially when I'm trying to stretch a budget. Just have to look for "classic lines" and then add "touches of your" fun stuff. You might be thinking New Orleans when you think French Country. But true French Country is cleaner lines, (more farm like because it really comes from country French agricultural areas) more utilitarian pieces, warm tones, and fun pieces here and there. Thanks for that feedback. It really helps me.

We all aren't crazy about the sofas, kyle, but budget trumps the elephants in the room at this point. Just trying to walk softly around them! lol

I totally understand Kyle!

No, I haven't purchased a rug yet. Just saw one I liked & thought I'd get some feedback :)

In my opinion, if you get a rug that doesn't have any of the color of your current carpet, then it just will appear that you're trying to hide the carpet (which you are, but you don't want it to look like you are....kwim) I would find one a little more bohemian that has the hot pink color in it somewhere...

Personally I would be very adventurous with this...

Hand-Tufted Medallion Synthetics, Gray, 5'x8' · More Info

Safavieh Monaco MNC213D 5'1"x7'7" Pink, Multi Rug · More Info

Vintage Medallion Area Rug, 5'x8' · More Info

I liked your rug selection but I know what Penny is getting at, overall you do need to endorse the colour.

So you could endorse the colour in a rug choice, or you could do it somewhere else. But if you don't want it to look like it's a holdover then you will have to incorporate it.

I almost wish our rental had a really provocative colour carpet/walls. Nice to have a starting point design wise.

Nice rugs, Penny! They incorporate the navy, magenta, as well as the yellow! I can't say I'm drawn to the styles, but that's ok. I haven't given you guys much to work with so far. Lol!

Good points! So here's what I'm thinking... Since a rug is a bit of an investment, maybe we can endorse the color with something more temporary?.... candles, throw pillows, etc

How about a throw! That would be bigger and make more of a color block statement!

Sounds like you're all in agreement (and I am too). Incorporate the colour with items that are cheaper. Cushions definitely fall into that. Throws probably fall into why I wasn't so keen on the colour being in the rug... Anything that VISUALLY touches the floor (as throws almost always end up doing) probably don't need the colour.

The colour needs to be dotted on the sofa, so the sofa isn't a block of colour and the walls if at all possible, so they aren't big blankets of colour too. Important to separate them in my opinion! On 'the walls' can be items on top of furniture 'framed' by the wall, but of course paintings/pictures work too. I hope you catch my drift here, it's all about visual perspective, not literal contact.

To that end, I really like the rug you already posted. But I'd also be interested in some lighter ones, with hints of navy. But I do think you could use a rug.

Have you considered cow-hide? I like it not being a rectangle allowing you more freedom with furniture arrangement and a nice change of texture underfoot, from carpet.

By all means don't invest in a rug right now. At the time I posted they were all really, really cheap and it's just a way to break up the expanse of pink without looking like you're trying to cover a mistake.

You don't really need to have your style be any particular "name" Britta. It makes it easy for shopping, but that's about all.

To echo Penny, plenty of people with really accomplished looking interiors would struggle to categorise their interior. Worry mostly about what you like the look of, and how those items can look good together.

To me it's all about making things cohesive. Mirroring or repeating materials, colours and textures throughout your room.

This is helpful! Thank you Kyle, Penny, Flo, & Lyn!

You are most welcome. Keep us informed on your progress. I think you have a good eye, you just need confidence. It will all come in due time! Enjoy!

Btw, i should put out there... I'm not worried about trying to make the room "warm" anymore. More & more I'm realizing I like the cooler color schemes much better with the carpet.

I've found I'm really in love with these colors. I can easily picture using them in the future, even after the carpet is gone.

I'd never want to live in a 'warm' room. Even in winter I prefer the cool calmness of a blues, greys and whites. If you ever want warm colour you can get warm bulbs in a sidelamp.

Revere Pewter comes up time and time again in so many dilemma threads. It's a really popular one, and to me it's obvious why.

I have plenty of 'sea salt' coloured items in my living room. Really nice colour.

I feel you with this one, but this color is the long lost color of the beet, the vegi, very popular in furniture fabric around I think 20,s (my assumption) But if I am right try to find a pic or fake beet and see if matching then carry it with you where ever you go you will find things much easier (I hope), personally I think if you go more on the neutral side the rug will really stand out which I don't think is what your looking for, look more on the side of golds maybe. Check out Victorian vintage design the show Downton Abby for ideas. I hope this helps you don't have to choose this style but I know it will help some color solutions you haven't thought of. They paint furniture fabric now why not small designs on the rug to break it up some so the color is not so over powering?

Check out a dark Kelly green and putty beige. Good luck!

I was scrolling up and totally missed your pics in rugs really like the bohemian style or eclectic what ever they want to call it but the first one gets my vote if it counts lg amount of grey with center design and boarder like the fact of embracing the color of the rug thru out the throw rug. Missed pics of the sofas you picked out but just this morning I saw on the site modern plush velvet sofa in grey cost under 500.00 with 4.5-5 stars, if you don't like the velvet feel it also comes in a linen fabric in light and dk grey. I am sure you know all this but actually getting excited to see what you do It looks like this project is going to a lot of fun you have great taste!!

Did your clock arrive Britta?

Thank Sheri & Kyle!

It did, Kyle! I haven't hung it yet.

I've been playing around with paint colors. (Nothing matches at the moment haha)

What color should I paint the rest of the coffee table? I like the navy. The other color is just a tinted primer I've been using.

I guess I would keep the legs light coloured. Something similar to the walls or your other white furniture pieces.

Also Britta, might be worth checking out freecycle.org - I only just realised it's in America also, I've got some really nice furniture from there in the past. And if you look semi regularly and are prepared to go pick some stuff up (even if you're only half sure) you can sometimes find some bits you love.

Hey guys! I'm back. I've been doing some more work on the media console/fireplace unit. Let me know what you think...

Wow! You've done a lot to that. How did you change the top?

Beautiful job, Britta! It looks so much better....

Way to go Britta! I think you have a calling!

Thanks everyone!

Kyle, I covered the top with colored contact paper, then painted it with several different colors of latex & acrylic paint. Then brushed on a satin varnish.