Oh Mags I hear you on mistakes! When we first bought this place about 20 years ago we did major renovations as it was a very old farmhouse. Half the house was on propane and half on oil heat. It needed insulation blown in, new plumbing and wiring. Know what I picked out for a kitchen floor? Don't laugh (it really was hideous!) 8x8 pink tile. Solid pink-in a big kitchen. Here is the really weird part. I do not like pink. Maybe in a sweater but not anywhere in my house. Not only was my kitchen pink (I had pickled maple cabinets-it is what we are painting cream colored for the renovation) but I chose a pink colored bedroom rug. The woman who owned this house previously had passed away. She LOVED pink. Pink car, pink 3 door side by side fridge (wish I kept it, it was vintage and in great shape!) and cook top as well as pink bathroom. I swear her ghost made me do it.lol UGH. I hated that floor! I seriously have no idea why I picked pink except thinking it would match well with the pickling colors in the cabinets. Yuck. Yes, I have had some doozies myself. Baby blue toilet, sink and tub anyone? We own a lot next door that we hope to build on or put up a modular ranch someday. We like the house we have now but it is big and the kids are not here anymore although our grandchildren visit weekly. With the market the way it is we figure we wont be selling anytime soon. I have seen cork and like it. I think if you really like it then you should put it in. I went to a website of a kitchen and bath place here in RI and they had at least 10 pages of all different kitchens they helped renovate. Some I thought were hideous but others would probably love it. We all have different tastes and needs. It is why I love getting feedback here from everyone! I am going to let the designer do her thing and just sit back. I think that would be the wisest thing to do. I look at kitchen pictures now and they are all blending in together!

Raehelen, Good Luck with your "ORB-effect"! Modern-Masters has some very nice Metallics, & other faux-finish products. They have a SUPERIOR water-based "Dead-Flat-Varnish". On average, it retails for ~$50/gal. Sounds spendy, I know! But...to have a FLAT, Water-based, & LONG working-time product...it ain't cheap!! I think the "Baroque" dull-silver/gold look is SO cool! Wish I had crown-moldings to try it on!! More info. on the link... Faron Here is a link that might be useful: Modern Masters info.

Where are you located? Here in Florida, there are so many investors out there looking for deals to flip and of course they have to get the house for alot less than what the seller wants so they can do the fix up and flip it or as perhaps in your case - rent it out(since he wants the furniture)and still make a profit. Go to you county's Property Appraisal's website and look at all the houses in your area (your street or subdivision) where the houses are similiar in size to yours. Look at the Just Market Value and see how yours compares. You can also find recent sales in your area to do comparables. Your realtor should have already done this for you but if he/she is being honest with you, the price you are asking should be in line with those that are in your area and are same age, size, tc. If you have insisted on pricing it too high (please don't take offense, DH and I have been there, done that too), then you may not be getting offers that you would if it were priced appropriately. For alot of people there is an emotional tie to their home, especially if it has been "the family" home for a long time. My next door neighbor has refused to let her SIL sell her home (she lives in another city with her DD and SIL. They have lawn care done on it weekly and yet she has not lived in it for over the last 10 years. You may also be having to compete with many foreclosures that are around or even short sales where people are trying to get out from under homes that they can no longer afford to make payments on and will sell if the bank will accept what they can get for it and forgive the difference. If this same guy has visited your home 5 times in 19 months, he is not in a real hurry to relocate and is bidding his time, wanting to haggle with you. If you know where he is from, you can go to that county's Property Appraisal site and put in his name. It will show you a list of all the properties he has owned or owns. Bet you he is an investor/renter/flipper as well as a used car salesman. We are assuming that you have your own realtor and are not trying to sell it on your own. Remember if so, his realtor is not working for you - you definitely need someone to represent your interests. I'd tell the buyer's realtor you will get back to him when and if you are ready to go that low but for now that isn't happening. Then see what happens.

First of all, congrats on your new home. Second of all, don't stress. My advice to you is take your time to plan. You don't have to decide on everything in one go. How do you want your home to feel? What colours evoke this feeling to you? How are you furnishing it? Wall colour should be the last element chosen because it can be matched to anything. Finding curtains, carpets and sofas to match a wall colour is less easy. Your budget will determine if you can change some of the hard finishes and elements you don't love (e.g. railing). I'm not sure what you mean by a very brown kitchen? I'm seeing white cabinets and walls. As for the niche in the entryway, it really depends on you and your lifestyle. Would you sit there to remove shoes, for example? Or would it make more sense to have a table for keys and sunglasses? There's no law that says these decisions will be permanent and while it's usually more convenient to paint before moving in, something it makes more sense to live in a home for a bit to determine how you really want it to look and flow.