I tried the bed with two side tables at an angle, but it didn't really work. Something about the distance between the large window and wall, and the width of the bed just didn't work. I could never get the angle to where it felt comfortable to look at. It also left a huge gap in the triangular area between the headboard and walls. It caused the trunk to be just a few feet from the entrance and the pathway from the entrance into the bathroom seemed cramped and awkward. So, it will have to be near where it is now. But I'm intrigued with the suggestion that I could move the bed over to where it was partially under the window. I have been diligently trying to keep it perfectly centered between the small window and the wall, even though that means I don't get a table. Because I thought that was what one should do. I would love to have a bedside table on my side. What you don't see is a foot stool providing storage for my chapstick, water, reading material, and extra pair of socks in case my feet get cold. And shutters??!! For the love of cabbage, people, I absolutely adore shutters, but didn't think they would work in that room. Shutters!! I also found a rug in Pottery barn that combines a version of the warm reds and yellows with the cooler blues and greens. I think this color mix will work, but it needs to be the right shades. http://www.potterybarn.com/products/brant-rug/?pkey=cpersian-style-rug-shop Also, if you will turn with me to p.152 of your January 2011 Pottery Barn catalog that offers Comfortable Style and a whites sale, you will see a photo of pillows at the bottom left of the page. I'm liking these colors and thinking of them with lots of neutrals. I'm warming up to the idea of the cottage look with lots of whites/neutrals, but still not sure about white slipcovers and all the white. It seems like it could look like a bunch of ghosts live here and left their outfits laying around the house. Maybe I need to look at more pictures. Also, on the all white with one color thing...is it one color for the whole house or does each room get a different color? And how would you avoid people from referring to different rooms as the "Red" room or the "Yellow" room or the "Blue" room? Two other questions... Given all the doors, which I am beginning to accept must be painted or replaced (Painting furniture made from hardwoods makes me sad, but I now see that I can't leave them as they are) would some type of wainscoting be too much action for this room? This is my grandmother's iron bed that is in an upstairs guest room. Would it be a candidate for our room, or do I need wood? Or possibly something upholstered? The iron bed does accept a standard mattress, you just have to beat and shoehorn it in there. The footboard is the same, but, of course shorter. It's brass-colored with the paint flaking off and will need to be repainted. Upholstered like this: http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/furniture-upholstery/bedroom-ideas/?cm_type=lnav The third room idea which is also found on p.18-19 in the January PB catalog.

This thread is leading to unexpected places. We've noticed the relationship between our childhood experiences and our life style or homelife now. And, Flgargoyle is so right to note that you have to balance the elements of a very organized exacting profession with a home style that gives you some breathing room. In my case, working as a librarian for years and years, and being called upon for very proper and perfect language use, I would revert at home to using AIN'T etc. In my home, especially after I began work as a boat captain, I needed to have something alive around me. I began to indulge my passion for container plants. Never have liked fake plants. Over the years, I killed a lot of plants by leaving them outside during the months I was away at work on the oil field boats. These days, I have some favorite container plants that I drag with me, just like the parrots and the dogs, when I travel from Alabama to Massachusetts. I love to use live plants inside the house as part of my decorating. Better something alive around me than another piece of furniture. Right now, I am up north and the plants I could not bring with me for the stay, they are in good hands with a "babysitter." Ever since the show HOARDERS came on TV, I've been questioning myself about clutter. At what point does it become too much. My efforts to keep the house safe to walk around in, find stored items easily, and enjoy the things we have.....that is important to me. I'm not a neat freak. Things don't have to be high dollar, because I enjoy things which are rather primitive or old and abused. I like to have space around things so they will stand out. I also like to have enough storage that I can cycle accessories in and out of the rooms, and they will each have a time to star.

Ontario mom, I am posting pictures of our "blue room" that isn't actually painted blue. I think that the blue of Scandinavian Christmas plates looks best on a color other than blue. The white Holly Kay linked to, or something similar, would be beautiful for pine furniture and floors. This is a sort of montage of photos of the room. I have about 100 plates and cannot display them all, but they were the starting point for the room. It was already painted this gold color. I used other blue and white pieces i already owned (urns, vases, Foo dogs, etc) in this room as well. We purchase the oil of children on the beach and I framed it myself in the plein air style. Sorry for the horrible iPhone photos....this shows the plates above the headboard. We used DS2's childhood furniture (armoire and dark pine single size sleigh bed ). We recently put rustic white oak floors in the room and I added this blue and taupe-y gray rug: Closer of plates above headboard (these are Norwegian) and other blue and white stuff on shelf in bed alcove: In the corner is a display thing bought at Ballard Back Room in Atlanta (their discount place). They called it a bookcase but it is perfect for displaying plates in a corner! This is an interesting side table my mother gave me for my birthday about seven years ago. It is a mosaic top made up of broken pieces of blue and white china. On it is a lamp that was in my childhood room...a little too "good" for the rest of the room, but I wanted to use what I had. The bedding is a discontinued Ralph Lauren pattern I found on ebay. They incorporate shades of navy, royal and light blue, which is a perfect foil for the plates. I use the white matellasse cover on the bed with the comforter folded up at the foot. Hope these photos help you envision a blue and white room :-)

Also, we've changed some things in our kitchen/breakfast room area so that color is going lighter. Currently it's SW Colonnade, but will be changing to SW Glacial Stream. It's a similar tone, but I want to go lighter. From the kitchen, there's an opening to an area where the garage door is on the left side and the powder room door is on the right side. Here's the Cheerful door to the garage. If you don't like it, please keep your comments to yourself. I like it a lot, but it's a bit brighter than I anticipated. Note to self to always do a sample, not just hold up a swatch. I will not repaint it. It looks good, just personal preference to the brightness. The gray is Colonnade, but changing to a smidge lighter gray.