Hi Larissa What a cool pic! Looks like an abstract. Is it the black beetle type thing in the middle? Does it have little "antlers"? Safer's Insecticidal soap usually works. I don't know if they are harmful. I saw the beetle once on an outdoor plant. I don't spray the safer's, I pour it. If its what I think it is, its got a hard body. Don't remember if it flies. I douse anything that has a hard body like a lady bug. You can also try a little dish soap too. Do it in the sink so it is away from animals and children. The rare times I have had a bug, I fill the sink up and go for it, just in case there are any in the media. It's that time of year where the great outdoors is looking for warm places inside. It was almost 70º earlier in the week. Had the windows open. Everything came inside, including that blue eyed moth again. I call him "Frank Sinatra" Clara

Nifty Island! Are you keeping the cabinets? I like wood throughout. But with those cabinets I would chose a light wood for contrast. Natural oak will clash because those cabs are stained oak. Probably natural Maple would look good; definitely would modernize the room. Also, a lot of people complain that tile is uncomfortable underfoot, but you already have it so you'd know if that's the case. Do not put in stained floors - the finish will not last, especially in a kitchen. Go with a natural finish. I would actually run the planks on the diagonal - starting along the fireplace and working out into the kitchen. That will really make the room pop and play up the octagon island. Not difficult to do, either. I would get new cabinet hardware, probably in a brushed satin or nickle finish to modernize the room but not clash with the cabinet style. I like the barstools, and I would DEFINITELY put a different countertop on the island from the perimeter. You need a new backsplash. Your cabs are kind of dated, but I think an interesting way to make them work is to go with a nautical color scheme (but not a theme with boats everywhere ;) That is what your island reminds me of and it will work with the arched doors. And it works with your coffee table too - a modern interpretation of a ship's wheel ;) I'd go with shades of grey as the neutral with dark navy accents. I'd choose a dark blue counter for the island. Maybe the desk, too. Paint: Light gray walls in the TV room. Medium gray on fireplace angled wall. Walls running above main cabinets with patio doors and fridge - Definitely DARK gray!!! That will really help to tone down those cabinets. The light walls just make them seem too dated. Basically, I'd paint all the yellow walls dark gray and all the orange walls light grey. Except the small desk wall - I'd paint that navy blue for pop. I'd then use a gray counter on the desk and perimeter walls, and a blue counter on the island. Then a sparkly glass backsplash with a mix of blues and grays. There are some really nice blue granites available. they are expensive, but if your island is small enough it may work out. As for gray counters, I'd avoid Soapstone because once it is olied it's almost black - too dark for your room. You want a medium-light gray. That would look great with the maple. I'm sure the Quartz counters have a medium / light grey available, and probably granite too. NOT marble! Totally clashes with your cabinets! You want something very simple - not a lot of different colors and movement. I think Quartz would work best (and I'm a Soapstone person, so this is the first time I am not recommending Soapstone or marble to someone - it really doesn't go, though). You should start another thread asking for pictures of light and medium gray counters that are not too busy. Specify Quartz and granite (otherwise you'll get tons of un-oiled pics of soapstone and that does not last ;). Get a new ceiling fan. Something modern, maybe with a nautical flair. In brushed nickle, not shiny chrome (or brass). Yeah, don't do the "nautical brass" thing ;) That's too much! You want clean and modern with just a hint of nautical flair. Oh, and paint the ceilings a pale blue-gray. Trust me, it looks SO much better than white. Mine are Misty Surf by Behr. Oh, and you want COOL Grays, NOT warm grays! Cool has blue undertones, warm has beige undertones. Good luck!

I purchase this house and have outdated cabinet, trim and floors. want to refesh with colors please help

will be doing an owner/build exemption. I don't know what this means. We have what will become, our master bedroom, already built ... We know essentially what size we want BUT we dont know best layout for everything nor the roof lines and so forth ... We don't have design software experience ... couldn't find any for 24x32 floor plan ... Okay, I think this was a very complicated way of saying, "We have a small building and want to add onto it. This is a renovation /an expansion." What you are describing is a heck of a lot harder So much harder, but you have what you have. I assume this is an older house that was already on the property? Is it in good condition? What kind of foundation does it have? I wonder if you might do better to use this as a storage building ... and "start fresh" elsewhere on your 12 acres. So we built a 24 x 16 cabin thinking this would be our great room Oh, you walked into this on purpose! I'm wrong about this being an old house. Was the cabinet permitted? How is 24x16 not an ample great room? We intend to add on and it doesnt have to be that complicated. This is probably why we will just do the plans ourselves. I think you need some help with the plans. Why? You've already put money/effort into one space, which you've now determined isn't what you need. You have a gauge on the sizes you want (even though you missed on your first try with the great room) ... but you don't know where to place the rooms. This seems like a backwards way of addressing the design. Step back and ask yourself, what would you say to someone who told you what you just told us?