This is simply one of the gazillion examples we see here, almost daily, of a CAD operator designing sequentially, one floor at a time, for the owners approval, before moving on to the next floor, designing it sequentially, one floor at a time, for the owners approval. When all the floor plans are "approved", then, and only then, does the CAD operator throw a roof on it, getting owner's approval. Final stage is to design elevations, get the owner's approval, and quit. Said differently, designing sequentially, one architectural element at a time, simply results in terrible (and expensive) designs. It makes it easy for the CAD designer, but the owner gets the very worst sort of design possible. Of course, this approach to design disaster is made worse because the CAD designer simply drafts whatever the owners say they want. And very few owners know anything about design or how it takes place. So...the owners walk into the CAD designer studio with a mish-mash of ideas about their "forever house" And the CAD designer bangs them all together inside some walls. See...you asked for X and Y...and here they are...! Be careful what you ask for...

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Congrats on buying a home! Smart move to wait a year to settle in before decorating. Also smart move to post a dilemma on Houzz. You will get excellent advice from decorator Pros. They do not try to sell you stuff to get a commission. I am not a Pro and I suggest you look for the Pro under the name, so you can give their comments extra weight. I also have dark gray walls and they go nicely with a wide range of accent colors. But based on your post, you have put the cart before the horse. Before painting, the process starts with a PLAN and a budget and a shopping list with color swatches and measurements. Plan your decorating style first so you have a cohesive direction to go. Post stuff you like in your Houzz ideabook and look for what turns up the most. That plan keeps you on track so you don’t make impulse buys or buying errors. We all have a tendency to go overboard on stuff we especially like. It will also help Pros give you advice. Maybe you have done the plan and didn’t include it in your post? Then PLAN flooring, rugs, and major furniture pieces. These are expensive and make a big impact in the room so you need to get them right the first time. Even if you want eclectic or minimal, planning is needed to pull it off so your end result is not chaotic or sterile. Match the rug material and pile height to the room’s purpose. “Seating takes a beating”, so get the best you can afford and make sure every piece is comfortable and not just good looking. Same goes for case goods like chests with drawers and doors. A neutral color sofa is a great investment. Before you buy decide what arm style you want and how many cushions. If not getting a sectional, 1 upholstered chair in a solid and 1 chair in a print are a classic combo. DO NOT get a matching LR or DR set because the result looks like you are in a store and not a home. For DR, 2 host chairs with arms from another style looks sophisticated, just measure to ensure the arms are not too tall for the table. Rug colors and fabric colors are limited, color shades go out of favor quickly and are discontinued, and are more expensive than paint to change. Colors in the bluish store lighting are not the same as in your home lighting, so expect some trial and error. A furniture arrangement plan TO SCALE helps you order the right size rug and furniture...everything looks so small in the stores. Coffee tables and side tables come after seating so you get the height and width and bulkiness factors right. Avoid having all tables and seating with bare legs or all of them with solid legs. Side tables do not have to be a set, but the same height for visual reasons. You will need a plan for window treatments. If you are doing a print, best to get it at same time as the prints on furniture so they coordinate. You will need a plan for lighting (General, task, and accent). We tend to avoid rooms that are too bright or too dim. There are rules for picking out the right size lamps. I hope I haven’t lost you. Best wishes for a happy home.

I love chair rails, but it looks like yours were put up too high. Many people put them up wrong. They are supposed to occupy the lower 1/3 of a room, not break the room in half! For eight foot ceilings, a chair rail at 30" off of the floor looks great. If they are not your style, don't feel badly about removing them, since even if you liked them they are at the wrong height. Realistically you can either paint the oak white (or a trim colour of your choosing) or sand off the golden stain and apply a darker more modern stain if you want to go for a rustic look. Painting will be much less work (but make sure you use a good primer for adhesion), but if you love the rustic wood look you could consider the sanding/ re-staining option. I would leave the hardwood floors completely alone since they will blend into the decor once you cover them with area rugs, plus light oak hides dirt and wears really well! I would also leave the staircase alone if it were my house, since it matches the floors and you will have plenty of other more pressing projects to occupy yourself with. Lighting is easy to change and makes a huge difference!