Thanks to all of you for chiming in. Blond wood is definitely out because although it looks fine with the tile, I don't want anything that leans peach or orange. I may just have to use different colors in the two areas. That darned peach tile! Anyway, I love the everlasting and muslin which is the lighter shade on the same strip. If the muslin will work with the tile, that may be the way that I go. I'm at that point that I want to start lightening some areas in my home. Thanks again for your help!

I'm no expert on the material, but cork seems pretty soft and easily damaged for a home with busy cooks and young children? That's why we eliminated it. Instead we went for Marmoleum Click, which would also be mid-century appropriate, and has a cork backing for the resiliency. It's very family-tough. It comes in a variety of colors, and would help avoid the wood-tone joining wood-tone challenge. Is the honey colored wood in the dining room you're referring to the flooring? Have you brought home something from the IKEA line to check the color with the existing wood? So far, it seems like you have a fairly mild and neutral palette with which any colors might look nice, depending on the look you'd like. Do you want dramatic and strong? Lots of contrast? Bright? Calm? Energetic? Elegant? Will you have few or many uppers? Will you be adding good lighting? Will you have undercabinet lighting? Do you have a backsplash in mind? All of those things will affect what colors might work best, and how light the kitchen feels. We need to know more about your plans and preferences. :-)

bob..no I don't think its really varathane..its by minwax and says its a 'oil modified water based polyurethans"...I took 2 small dishes and mixed the gel stain (which is varathane based product by flecto) with both the poly and the varathane...the gel stain would not mix with the poly but it would with the varathane. I currently have 3 test boards going...one with just the gel rubbed on (i am thinking that the next layer of poly will just lift the stain layer)..one with the combo varathane and gel and one with the combo rubbed on over just gel. it seems to be working in both cases but I didn't want to do something that may end up a big mess in 2 months time. Big Hi Mary...Love Love Love Florida..was there in June for the 3rd time..My son (14) will only get on a plane if it lands in Orlando lol.

I think this room will be lovely with wood furniture if you brighten up the walls. The clay colored accent wall nearly matches your ceiling and floors and makes the room heavy and dark. Let the ceiling stand out without having to compete with your wall color. With wood ceilings, I like an off-white on the warmer end of the spectrum. Wall color is so important in rooms with lots of wood—you need to counteract the heaviness of the ceiling. Wood furniture will be fine as long as you incorporate other elements, like rugs and art, that aren’t in the wood/beige/blonde color family.