I too am having a big party on Christmas Day (now over 190) and do not cook like you all do. I have to have help. I like to have a cleaned up kitchen at all times so things move easily through to the party. Garbage and dirty dishes need to go away. My tips are: Start with an empty disihwasher and garbage cans. Have a covered tub or tubs that you can put the rinsed off dishes in that can't go in the dishwasher and keep it off to the side. Keep the dishwasher going the whole party and empty it and add. At the end of the party, if this works, you have a lot less to do. That's what I have to offer.

There is no way I could give an informed opinion whether or not one element of a design would be out of place without seeing the whole plan for colors, fabrics, materials, furniture, etc.. Taken out of context, lots of design ideas would seem out of place at first blush. I live in a brick house in Georgia and our lower level has brick floors and one wall of 8" (or 10", now I don't remember!) lap siding. It's on the inside of an exterior wall and I think it looks perfect, even though ours is not a farmhouse and I had never seen the shiplap version of this idea on HGTV when it first occurred to me. Walls can be constructed or faced with a variety of materials--- wood, plaster, drywall, glass, stone, tiled with ceramic or stone...l have even seen vinyl panels as walls in a mobile home. In your place I would a design a home that pleases ME and not let my friends' HGTV watching influence it.

I'd move the photos/snapshots and certificates somewhere else in the house, take down the shelves, and put up some colorful artwork on both sides of the window. However important the photos are to you (it looks like one might be a wedding photo?), their scale is so small compared to the room and the distance you'd be viewing them from that you can't really appreciate them where they are. A larger, more colorful rug could have a lot of impact.

I Love the simplicity of your lower shelves....with that said, I would leave your top shelves empty, I would decorate your fireplace with a more layered look. Maybe move that beautiful art to another space and add some vertical art and layer it, so the mantel has something more substantial . Giving the eye a place to land. Not ever spot needs to be decorated. Such as your shelves. I too have only one or two items on my shelves in my living room. Too much clutter makes me uneasy. Here is some inspiration for layering the top of your fireplace.