I am a horrible seamstress. One year my daughter was going to a dance and the day before the dance I realized that when she put her heels on, it changed the way she stood and the back of her dress was way too short. I went to craft store and found a wide ribbon that went with her dress and tacked it on by hand. It worked for me because I could follow the pattern in the ribbon so I could keep the length uniform and it came with a built in finished edge. I don't know how much ribbon you would need or if you could even find one that work? Maybe linen or burlap? Perhaps by the time you purchase the width needed it would be cheaper to go to a seamstress. Also, hanging the curtains with rings will add a little length.

I have a feeling that the shelves with pictures and objects on them may be a passing trend, one that I personally have never found terribly attractive. I do think that more could be done to make the living area more attractive. I'm afraid the rug in the dining area is too small, and the little round rug in front of the couch looks not quite right. I would get a large rectangular rug that covers the whole of the furniture area and find a warmer color that harmonizes with the furniture rather than picking up the cold gray color of the fireplace which doesn't really harmonize with the color of the adjoining cabinets. I would choose different rugs for the living and dining areas. With larger rug areas the sound level in this huge area would probably also be dampened. The picture with the yellow sofa has a much more modern vibe which makes more sense with the shelf arrangements, and probably would look blah without the yellow couch as an interesting focal point. Your colors are all very safe and neutral if you will compare them to the photos of high spaces posted above. I think more lively colors, beginning with some bolder choices of rugs, pillows, etc. would keep the focus on where people are living rather than the high walls. You have a beautiful space (love the windows and views), and to have the furniture turn its back on the view seems a pity. A lot can be done to resolve some of these issues, and perhaps seeking some professional help would be a good direction to take.

Thanks for the replies. Mayflowers, is 15" of open space on the end an acceptable idea to most? I thought I should be aiming for 4-5" of open space on either end. Less than that feels "cut off", like I'm not using the space well. I did brainstorm the idea of putting a carefully chosen tall basket hamper at either end in the empty space... that may fill it up well, and it would be convenient for us. I wish I was near their showroom. I found my children's vanities by James Martin via Facebook Marketplace for a steal, and didn't know the company then, but I really like the look. Sophie, I went to a kitchen & bath showroom originally, but the cost was over $5000 for the vanity alone. I cannot do that, and I don't think another showroom will have less expensive options. If they will, I would love to know - I just don't want to waste their time or mine. For the Lowes quote at $2300 I went several times to talk to one helpful floor person, and I can go that route if I have to... I just don't really want to. But it's a flush fit, and perhaps best if I just leave it as "solved" even though it's not ideal. I really dislike MDF material, but it's a little used vanity, so I don't think peeling will be a problem for us.

You can buy a mirrored medicine cabinet that has integrated LED lighting, which can also offer a nightlight with dinner function. So, you will not only have lighting from your main bathroom, but an additional light source. As for size, you can also get customized sizing where cabinets can be ganged together. Two 12 inch cabinets ganged together or two 15" ganged together would work where you can add lighting as an option and have interchangeable left or right open doors. It gives you alot of storage over your vanity without looking too wide. And if you want to spend the extra cost, you can have them recessed mounted as well. This will make them look flush with wall and less bulky over your smaller vanity. I hope this helps.