The staircase was pure hell! We did it ourselves. Such a dramatic difference from before.

Staircase · More Info

Beautiful home! You have a craftsman feel to your home, but not totally craftsman. What is the color you’ve painted your kitchen? I recommend repeating that color in a small amount in your dining room.

I guess I am just stuck as to what kind of fabric goes with my new blue rug. What color, texture, etc. Thanks!

The kitchen is painted Sherwin Williams Stone Lion

Paint Colors · More Info

Across from the dining is my living room. Just got new furniture. Haven’t painted or decorated yet.

I would paint the tray in the dining room stone lion. The chair cushions i would use a tone similar to stone lion or a combo of stone lion and distance.

Really nice home!! I would think you could really pick any of the blue shades from your rug, i don't think I'd want to add much texture or pattern to the seat with the rug underneath having such a great pattern, but i in my love of boho touches can see a denim in the seats...it'd be durable and kinda casual and fun.

CDR - when you say tray are you talking about the ceiling?

Here is the type of fabric I would recommend

Yes. The onset of the tray ceiling.

Inset.

Oh I absolutely love that fabric! Thank you!

To add that I like the tumbled-type stone backsplash, and a neutral/ warm paint with light cabinets...

Beautiful home!!

Are your chairs being painted black? If so, I like a white and beige (stone lion) fabric. Or if the chairs are being painted a different color, I would have some black in the upholstery to pick up on its use elsewhere in your home.

Yes my chairs are being painted black this week.

I agree. If you want black chairs, then the room is going to feel rather dark and not in keeping with the kitchen.

If you want to go blue in the dining room, add only a small touch of black.

Painting your house and then deciding on accents is not how I normally proceed. You can do it, but it makes the job really hard.

My preference, unless the house is huge, is to use the same paint color in the common areas. I do notice you do have blue in your living room. So, another idea, if you want to use blues and blacks in your rooms, you could paint the walls Stone Lion in the dining room. Then, use the blue rug. Then, paint only the tray in the ceiling "Distance".

Then, you'd have to decide on the table. You are painting the chairs black? What about the table?

The lady painting my furniture doesn't start on it until tomorrow. I can still paint it a different color if I want! I just thought it would look best in black. I was going to have her stain the top of the table dark walnut (the same as my floors). So yes - I'm a little concerned about it being dark. But will the white wainscoting lighten it up? Plus my curtains? I'm getting in over my head here! Yikes! Should I paint my furniture cream? With a dark walnut table top? I don't know if I would like that. Also - just FYI the wainscoting is being installed on Friday. I can change my mind about that too!

Dining Room · More Info

This was taken before they finished the shoe molding.

I would not add the wainscoting. Here is why: 1) extra cost 2) You are making your house more casual. This is going formal. 3) it makes it difficult to add art and mirrors (you are confined to the height of the wainscoting.

I would remove the chair rail for the same reason.

The direction of your living room and dining room seem different from your kitchen. Honestly, the living room seems crowded. Try placing the love seat on the long wall. Chairs on window wall. We can talk about that later.

Here is my thought on the chairs: by the time you pay to get them painted and get the seats recovered, could you just buy new chairs?

You could get the chairs stained walnut also, but with all the slat-backs, that could get expensive.

Also, I don't have all of the information: do you have other items that are going in your dining room?

Here is a dining set painted darker, with a blue rug. But walls are a lighter color.

Cozy Colorful Craftsman · More Info

Here, blue rug, walnut top and rest of set painted cream. I actually think this looks really good. You could paint the dining set he same color as your kitchen cabinets, Then, walls Stone Lion and ceiling distance. Then add touches of black.

The Manchester Model at Stonegate · More Info

Whatever you do....., I recommend having a full plan. You can conquer one room at a time, but you need an overall vision. If you have to cancel a painter, better to do that before you make costly mistakes.

What I recommend also is that you place photos in your ideabook of dining rooms you like, keeping in mind your kitchen and that this is an open-concept. Think this through and have a total plan before executing anything. One change affects another.

Ok. I am putting the breaks on this. I think I have remodeling fatigue. I’m going to have someone come over and help me. A designer planned that living room furniture from the furniture store. So I will work on that. The wainscoting - I agree. I just thought since I already have a chair rail that it needed it. Plus the total cost was only $300. But it is working against everything else. The furniture in dining: it is too red of a wood and I found a lady that will paint my whole dining set including the china cabinet, table with six chairs plus a bookcase for $1,000. I just have to do the upholstery which is no big deal. I can’t buy a new set for that. I just can’t keep it with that red toned wood. It clashes with my floor. Which is why I chose black. I will slow down. Maybe remove the chair rail (hubby won’t like that). And forget wainscoting. And I will put the brakes on and get some help over here! I really appreciate the help! Thank you!!!

I meant to type brakes not breaks. Lordy.

Smart idea! I am sorry, but the living room does not feel welcoming. What is it used for?

You can try to rearrange the furniture as i recommended. This might help. The ottomans could be used as a coffee table or return them.

I play the piano and that is my piano room. And a place I go to get away and drink my coffee, etc. Basically it is MY room to do whatever I want in it!

And I hate those pillows on the chair. Too big of a pain to move when I want to sit in it.

CDR is giving you some great advice !

Oh yes! And I appreciate it so much!!

Oh my! Yes, pillows can be a pain. A piano in there also! Is there any way you can return that furniture? I like to save clients $! I am so sorry this was planned very poorly by this "designer".

Function is so important. Form follows function. I always ask: "what is the function of the room? Could be such a nice space.

No I can’t return it unfortunately. It is custom! I do like it and the fabrics. It’s a weird sized room and a sofa for instance doesn’t fit. I’m stuck with it. I am just going to have to figure out how to arrange it! This is how she arranged it on her computer but I didn’t like it that way.

Maybe it is better arranged that way?

I see a need to organize your thoughts and goals. Start with drawing out a floor plan. Place the furniture that you plan to keep in the floor plan. Determine what you are missing and need to acquire. Decide what you want to toss out. Base all of this on function and space.

The next step is color and vibe. It would appear that you are drawn to blue and navy. Your new choices seem to be traditional. You selected a rug with a lot of blues in it. Nice choice and you can use it to build upon. I suggest you check out pictures in Houzz and Pinterest. Look at a lot of pictures. As an example, do a search for blue and white dining rooms. Do searches for blue rugs. You will start to get a feel for what you like. This will help you pick an accent color. And, it will help you save money by getting it right the first time.

While a lot of decorating is inspiration, the bulk of it is based in the need for practical use. For example, I look at your music room and I see too much large, overstuffed furniture. I suggest you move a chair and ottoman to another place in the house. Or, move the sofa out. Or, move the ottomans out. Play with the room's layout.

I also suggest you hold off on painting any furniture until you place what you already have in the spots where you want it. Then, you can decide what color or what fabric is needed.

Bottom line, inspiration comes after organization. When you are organized, your thoughts will be clearer.

Still too crowded. Do you like the piano where it is or are you open to moving it? What furniture in the room do you use (since it is really your room). Thinking something could get moved to another room). What are the dimensions of the room?

The only thing we changed on this plan was add a third car garage. I could definitely use an extra chair in my bedroom. I picked these accent chair in my piano room because they were comfortable to sit in. I am short, which is why I wanted a stool. The love seat - well I think she just put it there to fill up the space? But - here are my dimensions! The lady at Havertys thought she had this all figured out, but apparently she didn't!

Dining Room · More Info

We built this home in 2002.

Homechef59 thank you. And I agree with everything you said. I am putting a halt on things until I get this figured out.

Is the plan flipped the wrong way?

Actually, yes it is! ;) And my house faces north.

Here is one more if you really want to keep the loveseat. If you give dimensions of furniture, I can make it more exact.

Oh wow! Thank you! I like the second one better - that way I can keep all of my BRAND NEW furniture that I just paid for... haha. I appreciate that - this is awesome! This is why I love Houzz - getting actual help.

You aren't finished yet. Each chair will need a place to set a drink. That means occasional tables. You will need good lighting to play the piano. You will need some art work. You may want some curtains or window covers. Last, you will probably need to paint. See how one follows the other. It's a progression.

CDR provided you with some layouts. But, you really won't know until you place the actual furniture in the space. I will comment that pianos are very hard to decorate around. They take up a lot of space. So, you aren't alone in trying to solve the riddle.

If it were me, I would remove the ottomans and keep the piano and sofa where they started. The chest would go between the windows. The chairs would go at an angle facing the sofa. The goal is to create a conversation group. Then, I would play with whether to keep the ottomans as a coffee table or acquire a different coffee table. You will need lamps, small side tables for the chairs and potentially another coffee table. The ottomans might work as a coffee table, but I think you want something with less mass.

Yes, I did not add all of that in.....just giving you are general idea of a layout.

I see no place for the chest or the small table or small lamp. There just isn't enough room for a coffee table.

I moved the ottomans as end tables for the loveseat and you can add trays.

For the chairs, I'd buy c-tables that go over the arms of the chairs.

Think large when is comes to art: I'd add a huge piece of art on the east wall as you look into the room. Perhaps a triptych,

Your room. Do you visit with others there I assume? I don't mind the set-up with piano by itself. But if like a pianist at the piano bar, maybe you want to be among the group and interact and talk -- and I'm serious -- how do you yourself like playing?

I'd place footstool under the window probably, maybe with a nice tray on it for a mug. And remove the nice chest... somewhat large canvas art over the loveseat, and yeh....

just a rug I like in case you need a round. And for more 'interest' you rooms could have that soft teal color [in this rug for example] --

L.R. Resources Dazzle LR54060 6' Round Neutral Rug · More Info

https://www.houzz.com/products/dazzle-neutral-indoor-round-rug-6-prvw-vr~85636963

Not right canvas, but your blue can be ok, and could further amount of gold/bronze light with some kind of yellow/ amber....

John Leslie Breck Wetlands Gallery Wrap Canvas · More Info

Room reminds me of Scandinavian / beach -- what about a pale blue paint?

Julian Onderdonk Landscape With Coreopsis, Gallery Wrapped Canvas, 18"x27" · More Info

This pic looks "in with" the floor, and with pale grey on walls? mixed with greige idk....

Inigo Cia 'Misty Morning' Gallery-Wrapped Canvas Art (32 in. W x 22 in. H) · More Info

https://www.houzz.com/products/inigo-cia-misty-morning-gallery-wrapped-canvas-art-32-in-w-x-22-in-h-prvw-vr~100903879

Coincidence that your paint is called Distance [I mean that Misty Morning shows blue-grey in the distance] and seems that room paint option could be Distance but their lighter version.... or?

Just FYI the rug is brand new. Expensive. And can’t return.

I really like your rug.