Thanks aktillery - yes, you too were right about adding warmth and dimension - we have decided for sure now - wood floors it is. :-) I've had enough negative feedback about floating over the tile to decide we have to rip it up as well. This way we won't have to cut down doors, build up extra sub-flooring where carpet areas will go, change baseboards, or have awkward thresholds. The British/Tropical Colonial vibe we like best would be impossible to achieve leaving the shiny white tiles. We're looking at a dark wood to replace all main areas where the white tile exists, and a light sisal/jute/berber carpet in the family room and dining room areas (without round cutouts!) I am losing the battle with my husband to rework the entertainment wall while tackling the floors. He just wants a cabinet guy to update it - in place - and keep the wet bar. :-( Also thanks desert_solitaire - sorry but for us, the tile just has to go - even though some people may like it. IF - there is nothing structural in the kitchen island soffit, and IF - we can figure out a downdraft or slimline pendant stainless hood setup AND - it's reasonably affordable THEN - we would consider replacing the island countertop. I shirk away from doing a wood top there though, due to it easily showing marks/wear - and a slightly unreasonable fear of potential absorbent properties not desirable in food preparation. (I know, I know people are using it all over the place) BUT - you're absolutely right - the cooktop is going to be replaced for sure - as is the hood, regardless of a major or minor island overhaul. Both are hideous. I was confused by your reference to brass at first, then I figured out you're talking about bathrooms. They are further down the road. The ladies master bath wallpaper is so wild, it's almost attractive in an odd way. lol KIDDING The small Jack & Jill "guest" secondary bath is the one visitors would see the most and first to get done. The green vanity is awful. The while tile floor in there actually works well. I'm hoping the tile removal guys can cut it at the entry in a straight line without having to continue into the bath and take it all up. 6 more weeks to go before the adventure begins! Will update this thread - or maybe even start a new one about the work in progress, before/after.

what I was seeking is the feedback of visionaries who can imagine the room with clean planking and a nice clean mantle ledge with 8" baseboards. VS horizontal etc. Oh, I really CAN imagine that room with planking and a ledge ... but I can't imagine it being an improvement on what's already there with some rustic fabrics and furniture and strong LARGE artwork. That ledge will chop the room at an awkward place and make what is a tall ethereal space into two conflicting halves. The non-negotiable design elephant in the room is the flooring's strong diagonal stripe ... your proposed planking - painted or not - will add more stripes and it's going to be very busy. Whereas respecting the essentially formal nature of the room and saying "it's formal, we're not" with your furnishings would be far easier on the eyes.

very thought-provoking thread. and very emotional too Both- found style and it's evolving -I'd say pretty much eclectic (I narrowed it, for myself, to my own definition) always evolving-as I get exposed to more, read and learn about and see more things to be fascinated with..styles to borrow from, details, things, colors, materials I didn't look at close enough/ touch enough before to appreciate them, different art? forms of art?some people I know can strongly influence me too-besides my Grandma whose style I think I largely took and reinterpreted, in my way-say one of my friends completely changed how I view photography..and inspired me in terms of putting together colors that I'd never consider before. it's also evolving because I'm evolving, and I think our changes should be translated somehow onto the house (not easy since it's not only my house. I'm pretty strong headed when it comes to homes so i need to watch myself. Minor things can really upset me-like my DD running buying a new desk that has nothing to do with anything in her room, because she needs to prepare for GRE, and no other table suddenly satisfies her, and the library has certain hours, "and then we'll just get rid of it, Mommy". No, I'm a hunter and a gatherer, I don't get this sense of urgency. I was mad and sad and seeing that temporary desk drove me crazy, until I actually said it and explained my "why"-and got a sincere promise that the old desk will return to the room after some time. Then obviously life gave me real sad stuff to be preoccupied with, as it usually happens) -Always guided by a house-all houses are different, I never consider myself an owner, in a full sense-a house "owns" me too , to a degree, it's a partnership, sort of a friendship where I'll be pretty much same april of course yet every frendship will still be unique because of the uniqueness of another person and a different relationship will be formed, different kind of a dance if you will. and this relationship between me and a house- it might evolve too it can be at some pretty happy plateau, or it can get bumpy me and the house can be very content with each other, or get slightly upset with each other. I can even feel it being offended, and all:) right now it's exactly how this song sounds and describes: soft voice (lines? fabrics?), catchy melody-I continue to listen...and continue to listen..so, it has its big spell over me..rather fast (colors, patterns?)..strong sense of a road trip..so, mostly where I want it to be? when you listen to the words though-lots of possible perils, imagery cool yet depends who are you when you look at it and how old you are.. or feel you are.. a sense that you're not getting safely back from that road trip ..picturesque as it may be. You're stuck while you're travelling. And it's lonely. when I'm alone in the evenings-and I'm plenty alone in the evenings, and it's my first single-family-house-so, bigger sense of detachment, even though I realize that our "big" to me lot is laughably small in comparison to most of the USA..we looked for that sliver of privacy, of course, but it's all new to me-so, that's how it feels almost to the "T". I'm not sure I answered the question, but I worked hard on writing an answer(why exactly I don't know..neither I nor you had to have it here. Stranger things.)

Tmoms, i used American Bungalow magazine, books by Jane Powell, Robert Winter and Paul Duchscherer. I also looked at lots of period houses and also perused old plans from companies like Sears, Aladdin and Montgomery Ward. Lastly I took advantage of the advice of some architect friends