Paneling - you can just paint the paneling (primer first!). Or if you wnated, you could fill in the grooves and skim coat the whole thing and then paint. A formoer co-worker did this at her house. Laminate - I installed Bruce American Home laminate in my LR and hallway this time last year. So far so good w/ mine. It is a good mid-grade flooring. If I could have afforded the higher-end stiff like Wilsonart, etc, I would have gone that way. It looks better and has a better sound. But it cost almost as much as real hardwood and was out of my price range. Stay away from the cheapy non-name stuff!

Thanks! Unfortunately, I think that I should now rename this thread, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Sigh. My livingroom wall stripes turned out well (don't worry, the stove has now been moved to the kitchen): And, I had a go at wallpapering the inside of my second floor laundry 'closet' (pics to follow once the darn dryer is no longer straddling the lip of the metal pan - issues with hooking it up). But, in the baby's room (well, no longer a baby - Vivian has just turned one), I chose two beautiful colours for horizontal stripes, with the tape to create a third colour for a stripe - the beige already on the wall, thanks to the builder. Two things went wrong. The tape riped off bits of the beige and in some places, the primer and the drywall paper too! And I don't have this colour to do touch ups. The second problem - I don't like the beige. Will post photos (once I take them. I was too tired and disappointed tonight).

I think photo collage gets lost..too much of black frame it between, it blurs and takes off the photos..which is not fair to them-I'm sure they are dear to you. I think should be put somewhere where easier to appreciate them..or maybe even arranged differently(I know, it's a hassle.) Your AC somehow doesn't bother me:) Sizes/orientation of future art that Rina suggests are about perfect. I'd leave an arrangement on the mantel for now as is..and just wait until right art comes your way(or you spot it and drag it)) Rule of matching art with interior style sounds approximately like this: don't match:) Don't be preoccupied with it. Ah, and the frame(if you decide to go for it, or have to go for it)-you pick the best one for art. Frame is for framing an art the best. Keep your room in mind; but it's secondary.

Is the bench in front of the fireplace small enough to fit on either side of the fireplace under the window? If so, put it there and get a matching one so you have benches on both sides. If not, get two benches that fit. That lounge chair/ottoman combo to the right of the FP feels out of place and isn't part of the conversation area. I would find another home for it. This arrangement has the added benefit of not blocking one's view of the FP from across the room. I agree with continuing the jute rug and removing the hide rug from that area. I would add some throw pillows for the white chairs that have more of your sofa's chartreuse color in order to tie the two spaces together. If the bench is moving, you now have room for a small, low coffee table in front of the chairs. Lastly, the accent wall color you've chosen is lovely, but doesn't really coordinate with the wallpaper. I would have picked up one of the lighter greens from the wallpaper to pull it all together.