Our hearth room has a similar cathedral ceiling with massive beams, and it gets lots of light thanks to a wall of east facing windows plus south facing french doors. Both the walls and ceiling are painted Manchester Tan. It's actually the one room in our home where I really like HC-91, probably because of the light. Elsewhere, it seems a bit blah. No offense meant to anyone who loves HC-91, it's just that our previous homes were filled with lots of color and this was a huge change. I expected to repaint the entire house, eventually, and if I ever do the hearth room won't be changing.

Yknow, IMHO, I wish we all could drop the "D" word from our vocabulary. If we love it , if its well made, if its functional - then a place can be found for it, period. In other words - your china cab is just fine, and it does look good on the side rather than viewed head on. That said of course we like our rooms freshened up now and then - but I think you can jazz it up in other ways incl choosing a new color ILOVE greens/browns/tans, but the pea soup color Im kind of tired of. (or so it looks on my monitor anyway, which has been known to be wrong.) Definitely think about going deeper richer. Dont know if Penny's or Anglo's deep dark colors are good for you but it gives you an idea at least of what deeper/richer could do for you. If all else fails maybe you could just take the living room color and just go a few steps darker/more intense with it. Let the DR be cozy and intimate complete w/ a big china cabinet - why not? The DR should relate well to the LR, and that would be one way of doing it. Minor quibble - I would think about that wall space where the china cab was - is there a third pic that could fit in there? With cabinet moved, that wall becomes very significant. Not liking just the two pics , needs to be 3 I think..... Or some other wall decor or arrangement .... minor thing, so perhaps just wait for the inspiration or right thing to come along.

I think that painting the ceiling planks white is perfect for your beachhouse, it just needs to be accessorized correctly so that it doesn't look too white and gray (see illustrations below). For the walls, I suggest a light greige, BM Balboa Mist, that mixes well with white, gray, and wood. Or a neutral gray such as BM Gray Owl. Any paint you choose I highly recomment that you paint a large cardboard (available at Dollar stores) with 2 coats of paint (samples available at paint stores) and walk around the room to see the colour in different lights. For your corner fireplace, it looks like something black on the floor under the fireplace, not sure what it is but I would do a black porcelain tile under and on the sides of the base. You can also replace the spotlight on the ceiling by a more modern black one, Amazon has nice ones around $40. Have fun with your project!

Choosing the right paint colors for your interior can greatly impact the overall look and feel of your space. Here are some considerations: Ceiling: For the alcove and cove ceiling, a matching color or metallic finish can add a touch of elegance and continuity to your entryway. Metallic finishes, like a soft silver or gold, can reflect light beautifully. Art Wall: Since you plan to create an art wall to the left of the entry, consider a color that complements the artwork. A soft neutral like a warm gray or muted blue can provide an excellent backdrop for your gallery-style display. Exterior: The light floral white exterior and gray awnings suggest a fresh and contemporary palette. You might want to continue these colors into the interior for a cohesive look. Lower Level: Once the lower level stucco is dry, assess its color. Depending on its shade, you can choose a complementary or contrasting interior wall color. Ultimately, your choice should reflect your personal style and the ambiance you want to create in your home. Consider getting paint samples to test on your walls before making a final decision.