The cabinetry is beautiful. And I love what you have done with it. Some books, hardcover, mixed with decorative items. That's exactly what I wanted to do, but it is what it is. My husband simply will not part with his books. Even ratty paperbacks. He grudgingly said he would allow me to replace them with new versions, even though they're not as good (to him.) he likes the actual volumes that he has read and handled. It really bugs me, because the number of novels he has read in the last three years can be counted on one hand, whereas I am an avid reader. A lot of those books he won't give up are ones that I bought, back in the day, and I have read but he has not. Really? "Scenes of Clerical Life," by George Eliot? I replaced every single one of those books with the Kindle version, but that is not acceptable, either. I can't do anything with him. He's not a hoarder, but he sure has trouble throwing things out. Sorry, but I had to vent. Liz

Essenzza ignore issues of taste and home clutter. There is not one taste or one type of good style, and home decoration should be the artful arrangement of the ideas and functions YOU want in your home. The issue I find, with family photos, is that small framed ones wash out when viewed from far away, and there is a limit to how many large family photos you want displayed prominently in your home and where. My husband, god bless him, insists on large family photos on the shelving unit across from our bed in our small bedroom. His family is constantly staring at me! He finds it comforting, I find it a little less than restful. But I can live with it. So that's an example. I'd feel the same way about a large family photo in a living room or family room over a fireplace. It's just too much like "The Smith's survey the room!" On the other hand, slightly smaller in a less prominent space surrounded by some more casual shots, it might be "Remember those happy times when we were all together!" But anyway, I think you are talking about a collection of smaller photos. The issue with those is you can't really see them unless you can get up close to them, which is why I would not put them on either side of the TV. Given that parameter, I would put up a display shelf under the "Eat" sign in the dining room. Then I would either put the stuff on the dining room credenza on the shelf and put a collection of family photos in a mixture of nice frames on the credenza, OR put the family photo mixture on the shelf. I have seen both done well in dining room inspiration photos which you could probably find by googling "dining room family photos arrangement on shelf" or some such thing or by searching Houzz photos. That way people can stand up close to the photos and look at them if they want, and yet the montage still looks good from a distance. Again, I would shoot for more casual photos, not a dominant set of people staring straight ahead. I have a two-photo frame with a picture of both my grandmothers staring straight ahead on a credenza in my dining room, along with my tea set in an arrangement. That level of personal display is not overwhelming and doesn't dominate the look of the room and they are accompanied by other decorative elements so their steely gaze is softened by that somewhat! :)

Yes, arrangement looks much better!! If you are anxious to paint, you could roll out the Natural Wicker, as you are going to need a primer anyway over that deep paint. Won't hurt to use is as basically a primer. I can't really recommend a paint until you are finished with the room. Your next step will be chairs, lamps, end tables, lamps (I would get a nesting coffee table or oval), art and drapes (which are too short).

I would like to begin saying that I love the minimalist aesthetic you have. I’m a less is more person and I don’t like random artwork for the sake of filling walls. With that said, I’d like to see more color warmth on the walls. The buttery white is making it too stark. Have you considered painting? I would try the sectional against the buffet wall to free up the window, and add your teal accents into the window treatment. Eliminate the glass table or move it between the chairs. Add more unique floor lamp lighting near the couch. The buffet can then be moved to the kitchen wall.