Timmy, I'm surprised at that kerosene heater recommendation. Unvented kerosene heaters will cause tissue damage to tomatoes and many other plants. Unvented propane can even be risky. The only problem I ever had with wood is when my wood pile was stacked too close to the stove and caught fire one night. KK, that being said, I would have a foolproof heat system for the investment you are making. Furthermore, you want inside circulation fans (at least 2 on each side, each side moving air in opposite directions). My experience is that when you lose plants on a marginal night, those lost are plants in a corner or end. The same occurs when you have a framed cover within the structure. Never assume that when the weatherman forcasts a low of 32*F that it won't drop to 22*F. Either way they won't lose their job. As a large investment grower you need to insure survivability of the crop by preparing for the worst set of conditions.

jhwu - that is fantastic, what a beautiful fireplace. That room has all my colours in it - walnut, light floors, green walls. I love it. sandnat - thanks for asking. I got sidetracked on another project for a couple of months this fall and this decision got postponed. But, I have decided not to go with stone, but rather tile as was suggested here. I've ordered samples of both the Heath Oval in new colours, and the Walker Zanger Studio Moderne tile. No one in my city carries these tiles, so it is a bit of an adventure getting samples. Although I still think I like the Heath tile just a tad more than the Studio Moderne, I also think the SM tile will better suit my space (although jhwu's photo is making me re-think that). I really like both tiles, so it will come downs to which works better with the look of my LR and DR. The WZ tile only stocks four colours: coconut, jute, ecru and clover. The others are special order. I'm not certain which colour I should go with - the clover may be too much. The other three that they stock are a bit plain. What do others think? My fav is probably the celadon matte. Once I get the actual samples in I might post again asking for opinions on colours, etc. But I'd appreciate opinions now too!

We are doing the same thing and have run a 2" conduit for the cables and will leave a pull string in to swap out as technology changes. Make sure you have adequate lumber behind to support the arm you will use to hang the TV. I bought my arm first, used two 2x6's and will mount the electrical box between. You should get the recessed box for electrical and electronic connections. My alcove needs to be 7" deep to hide the arm and back of TV, even though the TV is about 1.75 inches deep. You will need an infra-red gizmo to wirelessly use your remote unless you have your cable box up there on top of the mantle. I just had my cable installed and even though it is all wireless the TV needs to be cabled to the cable box or use the little attachment. Is what the cable guy told me. I just bought an ultra hi def TV ( samsung and fabulous picture BTW) and had to special order the 50 foot special ultra HDMI cable to feed through the conduit. we are waiting on that. Watch out for heat accumulation from your FP vent pipe and insulate accordingly. We used roxal and the silver bubble wrap. Good luck with your project

If you leave the wood paneling as is I would paint the walls a color as close to that color as possible. I don’t think a contrasting color in this space will add anything to this room. The ceiling is rather low , the trim is not that interesting and it will just add to the confusion. You could stain the wood floor darker for contrast and recarpet with something more interesting such as a patterned Stark carpet. This room could use a bit of pattern. I would look for a classic fabric pattern and have drapes made with some nice detail . Lastly; you need furniture that has some color! Perhaps when you find a fabric you like that will inspire your selection.