dlmka, Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I did plant them very close together including last year. I didn't think spacing really made a difference. In one box I planted two rows of four and one row of two in one 4'x4' box. There are also some baby greens, green onions and sweet peas. In the second box I planted one row of two. I also planted two Moon and Stars watermelon plants. I wanted to plant only one but couldn't bring myself to destroy the second plant. Another thing my girlfriend and I argue about is how many seeds are supposed to be sown per hole. I think only one should be put in a hole. She says her family traditionally placed two to three seeds per hole (She's Navajo). Would this have any affect as well? See pictures: After transplanting: About three weeks ago:

Thank you guys for all the amazing ideas and suggestions! I cant really change the cabinets, but I can definitely add some color by changing the bar stools. I love the idea of having colorful pots around. Definitely adds the zing I am looking for. The chickens were meant to add some fun elements to the kitchen. I am a 25 year old home owner. I did not want the kitchen to look well beyond my age. I couldn't keep the chickens together because the white one was 8 inches. Need to find a rooster that fits the space,. That got returned to the store I also added a bowl of fruits on the island. My coffee bar is on a counter to the right of this picture. My toaster is here as well. All my other cooking appliances are stocked in the pantry. I also liked the idea of changing the pendants to give the kitchen a better look. Will work on that one. Thank you so much for all the wonderful ideas and suggestions. You folks are the best! :) Will post an updated picture in the future once I have the kitchen ready

Lorie, I think you could keep the trim oak and paint the cabinets. There was recently a thread in the kitchen forum about this and a few Houzzers found some good example (one recently from a decorating magazine). I will look for the thread. I have read that having an element repeat itself makes it look purposeful. So if all your woodwork is stained around the house, that will look more like a design element than if you only had one or two rooms. Be consistent with your choice to make it cohesive and flow. The only time I would deviate is if you have shoe molding under your cabs, then I would paint this the same color.

I think it needs some sort of surround to frame in the tilework. Could you add built ins or floating shelves to either side of the fireplace? I agree, it definitely needs something more. Also, the scale/size of the TV looks overpowering compared to your firebox opening. I think once you layer in more elements, it will help add context to it all.