Goodness, Suddenly old threads are reborn! Thank you all so much. As many of us here know, these big projects take so much time and effort and resources that you can really sour on them by the end. So it really, truly, makes you day when someone likes what you've done. Thanks. Andi K, The link below is for the lights. I really love them. I wanted two lights because i wanted them over a rectangular entry table. But when you enter, the hall goes straight through to the back patio and the pond, and i didnt want the lights to obscure the pond view. These are so airy! (BTW I would imagine they can be found in less costly versions, although at the time I could not find the size I wanted anywhere else and I caved for these. I can't say they are great value, though they are great quality) Lake Girl - my kitchen is STILL not totally finished, and I am waiting for that before I post. Let's just say it now involves courts, sigh. Someday I will give in and post it anyway. Polly, thank you! I am very proud of them because from the time we started our 2+year whole house project I felt the choice of front door was important. In then end I overruled all sorts of fussy ideas from the professionals and chose these doors. I think they fit my vision for the style of the house, which I call "farmhouse, after a particularly good crop" and DH calls "Shaker, but without all the frills". Funny though, I guess we don't have too many farmer friends or equestrians. When confronted with our front door, they never seem to know how to unlatch it. They just slide the whole thing over ... Here is a link that might be useful: my entry hall lights

Les, You know I actually did that for my mom yesterday, showed her my very first "before" picture and then the one I just posted and I agree. I took a deep breath and told myself not to sweat the small stuff all at once cause it's SO much better now. I can relax now and find the perfect lamp, cushion, plates, etc. but in the meantime I'm very very pleased with the difference you all have helped me make in there. It's not a place I avoid looking at when I walk through now. I walk in and pause and smile. magothrivergirl...Thanks so much for the link! The ivory and ebony one are both pretty, better than any I've seen so far and I've got it bookmarked as I start my search. I appreciate the tip and I want to look some more but those are great. Thank you again. carriem25...Anybody here is qualified to add their opinion and I appreciate ALL comments. Sometimes when somebody doesn't like something it will at least make me take a second look at that element and make sure I'm not overlooking something. Sometimes I focus on one thing and never see something else obvious. And sometimes things don't translate well in pictures so I have to walk in there to actually see in person how it looks. I honestly think when I'm in the foyer the space is large enough that the bells don't look that busy. The entire expanse of wall going up the stairs is blank so it still has an open feel in the space. I think for now I'm going to leave the bells grouped together but I do appreciate you making me take a second look at that. Thanks for the compliment on the chest and lamp too :-)

Thank you all so much for your lovely responses; they really made me feel happy. Yayagal, I can't even tell you what your words mean to me. You understand and appreciate what I'm trying to do, and I'm so happy that you feel I'm doing it well. Comfort is very important to me, but equally so is beauty that is personal and distinctive. For you to see and appreciate that means that you yourself have a discerning eye and a taste for the not so usual. I'd love to see your interiors. . Jason has appropriated the love seat. Even though he's an indoors-only cat I wonder what he's doing to that light-colored upholstery.

Hi lazy-g, I miss the tree too! (But not the little crab apples.) We had about 18 years of beautiful blossoms, then a few years of diminishing blooms and finally a year of nothing (no leaves or blooms), so it had to go. At least the front room is nice and sunny now, and there's a small hydrangea tree now planted near there. The hydrangea will never be the same as the previous tree, but I'm hoping to sell in a couple of years so maybe the next family will plant another big blossoming tree.