Just to follow up went to the Tile Shop this weekend for their big laborday sale and fell in love with a display they had. It was basket weave marble tile on the floor, subway marble on the shower walls and a greek key trim in black going around it, gorg! Sadly we can't afford all real marble so we'll do faux tiles in the shower and since it's in a separate room anyway, we are the only ones who will see it. I have found one marble remnant slab for my vanity and just need another one for my husbands which is smaller so should be easier to find a remnant, right? I will attempt to post pics when this is all done around November. Thanks again for all of the good advice, jrueter, PPS7 and Pricklypearcactus!!

I am one of those that thinks everything should match. One of my pet peeves is to see colored drapes in a window, especially if you see two or three different colors on any one side of a house. However, once I had 2 inch ivory colored painted blinds in my lower level and ivory mini blinds in the top windows. This was a very long time ago before you could go out and buy inexpensive blinds at the hardware store. Honestly, no one could tell there was a difference, unless they were really trying. Have you thought of buying the lesser expensive faux blinds from Lowe's or Home Depot, for the upstairs windows?

Ah, so you do have another space for lounging/TV watching. If you're pretty much sure you'd rather have a TV here too-I'd be satisfied with a (say) credenza or something to host a smaller size TV, which you can surround with some shelving with books, or maybe art..you can bring in plants-a lot of them..lots of interest since some of them grow like crazy and are virtually indestructible..)) and they always look at home-any style, any room you take, you can't go wrong with introducing plants, Remember Clifford Simak's purple flowers? lol you can paint the walls..you can wallpaper them if you're brave..you can put a mural on-there are some amazing ones. there are many many ways to make this room interesting. also don't forget-you look at it now while it's empty. but when you'll actually live there-you'll have furniture, fabrics, books..now it's a blank slate but it won't stay this way. it will be you and your family plus this room. it will be interesting enough without the feature wall. which you still can decide to do-I continue to think these wood planks are way cool..but they might be too overwhelming..and I would think very carefully about how to incorporate them, and whether it's worth investing in. That's personal of course and you might find that yes, you really want it, TV or no TV. Then I'd introduce more of that wood around..maybe wooden frames on art? maybe woven shades in the window? maybe painting the mantle another color so it'll blend more with the walls? And I'd use this plank wall more heavily then if I decide to put it in..it's a big space, and it might be useful and very very cool to have more on it than just the TV. Whatever you decide-it's exciting. Lots of possibilities here. And yes you're right..you don't need to match the wood finishes. You do need to consider how they will look together..in rare instances mixing just doesn't work. Say red mahogany or similar very expensive woods..)) find it hard to incorporate lol. Passed on amazing nightstands several years ago..the most useful amazing high quality nightstands I ever saw(on Craigslist)) but they just didn't blend in, what can I say.. But I don't think that's your case.

Nice! I would use an oil-based stain because they have longer working times. (living in an extremely dry climate, I find water-based anything is hard to work with) I would go distinctly lighter or darker, but stay in the same color range - where a not-quite match looks like you didn't pull it off, a clearly different color says "this is a contrasting inlay". Mask off the edges of the shape. Wipe down the surface with mineral spirits. Apply the stain with a rag that's been , first wiping in circles, then finishing wiping with the grain as best you can. Apply a top coat - I'd use one of the clear wipe-on finishes.