That far wall is just painted an ugly copper like color, i prefer to drywall it up, there are no doors on that wall, it doesnt go to anywhere. The front door is that wood door where the boxes are in the picture. That is a swimming pool outside of those patio doors, that area is where the dining room will be though. Those sliding glass doors will be french door sliding doors soon. I would like to make the space a more formal living area, I do like the idea of a bar and then 4 chairs with a cocktail table in the middle, should I also maybe included a rug in the space? The problem that I'm having is how to actually layout the formal space, meaning where do I place everything in the room so that it looks clean, modern, and not out of place. The new front door will be white with glass, when that is installed the door that will open will be further away from the copper looking wall and the doors open outward not into the house, so maybe I should put some type of long modern buffet type piece against that copper looking wall?

Hard to tell without knowing what look you are goin g for. My MO when doing a tree is always clear lights.....the color comes from the ornaments....once I tossed all the multicolored lights my trees got lots more like I wanted. The themed trees, like the one with antique scrap and old tiny German glass ornaments is easy, I just spread stuff evenly being careful not to put similar stuff next to each other. And the kitchen tree with the straw and Navajo and Pueblo ornaments is a little harder....but I just hang stuff on the ends of the branches, smaller stuff near the top and larger near the bottom. BUT the big tree in the family room has other "rules". Again white lights...lots and lots of them....about 1000 on a 7 foot tree. Then I hang the large balls, the ones grapefruit sized and larger near the center of the tree so it glows from within. Then the other stuff larger on the bottom and smaller near the top.....and finally smaller stuff on the ends of the branches, with a "focal" ornament on every side....like a large Radko Santa. The pickle is well hidden and then I drape it with glass bead garlands.....and pour another glass of wine and sit and admire it.

Sharon, GW has a wonderful Christmas and Holiday forum. The people there are full of great ideas. Come on over and play! Here's the link. Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas and Holiday Forum

You can see a couple on this tree from 2008. LOL I did not put them out for the last few years because we downsized our tree to a skinny tree. Currently, we are also in a rental house while building. I plan to put up a big tree when we move into the new house. I just went to the basement to take a photo of my portion of Christmas balls. I don't know where my eggs are. One is huge and beautiful with The Virgin Mary and baby Jesus! I think my grandmother made it out of a Legg's stocking container. You may be too young to know what those is. LOL Cute story...I was showing my grandchildren a manger scene and my 4 year old granddaughter exclaimed that baby Jesus was asleep on the COUCH!!! And that reminds me of another story that involved my niece. She was about 6 or 7 at the time. We were in church and she was drawing on the church bulletin. I asked to see what she had drawn. It was a picture of a tall building that had the letters HI above it. I asked what it meant and she replied "it's the inn where Jesus was born." Holiday Inn. :)