How about Chelone 'Hot Lips' ? It provides a nice shot of hot pink color in the 2-3 ft range, full sun, in FALL ! Looks very nice paired with the Aconitum (monkshood) mentioned above, as both are fall bloomers. I will also strongly recommend lilies. I have just added about 20 lilies of different types to my pastel beds this year, so i am eagerly awaiting that show for the first time ! Plus, you don't have to dig and lift each year, they are quite hardy and will multiply, and the forms, scents, colors and variety of heights means there is one or more that can fill any "holes" you have in the June/July garden.

As far as HVX spreading to other plants,that idea is pure bunk! I have an HVX plant growing right among some other plants and it has never spread to anything else near it. I am planning removing it soon,but as for now,it is still OK. And don't keep from buying a plant from some place other than online growers just because you're afraid. If I did that,I would have exactly two hostas now,because I don't buy on line. I bought 4 plants online back in 2005. Two of them didn't even make the first year,and the other two are still poor plants,and yes I can mention that it was Wade and Gatton. I'll go away now. Phil

Very nice room. I am curious why you can't use an area rug? I've installed hardwood in our entire home through the years, and have used area rugs immediately. Any wood floor with an area rug is going to wear differently under the carpet (it will look newer than the uncovered sections). It won't really matter that much when you start to include area rugs However, an area rug would go a long way to anchor your furniture, and give the space a warmer feel. Also, the area rug would provide another texture and more color. I had a similar dilemma when we first bought our first home. I had to decide whether I wanted a "LR", or did I want a family room? I chose a LR, and decorated it that way. I had to do away with the existing entertainment center. I did find a different piece that was more in keeping with the look of my LR. If you don't want to use your buffet, would it be possible to find a piece that would accent the other pieces of furniture in the room? Rather than adding a piece, I would just try to put the tv on the buffet piece and components therein. Looks to me that the TV would certainly fit on the top and components easily contained in one of the side storage areas behind the glass doors. You would have alot more wall space and the problem (I had the same issue) of all of the furniture lining the walls in the room, will be less apparent. While I totally understand you're wanting to use the piece in a future DR, for now, it would really streamline your room, by taking out that corner piece. You can put it into a storage situation and bring it out again if/when you move and have a family room. What color have you used on your walls? I know my monitor is off, but to my eye, the right side of the window, reminds me of our LR wall color (SW Blonde). I have used two differing types of window treatment with that color. One matched almost exactly, which I liked as I wanted the window treatment to almost disappear. The other is a new burgandy/gold which I am using only to frame my windows. So, either try to match the paint color, or make it a stark contrast. Either way, extend the rod if you can, if you can't, you can pick up a longer decorative rod and beef up the curtains. We don't have a privacy issue, and I am not sure if you do. So, if you don't, I would remove the blinds for a more open/airy look. I would also pick up some decorative pillows in jewel tones similar to the colors in your artwork. The current sofa pillows seem to disappear being monochromatic. I would love to see some more color on the sofa. JHMO and $.02. Great room, can't wait to see pics of changes if you make any!

You guys are the best!!! I considered tying the bare corners of the duvet but I thought it might defeat their squareness. Like anyone's gonna notice, right? I have a method for getting the ends in the corners, holding on for dear life, and then doing the Shake-a-Pudding dance to get everything in place. Meanwhile, my cat Zephyr is pouncing on everything. He is so helpful in bed matters. What's funny to me is that over the next week or so, everything eventually moves into place. I didn't flip the mattress, it got rotated. The hardest part is rocking it up onto the footboard. It would be a piece of cake without the footboard.