All of these responses are great, and I think what you need to take away from this is that there's no *one* process, everyone works differently. As someone who does this kind of professionally, I can tell you that not even trained designers work exactly the same way. Two things to remember....1) there are no hard and fast rules (or, there's an exception to every rule); 2) a good house is never done -- seriously. Also, as many of the others posters said, it's usually easier to start small rather than try to do it all at once. That being said, this is how I work....when I meet a new client, I ask TONS of questions. Like: -What do you like -- not only in terms if the room, but in life in general? I always look at the whole house, even if I'm just doing the bathroom, because you can't judge on the basis of one room. - How do you use the room now? How do you want to use the room? - What needs to stay in the room, and what would you like to disappear? - what colors do you like or hate. - What do other members of the family think about the room (esp DH)? _ Are there any special concerns (allergies, physical issues, etc) or special needs (like the bedroom also has to have the home office, for example)? -What time of day do you normally use the room? How many people are usually in it? (and there are a lot more, but you get the idea) Then I measure *everything*, make note of outlets & fixtures, and take pictures of *everything*. Then I start my floorplan and gather ideas for the large furniture pieces. Every job is different for me because every client is different. Some say right from the get-go "I like a cottage look", and others have no idea except that they don't want blue. For some I can start with an existing piece (carpet or artwork) and for others I start with traffic pattern and room use. Last thing I'll say is talk to everyone -- especially here! There are a wealth of talented, creative people on this forum, and I have yet to be disappointed when I've needed input from these folks. Hth, and good luck! Leigh

Hey, what is wrong with a Cheetos bag, especially from the perspective of a high schooler? LOL I think I would move the bed unit to the wall that the door is on. That way when you look into the room it isn't the first thing that you see, so that it overwhelms the space. Also, I think the wall it is on currently could be put to better use. Be sure you mount some kind of shelf up on the wall by the bed, so that he can put an alarm clock up there. You will want to mount a swing-arm lamp up on the wall so that he can read in bed and not have to get down to turn off lights. Have a comforter, not a bedspread, for ease of making the bed. This bedding from Penney's might be perfect: stan comforter I would get a drafting table or something along those lines, and put that in the corner where the windows all meet. That will give him great light for working on schoolwork and puzzles. Then the two seating pieces can be down that wall and into the opposite corner a bit near the closet door. Maybe a inexpensive small plastic or RTA table between the two seating pieces. I would do the orange as a stripe that runs around the room, as wide and at the same level as the space between the bottom of the bunk and the back support brace on the bed unit (about desk height. That should put it just above about 30 inches at the bottom, so just above chair rail height. Behind the desk in that area, instead of just an orange stripe, make it orange-painted corkboard or bulletin boards so that he has a place to hang stuff related to school and other reminders, a calendar, etc. I would look for other ways to bring in the orange, like painting the fam blades, a couple of throw pillows in a wild print that includes the blues and oranges, orange frames on artwork or photos. You could also consider adding orange stitching lines to your denim walls, done every so many inches to mimic the stitching on denim jeans. Oh, and I don't think a 14x14 room is small at all. Our younger son had a similar unit in his room when younger, and that space was 10.5x11 with 8 ft. ceilings. Didn't overwhelm that room at all. More room than two people have in the typical college dorm room, too. Looks like you have had fun and done a great job on the walls!

I have a feeling that the shelves with pictures and objects on them may be a passing trend, one that I personally have never found terribly attractive. I do think that more could be done to make the living area more attractive. I'm afraid the rug in the dining area is too small, and the little round rug in front of the couch looks not quite right. I would get a large rectangular rug that covers the whole of the furniture area and find a warmer color that harmonizes with the furniture rather than picking up the cold gray color of the fireplace which doesn't really harmonize with the color of the adjoining cabinets. I would choose different rugs for the living and dining areas. With larger rug areas the sound level in this huge area would probably also be dampened. The picture with the yellow sofa has a much more modern vibe which makes more sense with the shelf arrangements, and probably would look blah without the yellow couch as an interesting focal point. Your colors are all very safe and neutral if you will compare them to the photos of high spaces posted above. I think more lively colors, beginning with some bolder choices of rugs, pillows, etc. would keep the focus on where people are living rather than the high walls. You have a beautiful space (love the windows and views), and to have the furniture turn its back on the view seems a pity. A lot can be done to resolve some of these issues, and perhaps seeking some professional help would be a good direction to take.

Of course it does! Don't quit! Lets just focus on a main color...now what color do you want it to be? Most colors go with gray. So you just have your brick to deal with. So (for me only) that would mean no pink tones. Show a couple of expensive rugs that you love...we can probably help you find a good dupe, or at least one that "feels" similar...