I think ivory, pale pale yellow, and leafy green would look very nice. It's a pretty hefty dose of color, and you might like to add large pale things on the walls as well, plus a nice big full-length mirror with a frame next to your closet doors, to push the wall back a little. I also think that lighter wood tones would look good - the warm tones of French country furniture, or classic Danish modern, or English yew. It might also be nice to put a pretty open-patterned wallpaper on your closet doors?

Oh my, I had no idea y'all were still tweaking with my room....wonderful ideas, too! I've spent the last week steaming and stripping off the wallpaper beneath the chair rail. There was damage to the walls behind the paper that a contractor had done and just papered right over, and this was my opportunity to finally fix it. I've replastered all the gouged areas and sanded down all the sheetrock beneath the chair rail. Now that the surface beneath the chair rail is repaired, it's back to the original white color that we first painted the entire house. Already looking better than all yellow walls. As much as I love the blue walls, like those shown in the photos that oceanna posted, (thanks oceanna, you don't know how much I've pondered over all your gallery contributions), I've decided that the best way to bring in the blue I like is through bedding, accessories and pillows. I just haven't found a blue wall color that I'm comfortable with, and believe me, I've searched all over. I went on a search yesterday afternoon, and was instantly put off by the fact that our local BM paint store wasn't open on the weekends. I'd stopped in there once before, (during the week, apparently), and wasn't impressed with the attitude of the fellow working there. He just wasn't helpful at all and seemed totally uninterested in selling paint. Their being closed yesterday clinched it. Just around the corner was Sherwin Williams, open 'til 6 and with the most helpful staff. I walked out of there with my toile pillow and a handful of chips that matched the yellow and white shades I was looking for with a smile on my face. If you've read this far.....lol!....I will tell you that I've decided to do a SW creamy white beneath the chair rail, and a SW softer buttery yellow above. The bedskirt will be a Waverly blue/yellow/white plaid and I'll find another blue and yellow throw or quilt for the end of the bed. Going to Penny's for that search, thanks Piper! I'm changing out the pillows to add white Euro shams with yellow pillows and a blue bolster type pillow. Looking for small blue accent rugs for the floor. Plan to build fabric covered cornices or pelmets for the windows to take advantage of the 9' ceilings and raise the eye up above the windows - that way I can keep the curtains, which I love. I'm also adding white trim to the top of the curtain flounce. Whew! If you are still reading, thank you all! Your ideas and suggestions have been fantastic and the room will eventually transform into what I was wanting all along!! Heidi

I know this sounds odd, but I would remove the final pointy ends from the posts on the bed, as on your first inspiration photo. To me it looks very odd. I would definitely do simple curtain panels reaching to the floor and also a rug to give some softness to this room with so much wood. Perhaps very light blue walls with a green and cream bedspread and cream curtains.

Such a nice space! All that wood is going to boss around your decorating. You are smart to try to work with it instead of fight it with cool colors. I think orange is definitely out as an accent color. It is just going to enhance the orange tones of the wood. I would consider painting all the doors in the dining space, it will make the space look less chopped up. I saw on another thread that you are replacing the kitchen floor. Have you considered a slate look tile with faint brown accents? Your floor will have a nice clean look and the accents will work with the wood and will look good with your taupe cabinets. Daltile porcelain slate.