Palimpset, I love the bedroom. I remember my Mom having covers like those on the beds in her and my Dads room. Such a pretty room, and I do love the furniture! Before I take the plunge and do anything with the cabinets, trust me, I'm going to weigh the options. BUT you have to admit, that piece is gorgeous and I can see those cabinets just looking mahvelous with that finish. What to put with them is a whole other ball of wax! Steff, if you happen to come by any of those pics of the old bathroom, please post. Let me know if you have any ideas using that type of finish on that piece of furniture with those cabinets. Sweeby, I guess the only way to find out the true nature of the wood is to get a carpenter in that knows his wood. I guess it's hard to tell from pictures. Me, I couldn't tell you either way, not my forte so to speak. One thing for sure, I'll be bringing home one of the doors so I don't have to rely on pictures as I'm trying to plan my next move in that kitchen. sabjimata, thanks for the help. Not sure if I can play up the color, I'm getting more subdued in my older age. Years ago, color was definitely on my mind, but my tastes have changed along with my age. What I would have chosen years ago is not something I find myself going for now. It's hard enough for me to paint my walls anything other than white tones, anything other than that is a major step for me, whatever other color it may be. Maybe I'll do something more fun in one of the bathrooms? Plllog, glad you think the same about it as I do. I instantly fell in love. Now, as I mentioned above, I will need to think of what may be able to go with that, and then, who can get that look on those cabinets for me! What's the ne plus ultra, did I miss something there? Can you post a link to these knobs, though I think I may have an idea what you are talking about. So, any ideas of what to put with the cabinets should I go this route as shown in the link below, same as the one in the post above. THANKS ALL!!! Here is a link that might be useful:

Thanks folks... greenthumbfish, I think you hit the nail on the head with this, "In every inspiration image, there is a comfy cozy quality..." That's exactly what she's articulated that she wants. Something more cozy and casual, AND that doesn't rely on bare dresser tops and open space to work. Her room now (and I will add that SHE picked out all the details. I was pretty skeptical of the wall art and bedspread when she chose them, though they worked in the end) anyway, her room now is never as neat as in that photo, and the piles and collections just look plain old messy in that room. I'm hoping (!) that in a more casual, cozy room, it won't be as bad. anele, our living room and dining room furniture is high-end designer teak from Denmark in the 40's/50's (Hans Wegner, etc) and I love that look, personally. The really good stuff has curves and a handmade quality that actually IS rather friendly and cozy... and "natural" in a way that Ikea (or even the later 70's teak) isn't. But- I understand my daughter's feelings. I grew up in a house with a fair amount of "modern" (my dad is an architect who went to college in the mid 60's) and at 13 I, too, wanted a more feminine and cozy room. I have a feeling it is partly to do with, at this age, starting to define yourself as a woman, and wanting things more feminine, and also wanting to define yourself as different from your parents. I stayed interested in vintage-y antique-y furniture till I was in my mid-late 20's and then found myself drawn back to the style I'd grown up with. Funny...

I like your pragmatism Patricia43, and think you hit it right on the head. Like Lynne said too, there are criteria for choosing a home that are more important than the style of the house you love, and usually the house purchased is a compromise. Still, a person who loves Victorian probably wouldn't choose an ultra-modern flat top house filled with stainless steel and clean lines unless it was the only house for sale in the area they had chosen. I don't think a lot of people would even notice that a style of house is Queen Anne and the furniture is French Country. It would take a big contrast for most people. With so many newer houses being a combination of many styles, anything works. That said, I have a neighbor with a house built in the 1980's, hip roof, center front door flanked by two leaded glass bay windows. The house was bought for the size, acreage, and location. She is from El Paso, and remodeled the house to reflect that style. She raised the ceiling without raising the roof to have an open loft, added a wrought iron staircase with Mexican tile on the treds, put Mexican tile throughout the house, had the walls retextured to look like heavy adobe, and painted the walls in shades of ochre. Her furniture is traditional for the most part, leaning toward southwest, but she does have a grand piano in front of one of the bay windows. I found it a bit shocking the first time I saw it finished, simply because style of the inside is so different from the outside, and yet her decor would go with either. I have another friend who also lives in a modern house, raised panel inside, but she is from Florida, and painted every room a bright color, from lime green in the bathroom, yellow and blue in the kitchen, to orange in the living room. She tiled the living room and kitchen using bright colors. Her furniture and accessories are traditional with some antiques. It is a surprise when first seen by newcomers, but it makes it more like home to her and makes her happy. The only reservation I have with both of these houses is that a lot of the changes they have made are permanent, or at least will cost a lot to change, and will affect resale. But neither plan to move any time soon and aren't concerned about resale, and they are happy with their homes. The bottom line is, do what makes you happy since you are the one who has to live with it.

Roarah, it's nice to see a different spin on the idea. I love the floor and the hood, and especially the light. I'm sure people in Provence update their kitchen too, and some of them must go modern. Sochi, that wallpaper is gorgeous, and the colors tie together nicely. The 1st kitchen April posted is what would be in my ideal vacation rental in Provence. April, I wasn't sure what you were referring to when you said, "so..where is the house? is it a specific house? or an imaginary one? does it exist and if yes where can I see it?" Did you mean the original post? The Design Around This threads are mostly purely theoretical: Design a colonial kitchen, a Craftsman kitchen, a French Country kitchen. Do a kitchen in pink. Use a bold colored tile. Use a piece of artwork as inspiration. Although, one time we did have people pick a specific real estate listing and design a kitchen for that specific house (everyone chose their own listing).