I've been searching all day for inspiration/example photos. I don't think I'm ever going to find one of a room. But I can find examples of chairs I like, carpet I like, etc. I'm trying to think of search terms that might finally bring up images like what I'm wanting. I've tried "LL Bean inspired interior design" and "dapper interior design" before. Today I tried "menswear inspired interior design" because one of the ways I think about this "dapper" style goal is like how a stylish town-and-country gentleman might combine a shirt, a jacket/suit, a tie, a pocket square, and maybe additionally a vest or a sweater, a hat, a belt or suspenders, and socks and shoes. That dapper ensemble is kind of what I'm trying to create. In a palette like late fall.

The details below are not set in stone, just some ideas I picture when I think of my style goal:

Tan walls. But a deep, rich tan. Could veer into brown with a green-yellow undertone. Not a soft, ethereal, pale, feminine tan. Not a beachy tan. I want a strong tan that is more woodsy.

A wool carpet with some texture. Could be a solid color or could incorporate a subtle small-scale multi-tone pattern that doesn't really read as a pattern from afar but up close is reminiscent of tweed. Not an organic pattern.

A leather chair in a medium tone, not light or dark. A leather color that blends into a late fall palette, when the leaves are past peak. Would love if the chair also incorporates wood.

A wood dining table with clean lines.

Dining chairs - wood with upholstery that looks and feels like a tweed or wool suit.

When I say wood I'm thinking mid-tones in the world of teak-oak-walnut. Nothing light or dark.

A sofa with a contrasting welt, but not traditional in shape, like not roll arms.

A high quality plaid throw blanket.

The plants will fit with a northern setting, nothing that looks tropical.

The art should be an eclectic mix.

Could do wood built-ins. This could be a bookshelf or something more elaborate that includes bookshelf, side tables, built-in sofa, and built-in desk all along the large wall, like one continuous wall unit.

I think I like the feel of a home library, but not going full "dark academia." And the architecture of this room requires some element of modern, streamlined design, it can't go traditional.

This won't be a maximalist space. Minimalism and keeping everything neat and orderly is what comes naturally to me, so I actually need to push myself to add enough to make a space feel warm, cozy, and homey.

From a practical standpoint, it would probably be best to do the fireplace first, then paint, then install carpet, then furnish. I say that because I don't want to be working on the fireplace and wreck the paint and carpet. I don't want to be painting (including trim) with brand new carpet and a bunch of furniture. It'll be easier to install the carpet if there's no furniture yet. You get the idea. We want to do things in the order that makes everything easiest and least risk of damaging what's already been done. But we want to have a pretty clear picture of the finished look before we start the process. Having a cohesive end result is super important to me. I want to have everything pretty much figured out, see it all together in the form of a mood board or better yet a rendering (neither of which I've ever made before and don't know how), and then press play on this project.

I'll address the photos ffpalms posted because it's a good way to start clarifying my style. Don't take it as a critique, I'm only evaluating the photos in terms of the desired style for my home.

First picture of the Wayfair chair: I like corduroy in general but probably not for my living room, or at least not a thick, chunky corduroy for the living room. A tight thin corduroy is different, not as casual. I like the color, I don't love the design but it's certainly not offensive, it looks comfy, it looks like what it is, a piece from Wayfair.

Second photo, the Lone Fox room: too ornate for me. I love, love, LOVE a wood ceiling but done a little differently from this one. I wouldn't want the thick beams. I tend to like wood ceilings like the ones typically found in mid-century modern contexts. (My original idea for this townhome we bought was to put wood on the vaulted ceiling and maybe on the walls and trim but that's not the current plan.) Basically I think the Lone Fox decorating is great for that house but not what I'm looking for. The coffee table is more rustic than I want to go. I'm searching the picture for anything that would fit with what I'm going for... I think the chairs come close, I'd only rule them out because of that rope-like detail.

The third photo, Chris Loves Julia: the shelves are alright, I like that they're wood and generally sleek. The basic form of the coffee table works for me but I wouldn't jump to buy it. I like black in very small doses, I don't like large areas of black. So think a black thin frame on wall art, or black metal sconce, not a whole wall of black and probably not a whole piece of furniture all black.

One thing that would be very different about my bookshelves as opposed to the bookshelves in those photos - mine would be pretty much packed with books like a library. I might incorporate a couple of decor pieces but the purpose would really be to hold my books. I have a lot of hardcover fiction, non-fiction, and also a lot of coffee table books.

Thank you for every single contribution to this discussion so far. I appreciate it more than I can express.

@plaidpine - You don't need a designer. You have an extremely clear vision of what you want down to small details. You might need someone to help you make it look all good together.

My suggestion to do the furniture first is to select and plan the specific pieces, location, and the rug first, then see what to do about the fireplace. Actual work and bringing things into the room - yes, do the dirty work, construction first.

No, you may not find an exact picture of what you love, but start an idea book of specific pieces, specific rugs, specific slices of a room so you can get yourself towards a product. When you have as clear of a vision as you do, you are never going to find one image that checks all of the boxes. I rarely do.

I totally get men's suiting as inspiration and have used it many times myself. The LL Bean part I am not getting but I just don't relate to that company so don't really understand what that look is. Are you talking about a Hudson Bay wool blanket look? All I can think of is duck boots and bad 80s jeans (which you might love because it sounds like you love 80s!)

The exterior and interior of a house absolutely do not have to match. My in-laws had a woodsy lake house that was built in the 80s and was 80s contemporary rustic on the outside. My trick for not going crazy while visiting them was to occupy my mind with how I would decorate the space. It was not 80s at all.

I'm going to try to find pics to post. Tell us if any elements of these are at all on the right track.

Check out Brian Paquette's work [link] .Do any elements of any of these pictures work for you? They are probably not minimal enough for you, but are there parts of any of these pics that you like?

Here is a random smattering of pics. Ignore the 95% of each photo that you hate and focus on finding elements of ones that you like. There are some great pieces in maximalist spaces that you could pluck out and put in your minimal space. You might get sparked by a floor tile and consider it on your fireplace. Or maybe the vessels on top of a closet spark an idea for what you could do on top of a tall bookcase to distract from the ceiling angle.

This is not your style. Too maximalist for you. Too quaint. BUT, Gil Schaffer is a masterful architect and how he transformed his 1990s home in rustic Maine is a great lesson. Scroll through these pics, including many of an open space living and dining with formerly red brick fireplace, take cues to from his though process.

https://schaferbuccellato.com/featured-projects/house-by-the-sea-in-maine

Are you familiar with Room and Board furniture? I think some of their pieces would fill in your space well. Try to find slices of inspiration in their room gallery

https://www.roomandboard.com/ideas-advice/get-inspired/room-galleries

And from customer photos. See how they have set up spaces and used individual pieces of furniture.

https://www.roomandboard.com/ideas-advice/get-inspired/modern-style-gallery

Room and Board also offers free zoom design services. You get an hour with a designer, go in with a very specific goal - for example, ask them for furniture layout and suggestions for pieces of furniture. They will send you layouts and schemes. They are not going to nail it, but they might come up with some good ideas.

Thanks Kendrah, the Brian Paquette photos you posted were excellent picks for me. The level of restraint in his color palettes is the same level I'm going for, and on the minimalist-maximalist spectrum his rooms are just about right for me. There are individual furniture pieces that I quite like. In the first photo it's the wood chair with green cushions in back left corner. I like that the cushioning is also on the arm rests. He uses wood chairs with cushion sections on the arm rests in a couple other photos too. But that first one has a 'woodsy' aesthetic that I enjoy.

I will keep browsing Room&Board furniture because I agree it seems like they should have something for me. One thing I've been looking into from them is the custom wall units and bookcases.

We had to embrace a vintage 1978 townhouse when we started spending the winters in Colorado. My first thought for your place would involve walling off the narrow entrance to the right of the fireplace…( sorry, I love spending other people’s money.) that would give you a nice corner to put a comfy reading chair. You could see how that feels and works by using a piece of furniture to do it. If that does not make sense, then I would put a large ottoman on wheels in front of the fireplace. I like the sofa in the wall and the idea of two swivel chairs in front of the window. The pictures are of my giant ottoman and fireplace, plus a keeping it real picture! I had to give up some cabinet space for some toys!, so am now rehoming some of my books!

These are a couple seating arrangements I'm contemplating for the living room side. Obviously there would be a coffee table/ottoman, side tables, etc. I just wanted to represent the general idea of seating placement and how each arrangement looks from the foyer.

Idea #1 Sofa + One Swivel Chair:

Idea #2 Four Chair Conversation Circle:

Idea #3 is Sofa + two angled chairs, and that would look the same from foyer as the photo above.

With a dining table and chairs on the other side of the room, I do worry that the 4-chair setup would be too similar and too many chairs in one room.

In both foyer views above there is some degree of encroachment of furniture partially "blocking" the view out the back sliders. I could select low profile furniture in order to mitigate this. The question is what makes the best composition on that view into the room - seeing no furniture at all poking out on living room side, vs. seeing the one angled swivel chair framed by the slider behind, vs. seeing the two angled chairs that imply a conversation area.

Try using the phrase “mountain modern” when you search. It’s a thing.

And the pictures keep reposting!

fissfiss - I love your wood ceiling. Thank you for that suggestion about the small opening next to fireplace. That's something I've considered and I will now give it more thought since you brought it up. I have been using that opening as a path of travel through the house, but it's not absolutely necessary. I wouldn't even need to put a solid wall all the way up to the ceiling. There are other interesting ways I could create a "wall" there that would still allow natural light from the windows to reach that dark hall area. I'd only do it if it was really solving an important problem or unlocking some ideal arrangement. Otherwise I do like the travel pathway that opening provides and the natural light it allows into a dark part of the home.

Maybe the search term that might work would be "gentlemen's club". Wood, leather, darker colours, maybe some tweed accents, tufted large ottomans - sounds a bit like what you're describing and might work.

Another that might work in moderation would be some Mission or Craftsman style pieces.

Craftsman living room ideas (link)

Note the pictures showing fireplaces and built ins for inspiration for yours.

Pinterest is a good place to look for ideas and photos as well as right here on Houzz.

Once again though, you can search photos and cherry pick the elements that you like.

MV - I'm trying "gentleman's study." I need to think of some kind of "clubhouse" to search like an old money tennis club or polo or golf or equestrian ...? That won't be the whole picture, but it's a piece of it. I think you are right that some understated Stickley type furniture could work. (Mission style.) And I believe Stickley was founded not too far from where we live.

Four chairs in a circle will always look to me like an intervention is about to happen. No thank you!

Do you still want a Fjord chair and only one? Which chair or chairs do you want to have foot rests?

Are you sure a sofa, coffee table, then air isn’t going to project farther into the pathway? Have you measured and taped things out in the room?

I always do google image searches because they will include houzz and pinterest pics.

"Four chairs in a circle will always look to me like an intervention is about to happen. No thank you!" Kendrah that cracked me up!! (No pun intended!) You make a good point, because I just tried the 4-chair circle (using office chairs and folding chairs in the room) and there is indeed this feeling of forced conversation. It's more relaxed with just the one chair + sofa.

I'm not set on a Fjord style chair, I just used it as an example of a chair that is leather + wood and lets me elevate my feet. I think a swivel recliner could work, then I wouldn't need the separate foot rest. I'll be able to sit on the sofa (if there is one) with my back against an arm rest and put my legs up on sofa seats, and I'd also like one other chair in the room that allows me to elevate my feet. Or if an ottoman is placed precisely, it could serve both the sofa and a chair for being able to put feet up (although I never find that as comfortable.)

I have measured and taped, and the way I have it is a 7 ft sofa with 40 inch depth. I don't need that deep by any means but I used that depth as a maximum. I would need to keep the swivel chair on the small side. I have some flexibility in terms of coffee table width. So I should be able to space it all in a way that doesn't come out too far into the central pathway of the room. Definitely need to be very mindful of dimensions when furniture shopping for this space.

Took screenshots of various things today with you in mind. Don’t know that any of them are really what you are looking for but they each had an element of books or cozy or plaid.

Do you ever shop or daysream on 1st Dibs?

So kind of you Kendrah! I love that first chair, the plaid one. And I actually really like the other chair too, the only thing I'm iffy about on it is the horse blinder Mickey Mouse ear things, yet without those it would lose such an important element of the design and character. Actually now that I think about it, maybe those blinders would be perfect for blocking the sun from my sensitive eyes....

No I have never shopped those places you mentioned. I'm not knowledgeable when it comes to sourcing, which is very frustrating.

My current list of questions about the room design:

- Does a coffee table need to be centered on the fireplace or can it be a little off-center? If the dining table on the other side of the room is rectangular, should the coffee table not be a rectangle shape?

- If I do a sofa on large wall, coffee table, and one chair, and that chair has a footrest, is that a problem having a footrest near a coffee table? Should I rule out chairs with footrests and only look for swivel recliner?

- I want to get a carpet with texture. What impact does that have on furniture fabrics? Would smooth fabric work best? Or if there is texture on furniture fabric make sure it's significantly different from the carpet texture? Just wondering if there are general guidelines about mixing textures the way there are for mixing patterns.

- Should I nix the idea of a bookshelf on the large wall? Would it just pull focus away from the view? Or does that wall actually need something like a bookshelf? What would look better - a wood bookshelf packed with books, or a large, quiet art piece? In addition to my own photo of the wall, I'm including a professional photo that shows the wall and the view, (it's very difficult to capture both together in one shot on a phone camera) and I used magic eraser to remove previous owner's furniture.

I'm probably going to make a separate discussion topic specifically about the fireplace. Trying to figure out if there is a no-demo way to fix what I don't like about the bricks - the whitewash and the carvings.

If you're reading this and have any thoughts / opinions about any of my questions above, please don't be shy, let me know what you think. Thanks.

I love books, but I think in this room I would forego a giant bookcase. It would distract from the view. I think the bedroom next door could be an amazing library if it is not your master.

Thank you fissfiss. I really appreciate your input. We are not using the main floor "primary suite" as our bedroom. You are right that it could make an excellent library... We were planning to use it as a den and guest room. I think I know the answer to this, but I wonder if there is any way to have a bed in there and still have it mostly feel like a den-library... Probably not.

Editing to add to this post because now the gears are really turning in my brain thinking about that adjacent room being a library... I think a pull-out couch / sleeper sofa could be the solution for keeping the feel of a library-den but still allowing for a guest to sleep over!

I'm thinking of a plank diangely placed on that wall I think it will look nice

Should you change your mind about having your books in the living room, I think a bookcase with glass doors could be a wonderful way to reflect your view. I also like your idea of a custom piece that includes your desk. It could be just the thing to bring the room to life. I wasn’t able to find a single photo example of this concept, but a creative mind is a beautiful thing.

Here’s a mood board with items that caught my eye for your space. I couldn’t resist including the gorgeous chair that Kendrah posted.

- Coffee table can be off center from the fireplace.

- You can have rectangular table and coffee table. I'd like to see one or the other circular not because there is a problem with repetition but I think this room could use some circular influence.

- If you have a foot rest by the chair that is in front of the coffee table then a. that person will not be able to reach the coffee table, b. you could have a side table to go with the footrested chair but it will not feel like it is part of the group with the sofa, and c. you arrangement is going to stick out farther into the clear pathway that you want to the sliders. That is why I've asked whether you have taped out all of this furniture in the space to see that it will fit.

- If you have a swivel recliner, do you mean that when you recline it you will first swivel it 90-degrees so the foot rest that pops up will not hit the coffee table?

- Bookshelf on the large wall is fine. It won't pull focus from the view.

- I'm sure there is away to tile over the bricks or simply use a compound to smooth over them and then paint it.

- How often do you have guests? How long do they stay for? What are the measurements of the proposed library/guest room? Yes, you could certainly make that space a library. When would you see yourself sitting in there and reading vs reading in the living room?

Thank you to every person who has responded!
A comment from ffpalms hit on something I've had on my mind since we bought this place. Regarding the idea of a custom piece for the large wall, ffpalms said "It could be just the thing to bring the room to life." My original idea for giving some life to the room had been to put wood on the ceiling, and in my opinion that would necessitate also adding wood somewhere else, like wood trim, wood floors, or wood walls (not every wall in the house, but definitely on the 3 main walls of the great room.) In this "version" of the design plan, I also considered completely redoing the fireplace, floor to ceiling, so that it would no longer be primarily drywall. There were several reasons I abandoned this wood ceiling etc idea, and we instead decided to go in the direction of fewer changes, less money, and just working with the home largely as-is. But there's this term I've come across - "drywall box" - that persists in the back of my mind. It's an apt description of the rooms in this house. I'm not sure if just paint color and decorating can truly elevate the space beyond that "drywall box" status. At least it has a vaulted ceiling and a wall of windows though, that counts for something.

Answering Kendrah's questions:
"How often do you have guests? How long do they stay for? What are the measurements of the proposed library/guest room? Yes, you could certainly make that space a library. When would you see yourself sitting in there and reading vs reading in the living room?"
The main person I want a guest room for is my sister. She and my mom live nearby. That's partly why we moved here, to be close to them. It's not as if she needs to stay overnight here for a week like if she was traveling to visit from out of town, but I know we will have our "sleepovers" like old times when we used to live close, so I anticipate maybe about 4 times a year she'll stay over for a night or two. I can think of a few other possible overnight guests but it would be very infrequent.

The measurements of that other room are 17'7"x12'8" and compared to the living/dining room it is like a cocoon in there, in a good way in my opinion. I like having the option depending on what atmosphere I'm in the mood for, and there are many times I want the feel of a dark little den. We want to have the TV in that other room.

"If you have a swivel recliner, do you mean that when you recline it you will first swivel it 90-degrees so the foot rest that pops up will not hit the coffee table?"
I would place the swivel recliner so that even in the fully reclined position my feet would not hit the coffee table. I guess this is one time when it's a good thing I have short legs. I'm posting a layout image showing a chair with footrest, and another layout showing the swivel recliner. My thought is, with a footrest chair, the footrest is "permanently" blocking a path to the sofa, whereas with a swivel recliner, that path is kept clear at all times except when I am in the chair reclined. And even if I was in the chair and someone needed to get through that path, it's easier to move my feet out of the way in a swivel recliner vs. moving a footrest. It's actually easier for me to find footrest chairs that I like, but if a swivel recliner is the better solution I'll just have to hunt until I find The One.
All of this only applies to that one particular seating arrangement though, the sofa plus one chair, which I am not in love with or anything, I just keep coming back to it because it seems to have the least problems out of the options I've thought about so far.

I think you need to settle on a plan first. Seeing that last image - I want to move the sofa down so it’s centered on the dining table. Then there might be room for a swivel lounge chair at the top of the lounge grouping. I may have missed it - assuming no TV here? Get your plan settled first and then that creates a ‘shopping list’ of items - and those items get more detailed in their criteria based on the plan (exact sizing, swivel or not, etc).

My favorite design for a large room.

And if you are set on carpet you definitely need to start with that. Find the one you love and get a sample that you can keep and use it to test all of your upholstery options and paint. Do not select paint until you have settled on the carpet. Very important.

I hope you explore more fully your idea of putting wood on the ceiling. I think it would be an excellent way to add warmth and drama to the vaulting ceiling.

We had our paint color consultation yesterday. I am in complete agreement with thinkdesignlive's post above - we will not finalize our paint color selection until we have chosen the carpet. This consultation was very affordable, and the designer based his recommendations on only two fixed elements - the tile floor and the wood stair railing. I felt that getting a general paint direction based on those elements could help me narrow down what undertone I'm looking for in the carpet. I really wanted an expert opinion regarding the undertone of the tile because the carpet will meet up with it and I want a smooth transition. All this to say, I figured for such an affordable price there was no harm in getting a preliminary opinion on paint color, and I can always do another consult after the carpet selection is finalized.

The recommended colors were divided into two categories - light and darker. I had explained we're looking for a deeper tan to brown color, but I could tell the designer prefers light. His ranked choices for light colors were: 1) SW Wool Skein, 2) SW Naturel, 3) SW Natural Tan, 4) SW Urban Putty, and his ranked choices for darker colors were: 1) SW Universal Khaki and 2) SW Khaki Shade. I was surprised he chose green undertone colors because I don't see any green at all in the tile. However I know that green undertone neutrals are very forgiving and versatile. I also know that I love the way green looks with wood. Green happens to be both my and my husband's favorite color, so we are pleased about the idea of green undertone walls, I just hope whatever we choose does not go gray with our gloomy weather here. I see a lot of gray in the recommended paint colors.

Another surprising part of the consultation - the trim recommendations. The designer recommended that no matter what color we pick for walls, we use that same color for all trim and doors. It's not at all a surprising recommendation for the lighter colors (which he really believed we should pick), but of course we are not so interested in the lighter colors. His darker recommendations - Universal Khaki and Khaki Shade - are LRV 40 and 44. It's a lot of trim to paint so dark. I'm totally open to it because I dislike the trim in this house so I'm certainly not trying to draw attention to it with a contrasting color, but I at least wanted an option for a trim color that we could carry through the whole house. I also think a contrasting trim could fit better with our "dapper" design style. So I asked for a contrasting trim color and this really surprised me: his ranked picks were 1) SW Neutral Ground, 2) SW White Duck, and 3) SW Shoji White. It was the Neutral Ground that kind of blew my mind. I just never expected a paint color consultant in 2025 to actually give me a trim color with LRV 70 to go with walls that are LRV low 40s.

I had mentioned to him that I don't want stark white trim and also that I'm not thrilled about the big, white, textured ceiling. I even specified that I thought a trim in LRV 70s would probably work better with the beige tile than a truer white in the 80s LRV. But I didn't think he or any other designer would actually go for that. I thought it was yet another of my "dated" style inclinations. Basically I'm wondering if those trim rec's were truly his best suggestions based on our tile, or if he was grasping for something to accommodate what he perceived to be my criteria.

I think he went lighter to minimize the contrast between the large white ceiling and the walls…and in that case, I can see blending the trim in with the wall color. My walls in CO are SW Cream, and our trim is a light griege that matches all the built in cabinetry. I like it….it does not distract from the view.

Does anyone know of a good way to preview what the room would look like in the various paint colors? The Sherwin Williams visualizer is awful. I wouldn't base my exact paint color decision on visualizer images, but I think it could help me make a decision regarding LRV and whether I prefer lighter vs darker walls with the white ceiling.

For quite a while after we moved in, I was totally assuming we'd go with a very light neutral for walls, and that this would be the best way to downplay the white textured ceiling as well as the trim. But then one day as I was really looking at where the walls meet the ceiling, I noticed there was something I actually preferred about how the darker accent walls in this house look against the ceiling vs the pale walls. The stronger contrast looks very intentional and confident. I think there's something about it that fits with the design style I'm trying to create. But in general I think the intuitive choice for the main space of this home is a light neutral as long as that ceiling stays white.

Like I mentioned before, my real dream home would have wood ceilings and walls. I have been hoping that a brown-ish wall color could maybe give me a bit of that same feeling. But I know I like light walls too. I've noticed that when I look at room images, in addition to wood-covered rooms, another category I consistently like is rooms with off-white walls. The last house we owned was all a warm off-white in the main areas. The exterior was also white... I think I do really enjoy when an exterior very closely relates and flows with the interior. And our home now is brown on the exterior including the deck, so this is another reason I'd probably enjoy a brown interior wall color.

I am very curious to know how light vs darker walls will affect the view. I've seen advice to never go dark when there's a view, and I've also seen advice that a darker wall color actually makes the view pop like a lightbox.

Plaidpine you are too much ‘in your head’ about this process and need to get down with actual samples. Get the carpet samples and the paint samples together in the space. Post photos of them with the tile. Seeing is believing. We have to work way too hard to try to piece this together for you. Sorry to sound irritated- I’m not - just constructive advice to move this along. So if you want more please post those photos. We have no idea what carpet you are looking at and seeing it with the paints is important. So, in a well lit area have the carpet up next to the tile and have the paints lined up against the wall against a white sheet of paper background.

I concur. You are getting much too heady and didactic about this all. If you have the goal of completing this room this year, then you need to start getting samples and seeing them in the space.

My question about the paint is where does the wall color begin and end as the one living room wall carries into the hallway.

You are really transfixed on the view out the window, and I can see why. As such, yes, paint all of the trim the same color as the walls. You don't have a ton of it, and yes the contrast is distracting. I'd 100% paint the ceiling the same color as the walls, otherwise it reads as an accent wall. Just objectively look at the photos you posted here. The white is like a lid on the room.

You have a really clear vision of the room that is not aligning with any of the advise any professionals are giving you so go your own way and do .your own thing. Nothing wrong with that.

Narrow down your carpet samples and giddy up!

I have all of the paint cards. I tried taking photos of them with the tile and neither the tile nor the paint colors look anywhere close to how they really look in person. I'll keep trying to get an accurate photo but all I have is a terrible phone camera. It's frustrating.

I've ordered carpet samples. One has arrived so far. I don't think it'll end up being our pick. This was the boldest of the options we're considering:

"My question about the paint is where does the wall color begin and end as the one living room wall carries into the hallway."

I want one paint color for the living/dining, foyer, upstairs hall which is visible from foyer, and downstairs hall over by laundry and basement stairs.

The comment about the ceiling being like a white lid on the room makes me shudder. I can't have that. I also think it might look crazy to paint a large, vaulted, textured ceiling anything other than white or white-ish. My husband loves the texture on this ceiling. It's like this:

(Note - this is not my ceiling, it's a picture I found on the internet that closely resembles how our ceiling's texture looks)

Only the vaulted ceiling is textured in this house. All other rooms have flat no-texture ceilings.

If the white ceiling is going to look like a white lid on the room with darker walls, does that mean a wood ceiling would look like a lid on the room with lighter walls? Or is this a case of light advances and dark recedes? So only the advancing white ceiling produces a lid effect?

These photos show the recommended darker wall colors with white ceilings.

SW Khaki Shade:

SW Universal Khaki:

I have been following along on your journey to making this a space you love and I have to post a photo of a room that has the darker walls and such a warm beautiful feeling.

I love the contrasts with the walls and the sofa being a similar tone and then the darker drapes and accent chairs/ tables and then bringing in the wood tones and greenery to soften everything. Your space is such a nice open box and you just have to not put too many constraints on things and I think you will make a very special space that both you and your partner will love.

I agree with you about the first carpet sample. It’s very busy! I like all of the pictures you showed with the darker wall colors and lighter ceilings. Is your fireplace wood or gas burning? Code will dictate some of what you can do.
I would ditch the trim and reface it with a stone slab. Not all the way to the ceiling! But taller than you have now.

Fireplace is wood-burning and we're leaning toward keeping it that way, but we could convert it to gas.

Just ordered all of the recommended paint colors from Samplize. First time ordering from them. I added Relaxed Khaki because it's similar to the colors the designer recommended. I'm hoping that the larger samples will help us narrow down which ones we want to actually buy tester pots of. Maybe the larger samples will also give me a better chance of getting some semi-accurate photos...

I'm hoping to have paint and carpet selected by mid April. Sherwin Williams usually has a big 40% off sale in the later half of April. I'd like to schedule the carpet installation for 2-3 weeks after painting is completed. The carpet installers have told me to let the paint cure for at least that long before they rip out the old and install the new. They said we still may have to touch up the trim after they're done.

I have had good luck with the big samples. The size really helps.

Samplize swatches are fantastic. I never adhere them directly to the wall. I use a little masking tape on the corners instead. They don't re-stick that well and I like to move the same sample around to different parts of the room at different times of day.

I don't dislike your carpet sample. It checks the box of looking masculine.

Your husband cracks me up that he things the ceiling is cool!

I do think the white ceiling has a lid effect in the pics you posted and that it does look the worst on slanted ceilings and where there is a high contrast. Are you not wanting to paint the ceiling so you can use what is up there now? Or, because you don't want color on the ceiling?

I also have to laugh seeing your dark colors! I was expecting dark greens, not darker neutrals. I do think some of the colors you are looking at are very pretty.

Your vision for the great room sounds fantastic, and I love the "Dapper" style you're aiming for—masculine, neat, and rustic with a preppy twist. A warm tan or brown will set the tone for your "Dapper" style. Consider shades like Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan (HC-81) ne that complements the tile and paint. A charcoal gray would work well . The fireplace should be simple and understated to let the view shine Paint the brick in a matte, neutral color like Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore Keep the window treatments simple to highlight the view: Choose neutral, textured fabrics like linen or wool in a warm gray or tan. They’ll provide privacy without blocking too much light.

• Dining Room: A rectangular chandelier with clean lines and rustic elements (like wood or wrought iron) would work well. Look for something like the Hudson Valley Lighting Craftsman Collection.
• Foyer: A semi-flush mount fixture with a mix of metal and glass would complement the "Dapper" style. Consider something like the Visual Comfort Industrial Semi-Flush Mount.

Place a large, streamlined sofa along the big wall. Look for something in a neutral fabric (like charcoal gray or tan) with clean lines and minimal ornamentation. Instead of two chairs facing the sofa, try one leather armchair (like the Fjord chair) angled toward the fireplace and a smaller accent chair (like a wood-framed slipper chair) near the windows. If you love being close to the windows, consider adding a built-in window seat with storage underneath. Use a cushioned bench and throw pillows to make it cozy. Add a plaid throw blanket and textured pillows in warm tones (like rust, olive green, or navy) to bring in color and pattern. By keeping the fireplace simple, choosing neutral tones for the carpet and paint, and focusing on functional, well-crafted furniture, you’ll create a space that feels both cozy and refined.

I'm bummed about this, but there's just no way I'm going to be able to show what the paint colors really look like in my home. My phone camera is the worst. Here are some of the Samplize samples with one of our tiles. I'll also post a Sherwin Willams google image of each corresponding color:

Universal Khaki

Relaxed Khaki

Urban Putty

I spent a couple hours at a carpet store yesterday. I pulled every single wool loop carpet board that interested me. I think it ended up being about 10-12. I went one by one, laying the board of samples on the ground and comparing my recommended paint colors to the carpet colorways. I also had my tile with me to compare, as well as the Maria Killam neutral undertone wheel and several paint cards from each undertone to compare to each carpet colorway. Only one of the boards I had pulled offered a colorway in an undertone that could work for me. Then I looked at it more and realized it would shed way too much. So I walked away empty handed as far as bringing any samples home to test. I still have carpet samples from Masland on the way. The carpet store I went to does carry Masland, but it just so happened the two I was most interested in weren't there. They let customers bring the boards home for a few days so it's possible that's why they were missing.

I had been feeling pretty motivated and excited about my design but now I'm feeling worried and discouraged. The trim is a problem. The ceiling is a problem. Getting paint color right is always a problem. I'm having a hard time finding a carpet. My husband wants a new foyer light fixture NOW. My criteria for the foyer light (other than liking how it looks) is that I want a generally vertical shape/orientation, I don't want to see the bulbs, and I want light directed evenly.

After looking at the Samplize samples throughout the day today, I think the Urban Putty color blends the best with the tile. I can't base the decision on that alone, but it's something to take into consideration. These are supposedly rooms with SW Urban Putty paint:

I have had discouraging days like that too where you show up with all of the right materials to help you make decisions and then walk away with nothing! Glad you samples arrived and you have found one that works well with the tile. It is a pretty color.

I saw this today and thought of you. Obviously not because of the style, but I thought the set up was a great example of a cozy library den with a sofa bed that could be used as a pullout guest room bed.

Here are a few more variations on the theme. Love that they all have sconces. I could imagine all of the side walls with built-ins too.

Kendrah, when I was thinking about creating a continuous built-in piece for the living room side, the idea I had was along the lines of those photos you posted. The built-in sofa would be nestled in like that, with art above, and there would be built-in side tables and maybe a desk on the end, with the bookshelves similar to your photos. And I envisioned sconces too. :)

Now what I'm leaning toward doing is keeping the living/dining space a little more minimal, still the design style I initially described, but a little more spare, and then have the adjacent room be the library/den with sofa-bed. I took photos of that room and may start a new discussion topic about it. I think it'll be more fun to design than this p.i.t.a. "great room".... And like I said, it's like a cocoon in there so should be easy to create that cozy library feel.

I could do a lighter paint color for the main space like Urban Putty or Naturel which are LRV 54 so kind of a light-medium depth, and do the library room in a darker color (not super dark, just darker than the main space color.)

Just had my husband look again at the paint samples on various walls, by the tile, etc. and he independently came to the same top 3 as I did: Urban Putty, Relaxed Khaki, and Khaki Shade. So those are the 3 test pots we'll buy to try out on the walls.

The light trim colors the paint consultant recommended are just not looking right at all. I don't think we can do the trim a contrasting color. We'll paint it same as whatever we pick for walls in a different sheen. That's what the paint designer really thought was best in the first place. Thinking matte for walls, probably satin for trim not semi-gloss? I actually like semi-gloss trim but maybe it would just draw attention to trim I don't care for.

We had very meh trim in our second home thirty five years ago, it did look way better once we painted the walls a neutral actual color, and the trim was then a nice white. In your space, I think same color would be good, and try the semi gloss if that is what you like! Easier to dust.