Susan Mills Design Hi could you also post a picture of the wall with fireplace centered, that would help with the display advice needed, thanks!

bdbroos fireplace :)

bdbroos This is the rest of the room to the left of the fireplace. The first opening is the bedroom, second is a bathroom, and third is a "bonus" room with two doors. if you go farther left you get back to the kitchen. fireplace is directly opposite kitchen.

lefty47 HI -- First thing I'm not likeing is the square box landing to the left of the fireplace - it's too big and a waste of space . If that can be reduced and the floor patched it would be better and worth it. You DON"T need built-ins . I like that you said you have some asian decor - so I would get two tall narrow asian style wedding cabinets for each side of your fireplace .Or have something made in that style with glass in the doors to show off some decor items . Light the inside -have glass shelves and some gold leaf or gold wallpaper. Find some better wall sconces - I find the little black ones distracting . I would paint the fireplace wall with a cinnibar or chinese red ( the red in your dragon piece) and the other walls in a camel tan or a lavender tinted grey. Remove the little eating bar from the end of the kitchen island and replace with a bookcase for cook books if you need or I would just replace that gable panel and leave it plain. Well just a few ideas to start you off -- I could still go on - but maybe next time .

Dytecture HI bdbroos, red and gold has always been paired especially with an asian theme. For dispaly area, it might be interesting if you remove the wall seaparting the den and the main living room and put see through plexiglass shelves so it's open but keep the dust out. Have fun.

lefty47 HI - Forgot to ask you what kind of furniture are you going to be using ? And can you post a photo of your gold dragon -- I would love to see it -- Thanks

My Design Guide.com See your entire room in 3D with your beautiful chinese furnishings...don't struggle - with this and that - we have a plan for you...http://shop.mydesignguide.com/Standard-Service-STANDARD.htm less than the price of one chair

Jamieson I'm suggesting you think outside the box when it comes to displaying your collectibles. Why not invest in a custom made wood and glass coffee table and place your collectibles inside that? Think of how a museum displays collections in cases. Think about shadow boxes and mounting them on the wall by your fireplace. Maybe put your large silk piece in a shadow box over your fireplace. Just a couple of suggestions. Good luck!

Jamieson Whoops, please disregard that first link...that was for somebody else. This is the one I meant to send you!

Susan Mills Design Some good advice here, and I think painting the fireplace is a good idea not just visually but would help cut the dust down as porous materials are harder to keep dustfree. I also suggest tall cabinets flanking the fireplace but would suggest these turquoise and glass ones. I would like to see the size of your chinese dragon piece to suggest where it should go.

Could it be mounted on the fireplace?

If so, I would paint out the fireplace with gloss white, paint the walls around fireplace the same red as the silk.I would then continue the red paint along the window wall leading into kitchen. You have high walls but really the walls are very broken up with doors and windows, so this will not be too overwhelming. Place the two turquoise cabinets one on each side of the fireplace. I would then take away the attached table and place this turquoise table at the end with a chair like this one. If your furniture is black there must not be much if any pattern to them so add pattern with cushions (if your husband can have them?) on the sofa. I would have a metal and glass table in whatever configeration you need, square, rectangle or round according to sofa and chair layout.

Taking the red paint into the kitchen make sure you paint the area above the cabinets the same color and also any trim around windows and doors. I would paint the other walls along the left side of the room which seems a bit detached from the living room another color but would need a bit more info to advise on that. I would also place roman blinds on your windows and door as they can be mounted right on the door itself and in the window area. I would use a bold sriped silk to bring in the colors of your display pieces, the cushions and the turquoise of the cabinets.

I think this room should be more eclectic than asian as the room itself and the kitchen cupboards do not speak of asian decor. By adding the distressed turquoise cabinets and glass table and a gloss white fireplace this will take it away from themed and into an eclectic space that works for you who likes unique and your husband who has dust allergies.

Susan Mills Design Argghhhh I uploaded wrong cushion pic, disregard that one!

Susan Mills Design And here is the chair but preferably in red. The Ming chair.

bdbroos this is another picture, this is taken from the living room looking at the kitchen

bdbroos As we are getting ready to move the dragon is packed away! I'll post is as soon as we move and get unpacked though it might be a while. I'll try to get a picture of the couches soon.

lefty47- I hadn't thought about that step up box thing in the living room. If it's removed you would have to step up into the bathroom/bedroom though. Would that be any better or do you think people would trip?

Dytecture- I love the idea of the plexiglass shelves there and it would create a lot of light moving through the rooms.

Jamieson- coffee table is a great idea! the dragon is already framed with museum quality glass so it cant get damaged. I wish I could show you right now.

Susan Mills Design- First your right, eclectic is definitely more my style. I'm a little afraid to paint the fireplace I don't have a good understanding of what it will look like painted, then once you paint it you can't go back and I do like the natural look the brick gives, though I've seen better stone fireplaces. perhaps a different kind of stone facade on top that isn't as porous? As you can see it's vaulted ceilings and a few odd angles on the ceilings. I had been thinking of painting one wall a different color than the others. Not sure how the red would look over by the kitchen, so I uploaded the kitchen photo.
I am not really into turquoise, but perhaps a green distressed look might do well.

lefty47 HI - About the landing - I know you need a step there - I just think that the landing is too big and looks out of place - so a smaller step into that area would be better. Added note - please don't paint the brick - you don't need too - it's nice brick.

bdbroos There is silly landing areas downstairs too. I'm told they are downstairs because of the pipes they had to run. I'll ask and see if I can find out if the landing upstairs has an alternative motive. :P