What a gorgeous house! I would go with blues with the white and a smattering of orange or yellow.

pondering whether to paint/stain the fireplace a soft grayish white, but afraid I will end up with a totally whitewashed room. the blues are nice. I am big on bright turquoise and orange, may have to soften up the blue to another shade though…with all that honey colored wood.

I think I would do the rest of the painting and furnishing before whitewashing the stone. It is a fairly light color already so whitewashing might not have a big effect. If you don't like it you can always whitewash it later.

Lovely! Please call a local pro and have them do a paint consultation. It is a crime to take the advice of strangers who do not know the light and have NEVER been in your home.

Ha, you kind of missed the point of this website!

Great home- lovely view you have. I would not paint the wood ceiling and you could put comfy chairs and a nice rug in the nook area- looks like a great sunny spot for plants or sitting and reading a book. Maybe a hammock? Is this going to be a formal or more relaxed/casual space?

Unless you change the FP with whitewash or other technique/color, your white should be selected based on the shades of the lightest stone in it. That might be more of an ivory, so if you're set on a purer white, I would make some changes to the FP. Love the ceiling though - don't touch it!

what about painting walls a light blueish gray. all "dark wood" trim a soft white. leave the fireplace alone, and leave the ceiling the honey oak color. looks like you have a "beachy" theme going on. the ceiling will tie in with the wicker furniture. also a darker rug would make the room pop. Most important is to paint over the dark wood trim, even around windows. Our room will be so updated and wonderful. You have a beautiful home.

What a beautiful view! Leave the ceiling, paint the walls a warm white and add in touches of blue in the furniture!
Here is a great pallet from Benjamin Moore
Row 1: Benjamin Moore Elmira White HC-84 | Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117 | Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage HC-114 Row 2: Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17 | Benjamin Moore Decorator White I-04 | Benjamin Moore Lancaster Whitewash HC-174 Row 3: Benjamin Moore Blue Dusk 1644 | Benjamin Moore Mt St. Anne 1565 | Benjamin Moore Wales Gray 1585 Row 4: Benjamin Moore Ozark Shadow AC-26 | Benjamin Moor Silver Half Dollar 2121-40 | Benjamin Moore Van Courtland Blue HC-145

If you've already settled on a basic color plan (off-white with a modern-feeling accent color to add some pop) and you're serious about getting those colors 'just right'... I tend to agree with Gray & Walter's advice to bring in a color consultant. It's been my experience that color is much more about the light in the room than it is even the pigment in the paint. And unfortunately, photos just don't reproduce the influence of light accurately.

We struggled for months looking for just the right shade of light-tan-crème (I first spotted it floating in a cup of soy-latte) before deciding we'd found the perfect shade. After painting the entire living room that single color, one wall appears to be an entirely different color just because of the way light enters the room! Absolutely no one believes us when we tell them it's all the same color.

This site is great for getting thoughts on style, trends and palette combinations in general, but you'll never know what it's going to look like until you're in the light with it.

Beautiful home! Personally, I wouldn't be afraid of creating a built-in window seat in the bay. Yes, it would be large, but you could soften it with pillows to add subtle texture and warmth to the room. I would avoid putting any highly decorative furniture there... anything immediately in front of the window is going to compete with the gorgeous view.

Have you thought about removing the handrail on the right and duplicating the steps there?

i think you can get a window seat- like here-
i actually like the following- curtains over the window seat, could soften up your space -
you could actually also get a table and some chairs here for a real aera- why not- if you have the space for it? -

http://houzz.com/photos/1095673

Love this modern rustic living room.

I would stain the beams darker and not paint them white. Also for picking a white paint there are some great articles on google on picking the right white paint. For warmer whites - white dove by Benjamin Moore always comes on top.

Beautiful ceiling and fireplace! Since many post here because they don't have the luxury or finances to hire a pro, maybe you could tape paint chips on the wall and leave them for a few days to see in all light. Then narrow down your choice. I usually let them hang for a week or more and cross off the ones I don't like until I choose the one I like best. Good luck!

Thanks for all the advise, some good ideas. I like the idea of adding a step on the other side of the fireplace, seems more symmetrical and adds to the flow. Will have to examine further! Yes I think some "testing" and pro advise on the white will be needed!!

Beautiful view. Be careful when decorating since there are lots of panes, angles, spindles, etc. going on. The previous owner's furniture is very busy and is distracting.

Keep your furniture sleek and simple and avoid lots of little "stuff". Go for larger art and a rug with not much pattern.

Are you going to paint the trim around windows and doors?

I have definitely considered painting the trim white. There is a lot going on, with different wood on the ceiling, beams, trim, railings, and even french doors in the dining room….it is very busy! I want to retain the interesting angles and lovely structure, but not have too many things going on. I am not 100% sure if its a good idea to add white trim into the mix? will it just be another addition, or will it blend into the wall and disappear. …...Yes, the furnishings will be very simple and clean lines.