I agree with going toward whisper gray-turquoise to complement the brown & gold. In my opinion, anything in the brown/tan/rust family will get tired looking very quickly because it's all too much the same. North facing rooms need a lighter touch so they don't look like a dark dungeon, so the contrast provided by a light gray/turquoise would do the trick. I really like the photos by liljcj and Transforming Rooms, THANK YOU. It's a bit of that "Old World" elegant feeling with a touch of Shabby Chic. That's the look I'd recommend you try to create. Then add some glitz with mirrors and metallics to let the light reflect & provide some eye candy. Bedside Tables: You can add larger/wider glass tops to the bedside tables if you can't get larger bedside tables... OR... find matching framed mirrors & use them as bedside tabletops like trays... as long as they're larger/wider than the tables. That'll serve double duty to enlarge the bedside tables plus add glitz & light reflections from new larger lamps. Lamps: Yes, go much bigger on lamps. If you love chandeliers, you could opt for 2 chandelier style table lamps in order to reflect something you want to see (from the mirrored tabletops) rather than reflecting the inner mechanics of a regular table lamp & bulb. Chair: Add a curvy chair with a cozy throw like the one shown below. The sunburst mirrors add more curves, elegance, and glitz. Guests will so want to sit there and relax with a book or magazine. Art: Some elegant art above the bed should be at least 3/4 the width of the bed to look balanced. A soft & serene room creates an inviting and restful place for guests. The art shown below are some ideas for you to consider. While they may not be "exactly" what you need, it gives you a general idea. I custom painted these for a north facing home that desperately needed a lighter contrasting touch of color with the existing brown floors & carpets and blah beige walls. The large painting was in the dining room and notice how it combines so well with the elegant calla lilly arrangement and a dark espresso brown/black console table. I've thrown in another photo of the dining table just so you can see that the turquoise doesn't need to be all the same depth of color throughout the room. The table had brighter deeper turquoise accents to create more interest. The smaller painting was in the powder room featuring an old world style vanity, and the soft white-washed turquoise pillar & art complemented the brown & tan vanity very well because the art also had hints of tan in it. Does that help you a bit with ideas and narrowing down your color direction?

What a great space! tons of natural light, looks wonderful. I would certainly keep the trim and the doors white and go for grey on the walls. You can than tie in black as an accept if you'd like. Wale Grey by Benjamin Moore is a great colour! Maybe even consider an accept wall with multiple tones to give your space the 'transitional' look you are trying to achieve. Here are some ideas! http://www.primewalls.com/products_residential/viewsku/540 http://www.primewalls.com/products_residential/viewsku/626 paired with wale grey - benjamin moore or http://www.primewalls.com/products_residential/viewsku/124 paired with a darker grey such as charcoal slate by benjamin moore

Ten day low-cost redo. The question begins with no time and no money. Then do nothing! However with a small amount of time, done in stages in ten days and very little money you can: Day 1: Clean everything, including windows, cabinets, appliances, light fixtures, inside and out. Day 2: Clean and set aside on a cart and/or in a box, every item that currently is out in the open, including anything on the walls. Day 3: Put back on counters only what you absolutely must, and see if a different location will work for the essentials. Day 4: See which small appliances might find a home in your newly cleaned-out cabinets. Now review all fresh, clean decorative items and see if any would work in a different room, pack away the rest for storage, a yard sale, or charity. Day 5: Shop your own house for different pictures, items, decor, to refresh your kitchen and clean those before using. This will get you started refreshing your other rooms too! (Mom's or Granny's attic might be another place to check!) Day 6: Look at your linens and in your closet for new window curtain possibilities. Or check out Mom's or Granny's stash! Old pillow cases or tea towels or pretty scarves might make pretty new no-sew curtains. That set of cloth napkins you rarely use can make pretty banner-like valences, just fold in half corner to corner, and create a pocket for your rod with rust-proof straight pins, iron-on hem tape or baste-stitch. Unused straight narrow window panels 63 or 84 long can be rehung with clip rings for kitchen windows if the pattern works horizontally: cut to size and glue edges with iron-on hem tape. Try out those unused sheers for a light spring look! A full summery skirt you won't wear again might also work! (A hint for oak cabinets: add a pop of color using blue fabric: it is opposite on the color-wheel to the oranges in oak) Day 7: Remove metal handles, clean thoroughly, and use Rub n Buff following simple directions to easily change your metal color. One tube goes a long way. While these are drying/curing, carefully tape off the cabinets around any visible cabinet door hinges and do those to match. This product has a wax-base, so it doesn't make the hinges stick and doesn't pop off. Clean off any smears on the cabinet with ammonia before it dries. Replace your "new" cabinet knobs. Day 8: Make that floor squeaky clean Day 9: Clean, restyle or replace your kitchen rugs Washed but faded rugs might be refreshed/restyled with fabric paint from a craft store, or dye from the supermarket. You might have (or Granny or Mom might have) a new/old washable rug stashed away that's perfect. Day 10: Add a plant or flowers, and enjoy your refreshed, low-cost, recycled redo!

I'm just going to pop a question about the main floor bath in here:-) . does this painting look to large for the area above the toilet?