It looks like a lovely room. Please take another picture from the opposite angle so we can see what's going on the other way looking toward the dining table.

How low are you ceilings, they look at least 8 feet to me, which is average. That said,I agree with Annie I'malso not a fan of the waistband of paneling.

I agree with those who suggest removing one of the sofas.
Can the smaller space you mentioned be for TV watching?

Just an example from Pottery Barn for a media wall -- which would look amazing along the main wall in the current seating area ..... and then swing one sofa in front of the new TV set-up ..... add a couple of comfy armchairs ..... add curtain panels along the windows ....

Yes -- I still vote to place the table/chairs in front of the fireplace and add a long "island" type ceiling fixture above the table ..... how wonderful to eat in front of a fireplace! Or use the table like a library desk and add shelving to the space ....

Here is a link that might be useful: PB --

Can hardly believe all the ideas! Thank you.

I am off to work this morning so can't add plans or more pics but will tonight.

I think I don't like white much at all except for trim and mouldings. Only went with white because of ceilings. It seems like your eye doesn't flow in a way that is restful with white. Think this also why I am struggling with the kitchen with the black and white.

It is doors all along the side wall - 1 set of French doors and another of bifold that open up, which I had thought would be good near the table.

Please check back in - will definitely put more pics up and I am going to try every single suggestion on the weekend!

FarmerKate,
Wow! Love those sofas!! I have been looking for that sofa for a while now. Could you tell me about them? I'm pretty sure that I need them. Seriously not believing that my dream sofa is at your house!

Wonderful choices so far. Could you turn your dining room set in the other direction so that you could then put the sofa facing the large wall and have a tv and focal point. It's hard to tell unless we see beyond the dining room.

Hi - just off the top of my head, I notice that everything in the room seems horizontal, which keeps drawing the eye down. Perhaps some vertical elements would help? Tall plants &/or some tall shelving might do the job...

So, back from work and I took some more pics - didn't have a very productive day...just kept thinking about everyone's new ideas that I am now busting to try!

I flipped the couches and put a cupboard that I had bought for the entry in the place of an entertainment unit...I think this what one suggestion says.

I also moved the dining table to the area near the fireplace to indicate space.

In answer to all the questions (will work on names for everyone's suggestions once I get past all the excitement):

They are doors all along the wall (doors $139 each, windows were $1080 each) but we don't need them for access as we have a door off the kitchen area which leads to a screened porch with a BBQ )

We don't have a heating unit - don't need them. Farm is at the coast, near Noosa on the Sunshine Coast and never gets really cold. We do have ducted heated and cooling with vents in the ceiling.

Thanks for the lovely comments about the couches - they are from an Aussie shop called Freedom which is probably a bit like Pottery Barn, but maybe cheaper. I am over them because I seem to lack the decorating talent to pull it all together!

As one lovely person said, I think I should have bought smaller ones! It's such a big area I thought they would be fine but they aren't very versatile in terms of opting for different styles.
(Please ignore the poor sad plant - it's been shuffled too some dark and nasty places while I have been trying to get a handle on this room!)

(I whipped out some curtains to try too so not hung properly. Think the colour is wrong though)

I put the dining table in the " other " area to show the space. The fireplace badly needs a mantle and surround but I have no idea where to start. The mirrors and screen are from our other house. I love the screen but don't know where to put it!

Without seeming too cheeky and taking advantage I will post some pics of the very basic IKEA kitchen hoping for some tips there too. Very basic and very big. The big window is a servery for the screened porch. It works well but It doesn't feel welcoming. I would love colour and hoped to bring it in with tiles. I have loads of white subway tiles but feel like if I use them I need to paint a different colour. I have not finished the range hood either because I feel like it makes too much of a statement in black? I have considered covering it?

More of the kitchen

This another pic of the kitchen. Need to buy stools - these are just old ones we had. We left a cabinet out for a little study nook and place to charge phones and,iPads. We made a budget decision to have thinner bench tops. I regret it very much and can't see past it.

The much neglected entry! I used the cupboard I had bought for it to show the pic with an entertainment unit. This is another one I had and thought to try but it is very obviously way too small...as is everything in this massive area! The black door was another bad idea. I have some nice things but don't know how to use them here.

The nothing area between kitchen and whatever this space will end up,working as!

Anniedenaugh - I think the sofas are too big too, and too decisive but am stuck with them now. Can send one to our other house if I can figure out what to buy as an armchair or similar. Would love to watch TV in lounge, dining and kitchen, and can with the layout of the couch along the wall, only a very small TV though, if it is to fit in the space between the doors. I still have a whole other area if I go that way BUT it seems silly to have two TV areas in one room...or does it?

Tibrix - when you say more pigmented colour do you mean like a yellow (mustard, ochre, sand) or a blue (grey blue, navy blue?)

K9arlene - a swivel arm is a great idea because it could swivel back and be seen in the kitchen as well! We tried a small old TV we had in our many attempts to sort this...just because it would fit there but I feel like a room this size needs a bigger TV.

graywings - thank you for the lovely welcome and the info'. On the weekend I will try the sofas facing each other because I never thought of it in my many furniture shuffles! Can you tell me the name of one of the online room generators.

Aktillery - thanks for the welcome and advice...bring it on!

Missymoo12 - love your name! We used to call our daughter that! Your idea about trying one sofa in each area is seeming like sheer genius! This will definitely get a try out on the weekend. Why did I never think of this? Can you post any details or pics of armchairs you thought might work with these sofas?

Luckygal - thank you also for the welcome. Ceilings are 2.4 metres. When we were looking to buy the property the agent and everyone else kept saying how low they were and for here, they are really low. In fact I have found many bookcases that won't fit because they will nearly scrape the ceiling. I LOVE pattern, especially checks (plaid to you I think) I also love traditional style Persian rugs but not sure how to bring it in and make it work with the kitchen and lounge. Love most colours, except,red.

If you are using an ipad to take your pictures, please hold it the other way....all of your pictures are posting upside down.

Please stop running yourself down on your decor. First of all, you know what look you are going for which is a big leg up. A lot of what you've already done is good and consistent with that style which is also good.
I find the style of the sofas works really well with the simplicity of the kitchen. Love all the windows...it makes for great light. Your torso sculpture is way cool.

I'm still confused on your layout...where is the entry relative to the rest of the rooms we are looking at? And where is the room with the fireplace relative to the kitchen/family room?

It's really helpful, before you go buying another piece of furniture to measure, measure, measure. Go to homestyler.com (free and easy to use) and do a layout of your rooms with accurate dimensions, marking windows and doorways. You can then add your existing sofas, tables etc. It's a lot easier to move them on line than in RL. You can then "try out" adding other pieces as necessary and see how much space they take up and get a good idea of scale needed. In decor, scale is so essential to making a room look good, regardless of style.

I understand your need for warmth in the space. I too would want to add color. Paint and fabrics will warm up the space a lot. You will need to decide on a color scheme. But I think first, getting a better handle on function and layout of each room is first.

The second layout of the family room with more breathing space looks so much better! I would even consider reversing the two with the sofa out from the wall and the love seat in front of the window/door. The cupboard as you call it looks great there and the TV being there is a natural. Love your cupboard...

Can you use the space by the fireplace as a more formal dining area and then get a smaller table and chairs to put between the back of the sofa and the kitchen for more casual dining? Where the braided rug is, it looks like there's room for something there...but perhaps not as large as the table you have...

Hey Annie (is it ok to do that with names in here?) thanks for the kind words...I just feel that I have failed to make a " home" if you know what I mean? I was allowed a budget and every decision but it hasn't clicked in a way I thought it would. All the other rooms in the house have limitations, as all rooms in all houses do, but they feel like they are home. This space feels like it lacks cohesion and that everything I put in there attracts so much attention that all the lovely things we have (gifts, memories, photos, thrift store finds and bargains) have been left in storage because I honestly don't know how to make them work.

I want to finish and enjoy it but at the moment every morning coffee is an angst ridden session of where should I...put that, hang this....what colour tiles....?

Will check out home styler!

The entry looks directly onto the "unknown" area in front of the fireplace. From the entry/front door you can't really see anything else. It is also parallel to the kitchen. I will definitely get measurements and plans on here - should have been more organised asking for help as I have.

Smaller table and chairs is a whole new idea again!

Upside down? Really? Woah! Must be because I'm from Australia! (Down Under) kidding, sorry!

Seriously, I had no idea. I took them on my Blackberry phone and I am in this forum on an IPad and they are the right way up. Bizarre! Sorry again.

Carolb, yayagal, anniecat, tea cats, beverly27 and ellendi thanks so much for the tips. Have to run as is getting very late here and have not addressed each of your comments or thanked you appropriately so feel rude. Will be back tomorrow with more time. Sorry all for the upside down photo thing, bizarre and kind of funny! Night (or Nite!) kate

Yes you may use our "handles" that we use here.

I wanted to play with some colors in your room....not that this is a color scheme you may like (I did avoid red as you said you didn't like it) but this is just to give you an idea of what color can do for your room. I think that adding some color will get you a long way toward the cozy feel you are looking for.

I "painted" the walls a cocoa color, I put a soft beige on the ceiling. This way your crown molding really stands out and looks richer. I then "painted" your drapes, a pillow on the sofa and your lamp a charcoal. Only thing is, the colors aren't true as it does pick up on the color underneath. But this is just to give you an idea of how sprinkling the accent color throughout the room will bring cohesion to the space.

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Welcome to Gardenweb, Kate! I am not good with spatial design either but if you can sketch out a scale drawing of your space there are a few whizz kids here (Beverly, I'm taking about you!) who can do a great floor plan. Your space is vast and I don't think the sofas are too big at all. A large space with a lot of little things looks cluttered, IMO. The bookcases you mentioned that almost scrape the ceiling would be fine to use in the space. If they are that close to the ceiling they will look more built in. (Depending on the style you may consider having crown run around the tops to really make them look built in.)

Perhaps you could take individual photos of the items you have not tried to use that are in your other home or in storage----bookcases, rugs, chairs, etc. Then we won't be suggesting things when you already have something fabulous to use that we don't know about :-).

Your kitchen looks very nice and the black cabinets are great! When you said you didn't want to finish the range hood I wasn't sure what you were referring to. I think the subway tiles you've already bought would make a great backsplash for the range and wet areas.

Don't be angst ridden about decor...it's actually fun! I think about "trying on" all these ideas in my head...it gets my creative juices flowing. Christopher Lowell was a very popular decorator here in the States, and he always said where there's fear, there's no creativity. So don't be afraid. Embrace the opportunities and enjoy the process. It's a wonderful way of expressing who you are and what's important to you. And you'll find with a little help, it's not hard at all.

Just saw this and since I am no use, I just wanted to say I really like your space! I think we both think we are worse off than we are. :)

I recently lost my eye glasses so I cann,t really tell your colors very clearly but I think thewalls are fine the color they are . If your wanting some color on them I would probly go with a light gringe that works well with your couch colors and keep the paneling color as it because it ties that room in with the white in the kitchen. Use white curtains with a print in a color that works with the couchs mabe a darker gringe in the print with touch of another color perhaps blue since you already have some in the room. If you want your ceilings to look higher hang the curtains up closer to the ceiling hieght. You will probly be suprised how just that one little change will increase the visual hieght of the room. Welcome to garden web and look around a little we also have a great gardening section.

I think your home and decor are great! Comfortable and easy!
Sue

I think your home is beautiful. You have great taste!!

Love the color of your walls too. Your ceiling does look higher. Your cupboard is gorgeous! I want one. Could you mount your tv on the wall?

I think your kitchen flows so nicely with your home. I was looking at several modern farmhouses and all of them had the thinner countertops. It's sleek and goes well with your style. I can tell the kitchen was well though out and executed.

If you like rugs, I suggest one for your kitchen, one for under the dining table and entry. I also love natural fiber rugs layered under cow hides. It makes them pop.

Pull out your decor from storage and take pics for us. We'd love to make suggestions!

Here is a photo of the layered look.

Another thought is kilim rugs would look great with your style. Here are some examples.

Or more muted.

Annie, HOW.DID.YOU.DO.THAT? How did you do that with the paint colour?

Holy heck. That's incredible!

It looks amazing too and can now see that painting is the way to go. I even love the colour! Thank you!

Here is a mock up with a few added items. Just for ideas. Might get your creative juices flowing!

Carolb - you know I think you just put into words something I instinctively knew but didn't know how to verbalise. There IS too much horizontal!
I think I was avoiding things with height because of my perceptions of the ceiling height but as you so astutely pointed out this had an impact of it's own.

Here is a mock up of some additional items in your kitchen. Again, might not be your style but might give you ideas.

Dolly and Seww, thank you for the kind words. It is a lovely big space, just not very homey right now and as my usual taste is a lot more traditional (which wouldn't have felt right for the farm) I feel out of my depth with the modern.

Aktillery I Love the rugs, particularly the yellow one! I actually have a similar coloured rug ( only a very cheap one) but was too scared to put it in the room! I loved the look of the natural rug under the hide, thank you. I have some sisal rugs but they are very dark, probably too dark for the floor. I might look at buying some lighter ones!

Madeyna - what colour is gringe? I have never heard of it!!

Kswl - if everyone will keep putting up with me that is a brilliant idea! The whole room idea kicked off because I was given a steer hide two birthdays ago and I didn't know how to use it in our last house. Then I was given a cow skull (I think it is the farming thing!) for another birthday. Finally, I saw a cushion that I LOVED like crazy. It felt very modern Ralph Lauren desert decor or something.

I have these amazing Italian porcelain dogs my dad gave me and they have guarded the entry in all our homes. I LOVE them but they get lost on the white walls. I also have some lovely leather trunks from our last house but think they look a bit over the top with the leather sofas. Will take some pics of all my treasures,

I love the cocoa color that Annie recommended. Here is one room planner. You have to register to use it, but it's free.

Here is a link that might be useful: Room Planner BHG

Aktillery what magic is this?

How did you do that?

You are right, it looks immediately better!

Hope this is the right way up! Okay, so here was where I began - I had most of this and the cow skull was a gift - a pretty expensive one too I think BUT it is very...um...polarising.

The dog picture was a gift too.

The bowl I adore, as I do the cushion BUT they don't look like much against the white do they?

The colour in the cushion is almost the exact colour of the steer hide that was another gift.

The lamp and denim throw (which is really a $9 tablecloth) are from IKEA and I like them but the lamp gets lost in the white too.

Everything looks a bit too samey!

These are my beautiful dogs - shoved into another room because they get lost in the white too.

Aktillery, still can't believe the difference the rug made in the kitchen in your mock up!

This is a lovely yellow rug I bought...sadly been left in the store room because it doesn't seem to go anywhere...sigh!

I have a few of these little leather trunks...2 like this and one big one. Think too much with the other leather.

This vintage china I bought in a thrift shop for about 20 cents was where I thought I was heading with the kitchen. I thought to put open plan shelving from the fridge to the study area but cannot decide to go with plain white or reclaimed timber. (As with the mantle for the fireplace and a bookcase). My husband can build just about anything if I make my mind up. Worried it might look too rustic with the slicker IKEA kitchen?

Funny, just putting all this stuff together makes me realise how much I trend toward yellow tones! Perhaps why I am struggling with all the black and white. Have to run off to work again, thanks again to everyone for the input and help. The kindness of strangers! Consider me a raving fan! Will check back in tonight and will absolutely give every suggestion a roll out this weekend! Kate

You've got a lot of great stuff!

I used Sherwin Williams color visualizer to paint your room...it's free on line software. The major paint providers all have a similar thing...Benjamin Moore and Pittsburgh Paints.

Unfortunately the pictures are upside down for me too. Can't really view them, but from what I can see you have great pieces to start with. Don't be so hard on yourself, it takes talent to get good pieces like you have so we know you can do it. Just need some faith in yourself.

BTW when taking pictures make sure the camera capture button is on your right or bottom. This should put pictures in the correct direction when posting.

The pictures are all upside down for me too, Lyfia. I've found that when I click on them they open up right-side up though. This is a helpful work-around. It still doesn't make scrolling between the shots easier, but at least I feel less dizzy than when trying to scrutinize upside down images : )

Your space is going to be lovely! It has such a great beginning already. Blue and yellow classically work together, so your choosing those two colors is excellent. I don't think you give yourself enough credit.

I'd try one of the mirrors in the entry area over the chest of drawers. Do you need a coat tree or coat hooks there? (I don't know what it's like to live in a climate where we don't need room for a bazillion coats and boots.)

A full layout will be helpful, when you have the time.

Enjoy the process! : )

Really sorry about the photos, have no clue why they are the right way up for me, and not elsewhere. Will work on having the camera on the right. Thanks for that tip Lyfia.

We do wear coats laughable, but really only at night time in winter and I have a back entry with a mud room area for shoes, hats (which we always a million of!) and so on...mostly thongs (flip flops for you I think). I will try a mirror in the morning. I have a builders plan somewhere...(you know how it is after a renovation and everything is in boxes somewhere!

Am off to,try the paint program Annie, have no clue what to expect - am guessing I can upload a pic and then change the background. I AM excited!

A few people have mentioned artwork and we so need it but massively expensive here. Even a chain store framed print will cost about $480. Does anyone know of an online art store with international shipping that is really good?

Have you thought about making your own? Print up your own black & white photography, use artists stretcher frames to stretch pretty fabrics, and check out flea markets or garage sales (not sure if there is an Aussie equivalent...people selling their own stuff or when family members move or die and are emptying the house....or places where sellers come together to sell used stuff.)

I took a bunch of my vacation shots, had them printed in black and white and ordered frames with mats from walmart and they ended up costing me only $15 each.

Also think about what else you can hang on the wall...we had antique walking sticks from in-laws....

Or we hung up driftwood my grandfather found in DH's study.
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Gringe is a very light brown with grey tones. If you like yellow you would probly not like it. My daughter used it in her house and its a very nice neutral background with just enough color to make other features of the room like trim stand out

Kate, that's a beautiful yellow rug. Try it in your kitchen. I bet it would look great!

Perhaps you mean greige, not gringe, which is something else entirely, according to the urban dictionary....I suggest you Do Not look it up. Greige is a combo of beige and gray.

Annie, love the pics. Really like the background colour above the stone and fireplace too...a little inspired by how well it works with black and white...hmmm

We do have flea markets and garage sales - sadly they aren't very promising mostly. I go to flea markets and thrift stores all the time but you are more likely to find a velvet purple Elvis picture with plastic frame than anything else! Australia doesn't have a lot of history the way the States and UK do.

Big cities like Melbourne and Sydney are different and better but pricey for anything nice.

Gringe huh? Sounds like a Dr Seuss colour! And you are right, maybe a little muddy for me.

I think I am liking a colour a bit like Annie's! Maybe a bit lighter as it such a big space and I have strong colour in all the bedrooms. Thanks again!

Will try the rug too. Off to the shops feeling inspired! Will report back