Finally have time to post a couple of pics....I tried to follow the recommendations that worked for us! I would love your HONEST opinions of the changes I made and those that can still be done. I know I still need color and I am struggling with that. The light fixture said it was a dark bronze but it appears black which actually turns out to "talk" to some of the items we talked about in previous posts. With the blind I know it is on the darker side but it incorporates a lot of the brown/black/tans I used in the area already, which I preferred rather than to go in a more colorful direction and be disappointed. The light also "talks" nicely to the fireplace grate, I think :) ?. Moving into the family room, I cleared out a LOT of items. The walls and tables are basically empty waiting for suggestions. The other thing is wall color. I know there were comments about the kitchen and I don't want to make another mistake in that area. My husband thinks we should keep one or two darker walls....??????? I don't have a strong opinion either way, but I do want it to be the right color. The brick and floor have a rosey hugh to it, thus the burgundy shades in the rug and pillows........help is needed here, please! Any and all comments appreciated and thanks in advance for all your help!!

You made such a wonderful choice with the drum chandelier...LOVE IT! The decluttering has made your home look so much bigger. The roman shade on the window looks perfect. You have a beautiful home!

Here are some photos of before and after of the kitchen. Please offer any suggestions or comments....honesty is appreciated!! I am still working on incorporating color and am still struggling with it. The light fixture was labeled dark bronze but appears to be almost black which actually "talks" to some of the items in the kitchen which were discussed in previous posts. The shade carries the browns/black/tan tones. I was uncomfortable with a color here because I was unsure of myself and didn't want to make an expensive mistake. On to the family room.....see photos. I am hoping you can now, also, help me tie this together a little bit more than it is. I emptied a lot of items out but there are still things that don't work :( ugh! The wall color is another issue. My husband thought he would still like one or two walls a deeper shade, but to me, I would like your opinion. The fireplace brick and floor has a pinkish hugh to them. The room is flooded with natural light. I also took down the valances and need recommendations there. The bow window has a blind on it now, which is pulled up. We have woods in the back of our home and need something for security/privacy. Thanks for all your help in advance!!!

I thought I lost the first comments.....sorry.....here it is again. Lol

Not all the photos came through....here are more of the family room.

More pics....hope these help. The one is of the shade colors close up.

Just a few suggestions-are you keeping the color on the living room wall? If so, you might look at that color on the sample card, which will have a lighter to darker assortment of that color family on it. Look at the lightest color first and see how that will do in the kitchen, then go from there. You can also pick that color family on a color wheel and go with a contrasting color across from your color to think about for the kitchen. Look at the paint chip cards next to the cabinets, backsplash, etc then tape the ones you like to the wall and live with them to see if something grabs your eye. Colors change in different lighting during the day into evening. If you like something, buy a small amount of it and paint swatches on the wall. Then you can paint over it rather than making a larger mistake like painting a whole wall first. Keep accessories to a minimum. Kitchen is looking fabulous! Love the light fixture, counters look good with less on them.

P.S. Really like the shade in the kitchen too!!!!!

I love your changes!

Wow, your kitchen looks great. Love the light fixture and the window shades. Looks like you could add some color in your family room by picking a shade or two from your area rug (red, green?). Couch pillows and large artwork over the sofa would be great. Have you thought about a mirror or picture over the mantle?Such a nice light-filled room, and the sweet pup seems to think so as well.

Makawao, we were planning on painting the family room and I am open to color choices and if we should go with two tone colors again. Suggestions? Do you think the kitchen and family room should be the same color?

I think I'd go with one color in the family room (no accent walls). Possibly, the same color as the kitchen. What is the paint color in the kitchen? Also, what is the lighter color in the family room?

I would probably go with one color in the family room too-but then again, I have never been a fan of accent walls, either. You could start with a color in the rug, maybe one of the greens or a color you like. I wouldn't go with the same color in the kitchen, but maybe you could pick a lighter/darker version of whichever you pick for which room from the same paint card. That way you know it goes with each other and you have some contrast. That help? Also you can "tweak" paint colors by asking to have them "cut" by a percentage when they are mixed. Let's say you like a certain color, but it's a little too dark as is. You can have it mixed to say 50%, and come out with the same color, but half as dark. I don't know if I used the correct terminology, but the paint store will be able to help with that.

Ann, my walls in the kitchen are aesthetic white by Sherwin Williams but I am receiving comments that they could be a deeper shade. This makes me a bit hesitant to decide what color/shade I should go with in the family room. The room was painted so long ago in the family room, I no longer know what color it was painted. I am basically starting from scratch.

Makawao, that does make sense and is a good idea! I seem to have this phobia about color and could use some direction.

Seems like there is a bit of darkish walls in the family room, so decided to have fun with the color direction I liked (from your kitchen) - and seeing I couldn't really see the colors in the rug, I just grabbed this teal. Just to get it started!

Meanom, check up a couple of comments and you can see my rug. Not sure this teal would work......can we try maybe a green or light mustard yellow. What do you think? I love how you can transform a room!

Keep the curtain simple perhaps wooden shutters. Those curtains are too country

I adore that rug. I think it i from Pottery Barn and I have loved it forever.....glad to see it in your room.

I would double check light over table. Bottom of light fixture, which is gorgeous, should be 30-36 inches from table top if your ceiling is 8 feet tall. If you ceiling is 9 feet tall then add three inches so bottom is between 33 and 39 inches from table top. Looks a bit high to me but could just be the photo angle. Not sure.

For the family room I would bring out that gorgeous rug some more. I think I would paint the wall a pale sage green aka the rug color and then have bright pillows in the rug color in solids, stripes, suedes, leather. Spray paint your lamp base black and bring in a new round cocktail table in iron and glass and or wood and iron.

Find a pretty ceramic pot for your cactus or a metal one in bronze, copper, etc.

Wrought iron art work over the sofa. Should be about the size of 2/3 the wall space over the sofa or what you think look good. And less than 12 inches above the sofa back for the lowest part of the art. Two or three large pieces done randomly for movement. A basket collection of 3 or five large woven containers in all shape and sizes, some two thirds height of brick above mantle, leaning against the bricks. Only baskets, large, impactful.

Stack your two tiny pictures above one another to the right of the cactus. The bench with the radio on it, put another cactus in a pot and find a third cactus to put on the floor in a bowl or on a tray.

Rustic linen type curtains in beige. Find another black lamp bigger than the one you have, iron and glass, but heavy and fat looking. Put the smaller lamp on the end table on one end and the bigger lamp between the sofa and love seat.

I think a bigger five bladed fan would be dynamic. I say this alot but did the look in my daughters family room and it was amazing how chic it looked. Plus it has a big alabaster glove light and give soft light in the room. It is five feet wide and is wow. She found it at lowes or home deport for a really great price.

If you are a plant lover then put your three small plants that are on the cocktail table, corner table and tv cabinet in one place....either the cocktail table or on the TV stand or bring in a fun table and set them in an empty corner.

I love all that you are doing and it is amazing at all the changes you have made. They really are spot on and you should be so proud of yourself and your family.

So, played more with color (delaying gathering trash for pick up tomorrow - so loving it). I'm not very clear with color names. I can't get a good sense of the greens in that rug, but did pick out the green from the scatter rug. I guess these are sort of a sage green. (Gonna go looking for a yellow, but the mustard yellows seem to be matched up with teals, and you don't want to go in that direction.)

I would paint the family room walls some version of the hall color which appears to be a gray with a hint of green undertone. You need art over the sofa.

Like soosun2, I like your family room rug a lot too!

Please consider purchasing an over the stove microwave to replace your current vent. They are not expensive, it would improve the appearance of the kitchen.

xcellent idea!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. The photos with color possibilities are so helpful. The hall color is actually the same as the kitchen since I didn't want to have things too " chopped up" looking. I wanted it to flow.......not sure if I have succeeded, but it is done. Anyway, it is the same aesthetic white as the kitchen. The rug is a pottery barn and I am hoping it does not have too much of a country feel since I am trying to change things up a bit without getting into a major expense. We are still recovering from the kitchen :). I know some of the large pieces such as my end tables do not work well. Also my lamps, and this is where I thought I could bring in some color. Does furniture placement seem ok as far as the sofas and rug? Coffee table needs to stay since my husband made it from an old table....I tried to persuade him differently, but no go (yet) :).

Grover's gray/green wall color is the perfect neutral backdrop for a few colorful accessories, and it's a nice flow from your kitchen and hall.

Love the sage green on the walls! Let the artwork and pillows be the splash of color(s) that are pulled from that beautiful rug. I agree with sosun2...iron/glass lamps would be amazing.

Would Hubs agree to painting the cocktail table and give it more presence in the room.....if he wanted a dark wall maybe a dark cocktail table to match?

Oh your white kitchen or white paint anywhere is so on trend now. I went to a parade of home last summer and every single home was painted white white white with small touche of pales blue, pales grey, and palest greens. You are really just fine.

I agree about white paint - very popular right now!

Maybe this shade? BM saybrook sage?

Thanks for the reassurance of the white paint. I mentioned something to my husband about changing it and he almost flipped lol....he has really worked hard to make it what I want, but that put him close to the edge. We are doing most of the work ourselves to save $$$. It has paid off! Lessismore....I like that pale green! I am actually going to pick up paint chips today and will look for that. I know I am still sporting that country theme but I am hoping that I can transition without removing some of our treasured pieces.......thank you so much for helping me!

Now that you've decluttered in the Family room, the "country" feel is diminished. You have great windows, nice floors, and love that cactus in there (I almost got one, years ago, and have regretted not doing it). The new blind in the kitchen looks perfect. I'd still like to add in some more silver or pewter touches in the kitchen. And white paint is a classic :-)

Thank you, lessismoore, your comments are very reassuring to me that I am headed in the right direction. Can you, or anyone, give me ideas as to what I should do for window coverings. I removed the "country" looking valances I had up and now have NO clue what to do. I do not want a lot of curtain hanging
and I get the feeling a valance will put it back to looking "country". You may be able to see in the one photo above that I have a blind pulled up and attached to the window frame of the bow window. Does not appear very professional looking unless under something, I think? We like as much light as possible during the day, but privacy at night. Any suggestions, anyone....pictures would help if possible. Thanks again!

Which window are you referring to?

In the family room....see photos above, i tried to include them.

I think it looks great! Try adding tan curtains to tie in the tan color from the backsplash.

lenn_lenn, I think I confused everyone by not identifying that I have moved out of the kitchen and now into the family room. I am happy with just the blinds in the kitchen, Any suggestions? I have pictures posted above. Thanks

Okay yeah, but i didnt even think of blinds! They are a great choice!

What about shades like the one in the kitchen?

I would also suggest grommet style curtains but you said you didn't want curtains.

I think just adding a couple of green ivy type plants will make a major improvement and blend the dark with the light colors. Try putting one on either side of the sink..
The other thing that comes to mind is using a bamboo like pull-up shade other the window that has the colors of the backsplash will make you happy.
To me, the placement of things on the counter need a new arrangement..

And getting plants that are tall enough to hide the white electrical outlets. Try placement of things on the counter so that stark white of the electrical outlets disappear.

consider the Roman shades in the family room like the ones you have in the kitchen. The kitchen looks wonderful and can be raised or lowered at night for privacy and raised in teh day time for light and comfort.

Your kitchen looks great,mother backsplash looks great. The problem is the color of your appliances and the two tone stove. Whenever you're able to replace them, I'm sure the look will be more pleasing to you.

http://st.houzz.com/simgs/2a7259ea04e4c3b4_7-8455/home-design.jpg
I just saw the rattan chairs and table.. Adding the bamboo roll up shades that are of similar colors over the sink and table window is going to pull that look all together...
I see later in the post that the origin penal table and chairs came back?..
Mistake... The rattan chairs/table works great!

I really like the light fixture in the kitchen. Shade texture is great. However in the family room I think I too would stick with one solid color. You have a lot of wood and brown tones. I'd stay on the lighter side. I also agree to sample the paints. For about $7.00/pint you can have Benjamin Moore samples. I did this but painted 2 coats on card stock ( large samples) and taped them to various locations in the room. If you go medium to darker shades, I would consider painting the brick. A friend painted her brick white and then dry brushed black and gray. It's gorgeous! And still looks like a natural material. I'd keep the furniture except for the coffee table. It's too traditional. Replace it with simple lines. Maybe something rustic (a lighter wood)with metal trim. I love your mission style chair and is that an entertainment center? Whatever, it's a great piece. Have fun

Are you thinking or needing to cover the french doors? If not, I assume you only need a window treatment for the bay window in there. So I think matching bamboo style shades, as you selected for the kitchen. would be perfect there, giving you privacy at night but rolled up and light during the day.

http://www.backbayshutter.com/img_shades/5.jpg

I suggest you replace the upper cabinets with simple white ones. And remove the curtains for sure!

Personally, I believe you should have chosen a plain white backsplash tile, perhaps in an interesting pattern, to blend with the white walls and contrast from the dark brown of the cabinets. I am not sure the light brown accent wall in the family room works, either. Perhaps you can paint that wall white or add some sort of white-painted texture. Provided you can afford it, you might install the same white backsplash tile to that wall to tie the two rooms together.

Since you have so many solid-color items in the rooms, I would suggest window valances in a cheerful fruit print with a pastel background such as yellow or white. A matching tablecloth for the dining area and a throw for the family room sofa would help tie the areas together. I do like the light green wall color, something like light sage, shown in one photo for the family room.

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