From what I see, the cabinets look traditional, which is my style. You could also go transitional since it's a marriage of traditional and contemporary.

The sofa and love seat style, although it will be in a cream colour fabric. Also I bought a black and bronze round cute glass and iron table with a little bird perched on leaves in it. I like flowers and birds...nature. The walls are Worldly Gray and the trim is Alabaster, both from S/W. I need suggestions for a coffee table, dining room table and chairs, carpet and window coverings. The guest bedroom is towards the front of the house and will be decorated in cream and aqua. The master bedroom is off this open plan great room with it's own ensuite. (We had the door and walls sound-proofed).
Any ideas for a decor style are appreciated. We are moving in less than a month! :)

I love the combination of modern/farmhouse and you have all the perfect surroundings with your black cabinet sugar pulls on your casual traditional kitchen cabinets..and wood floors......to the modern lines of your sofa in neutral fabric. I would accent with blacks and gold elements with your lighting....add a modern coffee table with whimsical end tables...I love contrast so black and cream/white pillows mixed with gorgeous floral pattern to bring in color here and there. High back modern chairs in a neutral fabric. I would add a farmhouse style kitchen table and chairs..maybe mixing finishes...a black table mixed with whitewashed chairs or slip covered low back parson chairs. The slip covers would add a softness to an otherwise hard surface area. I absolutely love these 2 Schumacher fabrics...they are stunning together!Just remember to have fun!!

Hi HIwE: thanks for your suggestions! What do you think of these chairs from Canadel? There are many styles to choose from and many choices of covers. What do you think would suit my room?

We have selected black wrought iron lighting from a collection. There will be black wall sconces either side of the fireplace, and two pendants over the island and one pendant over the sink. Also pot lights in the tray ceiling and kitchen.

Oh, HIwE!! What you have suggested is absolutely wonderful! That is exactly my style. Yellow is such a happy colour, and with white and charcoal it is elegant and crisp. I showed my husband your choices and he concurs; this is a wonderful start!....Now, an area carpet. I think I need an 8'x10' to properly put under the LR conversation area to go under the furniture. However, BIG QUESTION: what kind of carpet under pad would you know of that is safe to set on these new hardwood floors that won't stick to them or make marks? Latex used to do this. We want to put a runner on the floor in the galley part of the kitchen so it won't easily slip.

Hi Em Bee....that is wonderful!! Yellow is such a fun and happy color to work with...

The only pad I put is felt pad for on hardwood floors...it gives some pad and protects the surface...here is What I use...RUGPADUSA.COM. you can custom order any size needed....you can also check with any local accent rug store they usually sell it too!

Thanks, HIwE! You are really great! Now...any ideas for the great room carpet colour? Something pale and antique looking? Or vibrant? A mixture of white and grey shaggy modern Flokati style?

We are just renting until the house is ready, but here is a picture of the farmhouse table we already have. I can stain the top darker...but what do you think about using this table and just getting 4 new chairs? The table has three big leaves in it, otherwise it is a 48 inch round.

It is beautiful!!......you would have to rethink the chairs. The dark grey finish on the chairs I don't think would Be the best combination with the dark stained table..I would do ivory slipcovered chairs and leave it as is or give it a dark ebony wash? You could do white chairs with a different fabric on them? Would have to look at the fabric selections again.... I have slipcovered host chairs in my dining room and love them..I applied scotchguard to them and nothing has stained them! And love the ease of washing.....easy breezy:)

Hi HIwE, a friend was over today and brought material swatches. What do you think of the grey floral for the pinch pleated side drapes on the large window and patio door and the coordinating fabric for roman shades on the kitchen window and the dining room window, below the transoms? I think it would look great with the bird fabric here and the bird pillows you suggested.

About the slip covered chairs. My husband makes me laugh. He said no...they look like little ghosts or like old lady covers to protect the furniture. Lol!!

The bird fabric is a dwell studio called vintage blossom in yellow... so very easy to get...why not just do that fabric in kitchen so the yellows match perfectly.

I would do a solid linen drape lined in living room with some kind of trim or boarder in black or charcoal...that way you can get a patterned rug or pillows without having to worry about the drape pattern too! It will really limit what you can do...just a thought. These are gorgeous!

That floral fabric would make gorgeous pillows.

...not keen on the plain fabric with border. ..we need colour! With so much white paint and worldly grey walls, the grey floral would pop! Here are some more chair wood finishes that are similar to the table colour wood....

Not keen on plain drapes. :( too much white paint and plain Worldly Grey walls. But do you think the middle fabric would be a good pattern choice for the romans?

Em Bee...I really feel you might be picking drape fabric to early...my advice is to be patient....it is usually the last addition to my clients rooms....I would get rug and other furniture in the room...pick art and pillows for inspiration....you might see the room completely different. Once you pick that fabric you are locked in! i think the chairs with dark fabric...start looking antique looking..Victorian...be careful their is a fine line. I would do a lighter solid gray or off white linen so to give a updated feel and helps balance the space compared to kitchen in all white...just want to give you some good direction and hope to help your rooms flow...

Here is that bird fabric in larger picture....I would stay away from using it to much going on.

here is larger image of the bird dwell studio fabric.

You are exactly right! I should wait til we get in...but I won't even choose a rug until the drapes are decided. Yes, I don't want a stuffy antique heavy Victorian look, although the table is from that era. HIwE: you give great advice!!
Thank you!

Love the bird dwell fabric!! Yep...that is what I will get for sure!!!
I wonder if I can get them in Canada. The $ US exchange rate is brutal, plus duty...yikes!!

Here are images from your idea book...very calm and uncomplicated! I do see very subtle patterns mixed in last image...maybe a drape that is less floral and more vine like in pattern...love the gray Roman shades in the small windows.

Yes again! The draperies will be closed at night and rather than a plain wall of fabric I would like a fabric with a muted pattern, like the grey floral (and I don't even know what it is called. The book was red on the front and said European ?????) Back in the 80's I had Waverly chintz with a butter cream background on a sofa and loveseat and really still like that type of thing. Ahh...cabbage roses!! l Iove Ralph Lauren styling as well. I would feel right at home in an English manor, lol.

That dwell studio comes in a gray it is gorgeous...you could do the drapes in the living room...and add a crip gray and white pattern in kitchen window with a solid white Roman shade wth gray trim...high contrast would look wonderful! See image for two cordinating fabrics...that way you can accent with pops of yellow in both spaces.

Hope I am helping:)

You sure are!!! Thanks so much! Mmm-wah! Lol

Rooms I could live in...ahhhhh...

The Mister says no to plain window dressings...he likes a bit of bling that pattern gives, otherwise too plain=boring. :) i has to say, I agree.

Oh.....Em Bee all the rooms you love are filled with layered neutrals and the last image has solid drapes with navy accent trim...and it looks gorgeous!!! You can do solid drapes With any color trim you desire.....I think?? I have the fabric the drapes are made of in the second image very close....it is so pretty...it is a Robert Allen fabric in a gray with white large pattern...this would be gorgeous in your home!

I agree! That is a lovely fabric. BUT I did try that sort of idea today and it looked...well...okay... What would you suggest for the roman shades? (It does appear we are on the same page, lol)

Well you really have to take into consideration that the room is empty and not filled with your furniture and accents......that is really what will bring your room alive...it is the combination of everything and what it brings to the room...layer after layer. What color sofa is going in this room? Is it a neutral gray..neutral linen..is it a warm or cool neutral? If you are picking fabrics that have a lot of white it can make neutrals appear yellow or tan so very important to layer the tone of sofa into your room three times....

Here is the sofa and love seat fabric on the right. It is by Superstyle. The tone on tone fabric was from the Canadel chair fabric choices. The wood is from my work island.

And now for something completely different...my friend suggests the aqua colours...what do you think? These fabric swatches do go really well in this sunlit room... However, would it look odd at fall season or Christmas? Would it look too southern...this is Canada and we usually bring in autumn tones in the fall...

Aqua has been in for years, since about 2009 min. I would look for the newer trends, which are deep jewel colours, caramel, and pastels. You will get more years before they appear dated.

But I keep going back to yellow! If I gave complete reign of decorating this room to you...all of you reading this...and asked to be surprised, what would colour palette would YOU choose to do?? I might have to just go that way....

Tibbletrouble...after reading this thread and seeing the pics, what colours do you suggest for my great room?

In terms of fashion, the French yellow is fine. But bang on 2016 is this pic of yours with caramel leather seating added. The key here is the deep blue

No to Aqua. I love indigo. A pop of yellow pairs well. As does jade

This is 2016,

https://www.houzz.com.au/magazine/trend-forecast-key-colours-for-2016-stsetivw-vs~54575465

after that, 2017 is forecast for dark green, less gold and more shiny black metal, and terracotta, including wall tiles.

Oohhhh...I remember dark jade green carpet in the '80's! Yikes! Nope. Not going there ever. Lol. I think I am happiest with neutral decor, touches of grey and black, wth pops of yellow, white, ...what you would call understated elegance, with timeless appeal. Now I know what I want, I will have to wait til I move in and see how the creamy beige sofa's look ...so excited to get it all together! Been renting temporarily for seven months, this place looks like a FED-Ex warehouse...boxes stacked to the ceiling in most rooms. We are living like hoarders, lol. Oh well, short term pain for long term gain! ;) thank you everyone for your input. You have been awesome to try to help me!