@decoenthusiaste - You're right that it has been a while and my blank slate of a house is growing a layer of decor. I am mixing DIY with purchases and the process is slow. However, I think I am making progress. There are many projects completed since I originally posted: I have attended to the bedroom window treatments in each of the bedrooms (not worth showing yet). I stained, finished and hug (30) wood doors and the fiberglass front door in our house. We installed woven wood shades in my husband's office and built custom shelves above the desk. I created a gallery wall of family photos in the hallway. I am sure there are others. I am now tired of the paper shades in our LR/DR space I am ready to focus on that. I also am in need of storage and shelving in this area too. There are too many toys all over the place! At the moment there are 2 looks that I like. I like the woven wood\seagrass blinds layered with the white floor to ceiling drapes. This might help link my maple cabinets to the connected LR/DR. I also really like this look - white roman shades mixed with tailored box valance.

Sunnydrew - great idea with the lights. Kathryn - where are you? I wish you could refer me to someone here near Denver. We're in Boulder county and I'm so lost. It's not easy to find a decorator - I've done it before when we lived near Chicago and wasn't happy with my choice - ended up with things I didn't like but had to live with because I was working and traveling all the time and just got too busy to care. I'm sure once I get settled in and meet people here I will get to know where to go - but thank you SO much for your help and ideas. Yes, we've talked about enclosing the island in a nice wood - it's got to look like part of the whole. I hate that texture-painted wall and ceiling color and it's in every room and on all ceilings. I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO but at least now I have tons of ideas and a jumping off point - and goals! And thank you for the additional pictures. Love that place!

It must be me, but I am getting tired of seeing gallery walls. They are difficult to do but, that being said you can google frames for a gallelry wall and they have kits that come with a template and all the frames. you just hand the template/s, tap in the nail on the predetermined spot on the template, ad then frame and hang your pictures.....or a pair of very large coordinating art pieces, prints, paintings, wood, wreath, gates for a country look, hung one on top of each other could be really impactful and would not go above the stair railing. Good call GA! Are you going to paint that fab gold mirror blue or white for a cottage look over the fireplace. Would look fab!

Karen - the walls are painted 'city retreat' by Valspar And yes, it looks pink and purple at times. Previous owners painted it. Yes, I would change paint colors too. Again, just not sure what color. I'm sort of over beige. But definitely a soft blue would be nice. Attached are a few more pics. I centered sofa and coffee table and placed the chairs in a few different places. I also moved sofa back over to original spot and placed chairs in front of window with the small round ottoman in front of them. Let me know what you all think! Thanks again!! Sarah Sofa centered here with chairs both on one side. The small brown chest/desk would not fit in the corner to the right of the window with everything pushed down and centered. View from keeping room looking into living room. Sofa centered in pic below with chairs on either side of the end tables. Then I moved chairs to other side of the room, in front of the window. I feel like when you are looking into the keeping room from living room, there is no separation. The floors are different, but other than that, it is SO open. Maybe I'm just not used to a bigger house. Our old home (100 years old) and was boxy. And the keeping room {as I call it since it has a fireplace} is not our 'dining room'. We have a formal dining room on other side of front door/stairs. My husband went back and forth for 8 months on what to do with the keeping room. I wanted chairs and he wanted a farm table. He won {obviously}. With the sofa moved back down to the right {not centered} I was able to put the small chest/desk to the right of the window. The measurements on either side of the window are not the same so the chest would not fit on the wall next to the window. {if that makes sense}. And excuse the blanket under the chest. I had to slide that across the floor and it didn't have the furniture felt things on the bottom! I think the round ottoman looks a little weird right here in the pic above, but looking at it from the view below, it looks a little okay. Thank you again! Sarah