Picture behind sofa has to be very 5 ft long and 45" high. Or a very big mirror same size would work to. If no TV on that chest add art work over it. 40x40 in colors. Go a contemporary look in rugs, panels, and art.

What ever you put on windows carry though with the same in all areas. Pleated blinds in white lowes has and will cut to fit windows. Put panels on ends only on slider. You need 8 x10 rug for dining. Ikea has some good ones. You need art in dining area between window. Remember scale not small hang low. Only 5" above furn. Ikea has some art too.

I like floors, chandelier, and dining rm furn. Keep to that look dark wood, brush nickel. End tables in dark wood would work better. Get a new stainless floor lamp modern. Get rid of one you have. Update.

For the dining room- your table is gorgeous. When choosing two rugs, find like colors and then make sure you do not go too matchy. These two rugs are the same tones and would work well in adjoining spaces.

Get rid of chair by island. Get 3 bar stools. Something in brushed nickel in metal. Good for kids. Window in kitchen. A roman shade in a accent color.

I would like to see some more color in rugs.

All I see is beige and hard edges. You need to soften the walls with window panels...add color with art, pillows, throw, area rugs, accessories. Go for those bar stools for extra seating. And make sure lamps are spread around the room for good lighting.

You have can lights, so lamps are more for reading and mood. Put 3 way bulbs in them.

Wondering if carpet squares would be a good choice? The colors and possibilities are endless. Love this space.

Are you near a college? Check out student art shows--buy original art! no more expensive than reproductions from stores, and lots more fun to find.

arthappy_1 -- thank you for the suggestion.

Commission art at the local college - professors and students are good sources.

travisinteriors - Thanks for so many suggestions. Some questions - The pleated shades you see in the LR are paper ones that we hung for privacy when we moved in. Do you like the look with permanent shades as well as panels? Or did you mention them because they were already in place?
I like your suggestion for swivel chairs as well need more seating. There is currently no TV above the chest, but it is wired for it. The large plants you mention are already in place.

You could put area rug in living rm under dining. I think a darker paint. A chocolate would be nice. Windows cover and paint should be first thing you do.

Yes said pleated because saw they were there. I thought of cost. But really dressing the windows with shutters or roman mix with panels is way to go. What State are you.?

Your chest is perfect place for big TV and should be added. Take new pic as you go so can give comments. Darker end tables for sure also.

With three kids, you certainly have plenty of artwork and pictures - how about a gallery wall above the sofa instead of one giant piece of art? I definitely think a fun patterned curtain on clips (easy removal for washing and safety so kids don't pull curtain rods down on their heads) would soften up the room, and a roman shade above the window in the kitchen could help control some light. These are the clips I mean: You have such a great space. Good luck!

Congrats on finding your forever home! Just a few suggestions:
Bring in some color on the walls with art work, on shelves with pic frames, vases, etc, and on sofa with pillows. Perhaps add some big pillows for floor lounging- the kids will love them!
Use textured roman shades at the windows; you can find them at Lowes or Home Depo and even purchase liners for greater privacy.
Consider not using a rug under the dining table for ease of cleanup and chair moving. I think it's a very dated custom that needs to die. Eliminating the rug actually helps make the dining area flow better into the surrounding areas.

I like the clips, they come in wood and brush nickel too. I would use brush nickel rods and clip. Lowe's carry all. Window covers except for pleated shades are expensive, at lowe's.

I am attaching the window treatment I made for the one window in my master bath. Do you think this style (patterned light filtering roller shade with box pleat valance) would be nice in the LR/DR windows if I add color with wall art and rug? I am concerned about all that fabric from 6 large to the floor panels.

Valances, especially pleated ones, are very formal and less fashionable today. Stationary drapery panels over a shade or even a cordless roman, will add so much warmth to your space. It doesn't take much fabric if you aren't going to close them. A single panel can be as narrow as 50" and still look good. Just be sure they hang floor to ceiling - don't skimp on the length. This should be a simple project for you if you sew. Over the sink, I'd purchase a cordless honeycomb shade - love the fact there are no cords to get in the dish water! Here's a pair of well coordinated IKAT rugs.

You have a great space..and the kitchen.very nice.

decoenthusiaste - I love the rugs -- especially the orange and gray. I would love to see some recommendations for window panel fabric that would coordinate.

I love the orange and gray also. You could go a orange and white trellis or chevon print panels . Would look great and bring in color. I would then paint a soft gray. Use a gray solid roman shade in kitchen. Go with silver metal bar stools.

You could use both toes rug one in dining and living. Would work. Add orange and white pillows to sofa and chair. Add two other chairs in same colors keep chairs more gray than orange. Adding some gray and orange accents in kitchen will try it together.

Use woven wood shades on the windows to tie-in the various wood tones. Place drapery panels in a geometric design to frame windows. You need COLOR in this space -- it's very bland. Complementary tones are nice -- try shades of blue with some orange or yellow for pop. No need for a rug under the table if you place 2 occasional chairs in the space between the table and living area. Then the table won't seem to be "floating" in it's space.
Coordinate accessory colors with colors in the wall art work.

Rugs do not have to match just because you have an open floor plan. They just have to be in the same family. For instance the rug you have in the living room is kinda western. If you keep it the dining room should also kinda be western. I would invest in a Large oriental rug with lots of color (reds) very busy pattern and replace the living room rug with a large loop shag solid color or shade of color that is in the dining room rug (not cream since your couch is cream).

To define and separate the living and dining areas, all you have to do is turn the sofa so that the back is toward the dining area. Try it and see if you like it. Then you could put a narrow sofa table behind it, maybe. That's what we did in our living/dining room.

Love your space! First you would need to identify what the room's function is, the choose a focal point that reflects your idea. No matter what piece of furniture you pick make sure it carries a strong presence. When you enter the room, the focal point should be the first place to which your eyes are drawn. your living room is very plain and. I would add brown as brown is a neutral colour in your space. as color is on of the most effective tool for altering the physical appearance of the room. colours have the ability to change our preception of space in a variety of ways. I would also use cream colours, you can use this colour when dressing your window covers, which I would use a silk pleated drape, but only at the end of the windown and comming out about 4" I would switch out your blinds and add the blinds that have a sheer lining through them, this will soften up your room with elegance and bring in a warm comforting feel when entering. the carpet you have in the living space now will work, with this colour and I would get some pillows in red, cream and use this to accessorie your room.
Good luck!

Woven wood shades would certainly be a good option to play up the orange tones in your rug. There are a few weaves that have a lot of depth, like Bamboo Essence Origami and Cordon Tan below. These shades from Levolor (h http://blnds.cm/XkMNPy) are available in cordless, which we suggest for homes with kids. Cords can sadly be a strangulation hazard.

If you want something really durable and kid safe, we'd recommend plantation shutters, cordless cellular shades (which come in a lot of fun colors), or cordless roller shades.

Good ideas Blinds.com. I like bamboo shades very inexpensive, Home Depot carry. Then add panels in a print on sides. All windows. Same just shade in kitchen.

Here's another take on woven wood or bamboo blinds. I actually have a light-blocking cellular shade that pushes all the way up under the bamboo, perfect for sleeping late mornings. I have tied off the bamboo permanently so I don't have to worry about cords around my kids, and the cellular shades are cordless. And here's another of a cafe rod style that I hung 2/3 up the window using pinch rings. No one can see in at night, unless they get a ladder, or they're 10 feet tall. Best part is that the "curtains" are actually tablecloths, which makes them perfect for my breakfast nook (not seen in photos). Everything else I bought at the big orange or big blue stores. Edited to add: Guess I should have checked my pictures before posting. The bamboo shades in the left picture are roman-style, and add nice texture to the room. The curtains in the right photo were never pushed back that far, but I guess I was trying to bring in more light when I photographed!

Congrats on your forever home! it is very nice! Nice job on the shade/valance you did for your bathroom! I'd do something like that for the window over the kitchen sink! It would be cost effective to keep the pleated shades in the living room, add some to the DR windows, and look for panels for all windows in LR, DR. Add color through accessories and artwork. Turquoise/red, turquoise/orange combinations are nice, with same colors in rugs. I agree with the above post about losing the chair in kitchen and getting bar stools. Do you really want a rug under the table with three kids (and visiting nieces and nephews)? How about a runner on table with a nice centerpiece?

I really like your forever home..I also like your paint color,you can add so many accessories,with that paint choice.

Wow - so many good suggestions. I guess I should have started by stating which items were new and staying in the design and the items that are old and on their way out. Counter stools are in place, have metal bottoms and medium brown linen look upholstered seat. I'll post photos when kitchen is clean. I planned to get more color into the kitchen with accessories, but was holding off on selecting the accent color. I love the orange/blue and gray combo. The existing rug is not special to me, so I am fine replacing it. Same with the existing end tables. Perhaps I can paint them dark brown to coordinate with the espresso finish on the dining room set. The sofa isn't my favorite but I can't justify replacing it yet. The walls were just painted so I am going to work with the existing color -- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray (hc-173). The blinds in the photos are paper stick on blinds installed for immediate privacy. I actually like the light filtering look of these blinds, but I am ready for the "real" window treatments.

@blinds.com -- we have woven wood shades from blinds.com in Petra in our home office and hallway directly above this space. I have the detached blackout liner and love the flexibility of having blackout or filtered light or raised shade. I am leaning toward light filtering cordless shade with panels on the sides for my LR/DR.

@Distinctive Staging and Consulting - can you provide an example of blinds with sheer lining in them? I am trying to search for them, but I don't think I am using the right search terms.

I would stain rather than paint. Expresso is color of table. Yr walls look beige, glad to hear they are gray. So the orange gray combo would work great for you. Go for it.

I would use pleated shades with a heavier filter for blocking out reflection on your tv, or, plantation shutters-they look awesome inside and out and they are easy to clean, and timeless. Definatley a panel or valance on the windows that will add color to the room without overpowering it. On the rugs, I would pick an indoor-outdoor style (theyr'e easy to keep clean) with a simple border. You can find them at Target- and get rid of the fringed rug that the kids will be kicking up and it will look messy and they tend to slip and bind up. I'm learning myself not to be afraid of bold colors, it just depends on where you put them, and how versatile they are. I would also consider setting the living room rug on a diagonal to add interest to the space, and then pick your wall art carefully, but go big at least on the wall behind the couch and use the other spaces where the shelves were for decorative family/artistic photos (black and white on burlap matting are awesome), large initials, etc.. A bolder color on the wall really makes the baseboards pop, so maybe something a bit darker. Adding texture (iron, burlap, aged wood) are all so great for adding depth and interest to your walls. And I would add crown molding.....just an idea. Have fun with it...looks like you have a great canvas to start with, and good luck!!

@dixie415 - crown molding is in the plans.

Here is a photo of our kitchen counter stools.

Since you like having the light filtering/blackout option with your woven wood shades, a good option might be our new Trilight shades. The top is a sheer pleated shade that will let in a lot of light and is essentially the "real" version of what you have now. The bottom is a cellular shade in light filtering or blackout. Either shade can be expanded to cover your whole window, and it's available in cordless.

http://blnds.cm/14Smcx8

@Kay - where is the multi colored striped rug from? I cannot find it on homedecorators site.

@Blinds.com - I ordered samples of the Trilight shades.

I have been looking at other rug options. I like the orange/blue/beige comb and I like these, but am still unsure. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Rugs above too boring, get one with more gray.

What about this eyecatcher? an unique handmade rug from Moldovan!

Panels from linen and things would be nice and some crown moulding at the top. Some decor on the walls (pier one, kirkland's, )

Does anyone know where I could find this rug -- or one similar?
[houzz=]

Its been a while, what have you done? Can we see updated pix?

@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.