Lol! Its not my regular taste to be honest but I fell in love when I saw it in 2015 bc of the warmth I guess and lighting and use of warm woods

Yes, I also liiked that the walls werent painted grey, its not my fav colour and its everywhere!

I looked at the video as well-I thought the house was tasteful and not garish, though it is dated, but still stylish. I am glad you both dislike gray. We did gray walls 5 years ago when we had our house built. In retrospect I wish we would have gone with taupe or something current in that palette. We definitely have introduced warm woods, and changed light fixtures among other things, to add color. Too many people go with gray walls, and white kitchens with stainless steel appliances, and then become starved for color. This is an exciting time for the OP-you are doing your research so you can make decisions that will make you happy. Take your time too. Does not all have to be done immediately. You want to be thrilled and not regret a choice.

The wall mouldings help to give it an elegant feel, as well as the light fixtures.

Thanks so much guys!

Two things im curious about and I'm wondering if anyone would know about

When comparing to the photo below to the house in the post, how can I make sure I don't get this really cold white look - 2 things I noticed

1) Both homes have potlights - does one home have a more "yellowish" liight in them?

2) Both homes have white walls - does the shade of white make such a big difference that (in my possibly wrong opinion) one house looks very warm and the other looks very cold and sterile?

I know the clooring has to do with it too but it appears as tho even where there is dark hardwood floors the home looks "colder"

I think the room in that picture has style-it is not ugly, and the furnishings and fixtures are not cheap. But as you pointed out-white white white. Some people like that look. I believe you should design your home around what pleases you, not what others might approve of (I know I am in the minority with that sentiment). In that picture, I see white floors, white planters, a white rug in the next room, glass fixture, gray/white treatments etc. The plants (which are healthy) are the only real color in that one room. I am no designer and would not presume to say I have experience as one, but I like color, and I suspect you do as well. Putting a rug in that room and maybe changing that fixture to something with brass would make a huge difference.

I believe you should design your home around what pleases you, not what others might approve of (I know I am in the minority with that sentiment).

In bold - you are not in the minority!

White glossy porcelain tile is hard to warm up, even when you see it used in warm climates like Miami.

That pic above looks like some shade of grey wall - not white. Obviously the trim is white.

The table and chairs are too small for the space. The room next to it with the tv - looks more inviting.

It seems that wide base mouldings, panel mouldings, and judicious use of small recessed cans would go a long way to recreate the "feel" of this model in your home.

Thanks so much!! Are small recessed cans the same as potlights?

Can lights be more yellow than others with these small recessed cans? ˇhe lights seem so much more warm thhan normal and I am wondering if it is because they have a more yellow hue

Thanks!

Window coverings make a huge difference - it was one of the things I liked in the video, and don't like in the second space.......While I love floor tile, don't do high gloss white, like in that photo. There's nothing that will make that look warm.

Many professional designers eschew ceiling lights for eye-level lighting from sconces and table lamps.

That's how they get that flattering glow.

Maria Killam is a designer who I follow and like a lot for her down-to-earth, practical advice (even for the budget conscious, like me). She is all about teaching how to use color, and how to keep your neutrals consistent, and she has various blog posts that I find enlightening. She is also a big proponent of lamps and sconces rather than ceiling lights.

I admit, however, that I very much enjoy flipping a light switch on the wall to light up a room. That's my practical side (I'm no designer, by the way).

You can purchase bulbs with different K values, and you probably want 3500K and below to get a warmer glow from your bulbs.

I surmise, perhaps, that what you like about the house in the photos is that the traditional furniture looks proportional, the color vibes are consistent (one room is cream/gold with touches of black), the woods are warm and medium-toned to warm/dark, and the traditional molding, sconces, lamps and framed art look pretty timeless. The photos are the antithesis of the all white/gray farmhouse look that has been so prevalent for the past decade and a half.

What is it that YOU like about the house in the photos?

I suggest that you start pinning things you like over on Pinterest, which will help you identify what it is YOU like and start developing a feel for how designers accomplish such a finished look. There are tons of designers to follow on instagram, too, to get a daily dose of beauty that appeals to you.

so my question is what are some features in this house that you think make it special or give the warm/elegant vibe.

Things that stand out to my eye:

- Traditional /transitional kitchen cabinets with "furniture feet" ... made modern with multiple woods + paint. Lots of glass front cabinets. Massive island is a centerpiece ... this would only be work in a huge house, and it's not overly practical. Do not try to pull off these mixed-tones yourself; only a real pro could pull this off. Between the expensive cabinetry, double islands and upscale appliances, this is an extremely expensive kitchen.

- White trim, white walls ... but enough dark-dark to anchor it /keeps it from being the oh-so-trendy modern farmhouse white.

- Simple but wide molding and baseboards. While these things seem small, well done moldings really add to the overall feel of a house. This should be a splurge item, but they are something you can add on your own later. Look into foam moldings instead of wood, especially if you're adding them yourself.

- Lots of mixed flooring ... tile, parquet ... not the more typical hardwood flooring. Note that multiple floor materials can be more work to keep clean. Also note that in a smaller house, this could backfire on you /could make your space look choppy.

- French doors echo the glass kitchen cabinet doors.

- Simple linen-type curtains ... are the ones in the living room velvet? Long and straight. The curtains are hung on heavy rods.

- We can't see the windows in this house, but -- to mesh with the rest of this place -- I'm sure they're top-notch windows. Good quality windows make a difference in the overall feel of a house; they should be a splurge item. This space doesn't seem to have a whole lot of windows.

- Lots of true beige neutrals throughout ... with lots of gold undertones /gold trim. I don't think I saw a single print fabric.

- The furniture is transitional /looks soft and comfortable. Except for the tables, little here is "hard" ... that is, stuffed ottomans, cloth chairs at the dining room table. Lots of rounded edges.

- Most of the chairs in the seating areas "have legs" instead of being skirted.

- The walls aren't over-stuffed with artwork, and they have quite a few mirrors throughout.

I liked that the walls weren't painted gray!

Yes, since you say you like warm /yellow lighting, gray is completely not for you. If you buy a new house, you may find that gray is the default ... but you must say no.

I believe you should design your home around what pleases you, not what others might approve of (I know I am in the minority with that sentiment).

Eh, people SAY you should use what you like ... right before they delve into everything that's trendy right now and whine about "dated" items.

Many professional designers eschew ceiling lights for eye-level lighting from sconces and table lamps.

That's how they get that flattering glow.

Yes, multiple light sources in every room ... not just one ceiling light.

You can purchase bulbs with different K values, and you probably want 3500K and below to get a warmer glow from your bulbs.

Yes, the right bulbs can make such a difference, but I'm no expert on the topic.