This blog post of an Atlanta townhouse done in a French country flair might help

https://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com/p/my-home.html

At first I thought your metal furniture didn’t read French country, but her textiles and colors carry it off. Your red lamp shades are a good start. Of course, you wont’t want the busyness in the picture, but tone it down, more solids and just the occasional pattern in similar colors, would be nice.

Her kitchen is boring on its own, her accessories read (literally!) French. You won’t want all the writing, I suppose, but a little bit, and perhaps some accessories in that golden yellow or even Deruta Italian ceramics can read French. I have a LeCreuset utensil canister from TJMaxx in that golden yellow that I love. (I’m trying to go Frenchy in my kitchen. Even though I have a couple of stainless appliances, I am looking for copper knobs to go with the PO’s copper hinges on the cabinets to warm it up.)

I’m going to come back and add link and photos, Houzz is giving me pains posting today. Well, got two pictures but it won’t let me post a link. The blog is Confessions of a Plate Addict, and ”My Home” along the banner is the post.

In the post from apartment therapy, they painted not the kitchen cabinets but the walls to kind of blend, because it’s a rental.

https://www.thekitchn.com/oak-kitchen-cabinet-disguise-23612372?fbclid=IwAR3hkg7i-YBeemd6dcbrvCIDJ5mSpKSgzCfgzZ8H33z6nKmWq2gsNhz_Lr4

By the way, I found some of those same suggestions for my own kitchen at thrift stores, church rummage sales, and estate sales, and my local fb marketplace group (not the public fb marketplace).

Is that a fireplace in your island? How lovely!!! I'd keep that in mind when designing your space using french country. BM has a paint palette for French country. Google it.

I think that you need to change the light fixture to something a little more natural, perhaps a nice wicker fixture. Amazon has some nice ones. Wicker and wrought iron go really nicely together. I'd also not paint your beautiful wooden cupboards, but add some hardware instead, something that harmonizes the counter with the wooden colour of the cabinets, and light fixture in the dining area that should be replaced and your wrought iron. Try and keep all of the metals similar. I picked up a wrought iron/wicker bakers shelf stand for 80.00 on FB marketplace.

It looks like your curtains and cushions are grey? Grey to me is a downer, so perhaps you might want to replace the curtains, something lighter and more feminine in your favourite shade, or natural shade, that'll tie in the living and dining/kitchen area. Winners/Home Sense, has inexpensive curtains. I'd keep the curtains, colour scheme of kitchen the same in the 3 areas of this space. And lastly, painting a ceiling black, will draw the ceiling down, and probably your light, etc. I advise against that.

Your home has so many positives, plenty of windows/light, a fantastic archway and fireplace!

To cozy up a space, you want warm colors. Bluish grey is lovely, but not if it is dominant. One suggestion I have, is how about some rich colored curtains, maybe with some gold sparkle threads in the weave.

You can get all kinds of ideas with a quick google grey, gold and maroon. Here's one example of a warm yet understated curtain. https://www.amazon.com/HLC-ME-Decorative-Insulated-Darkening-Soundproof/dp/B0719PRNCH/ref=asc_df_B08HPH7XXR/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=647178178509&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7823191108295146704&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017298&hvtargid=pla-1953705502023&mcid=d8f55513223832f3a9d863054a98b3ad&th=1

I second and third the idea of shopping thrift for perhaps some art. I have builders white walls but lots of art which warms it right up. A collage of art makes more of an impact than small, individual art hanging all by itself. You can also google lots of ideas for creating gallery walls. Even inexpensive calendar art could work in your space, with black frames. I bought a set of repro Japanese watercolor paintings in a calendar and created an art collage for my guest bedroom wall. Easy peasy.

To help with sound, there are lovely dish towels/tea towels in a range of colors and themes, that can be stapled to a wood canvas-stretcher and hung. (maybe Scotchgard them)

Paint the kitchen and dining room a relaxing sage-aloe color to bridge your counter and cabinets. Black seems jarring, not too neuro-friendly.

Cozy up the living room with a blue and grey scheme. - Paint it grey blue, a few shades darker than your curtains and pillows. Swap red shades for textured burlap shades, and red blanket for light blue print fleece Add bamboo blinds (don't have to be functional) peeking out between the curtains for more texture and warmth.

Arrange sofas into an L by placing the one in front of the window now, and move it in front of the other window. Place the chairs in front of the window where the sofa is now. Purchase cushions or pads for the iron arm chair so it looks soft and inviting.

Make a slip cover that goes over both halves of your coffee table/bench set up so it looks like one unit instead of two. I've made a ton of things with Ikea table cloths as super cheap yardage. And. I'm lazy, so I'd find a way to simply fasten together the inside corners with binder clips that can't be seen from the outside.

What a gorgeous dog! Here is an article with some interesting points about autism and paint colors, light, and other decorating issues. https://embrace-autism.com/autism-friendly-home-design/

Example of curtains and bamboo together - cozy!

Living room sofa, curtains, walls all shades of blue. Do this with shades of bluish grey.

Living room · More Info

Pretty fleece blanket. Yahoo for textures.

Leaf Branch Pattern Light Blue 50x60 Coral Fleece Blanket · More Info

Burlap shade

French Drum Burlap Lampshade, 10"x12"x8.5", Natural · More Info

Slip covered ottoman

Ikea table cloth 59" x 59"

Thank you, thank you, thank you! SO many good ideas I hadn’t considered!!!