attaching the rest!

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I think the grey you have is pretty color and very on trend. I would get rid of the white chair railing though, because it makes your space seem too busy. I Like the idea of white cabinets and a dark grey island. I would then change the white carpet on the stairs to the same wood flooring in the dining room and kitchen, maybe add a sisal runner. then consider painting the wooden railing white, make the dark metal rails pop and relate better to the black countertop on the island. the wooden beam between the dining room and living room would also look better if it were painted to match the ceiling. Since, you thus far have only neutrals you have the option of working in a bright color or two in your accessories. You have a wide range of choices, but may want to pull a color in from an adjoining room. My first thoughts would be some bright fuschias and yellows, which look great with grey. However, grey being essentially neutral you could go in many color directions. Some green plants would also look great! Good luck! It's a lovely space to work on!

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My last comment was made before the other pics were posted, so based entirely on the first picture only. After seeing the other pics, it looks like the room of the dining room actually has two wall colors, grey below chair rail and purple (?) above. I would still do away with the chair railing in this room and make the walls all one color. You could easily add some curtain panels in this room to soften the edges. Also, after getting a better look at your painted white table, it might look nice in black chalk paint. The tan/taupe color in the adjoining room would also look nice carried into the hearth room and kitchen area.

Thank you, Mary. The wall is actually the same colour. Not sure why it would look different! I was planning on painting out the chair rail the same colour as the wall, and getting some curtains. I have chosen yellow as an accent colour and am just trying to find inexpensive ways to bring it in. I am having a surprisingly difficult time finding pillows that I like in yellow! I bought a new rug for the family room. It is a jute/cotton rug with a subtle striping of yellow, brown, grey and ivory. I'm hoping that it is a little less fussy than the rug I have now which was intended for the dining room. I love all the ideas that you suggested, but not sure if I'll ever be able to talk Mike into painting the banister or the changing he carpet just yet. There is a lot of carpet in the house and it is an expense that will have to wait. I thought about painting the table black, but thought it might be too "heavy" in the small space that is our eat in kitchen. (But then Mike came home today with a 60 gallon fish tank to replace the one that we have! So I think that painting the table black might be the only way to not have the fish tank dominate the entire room :( I chuckled when you made the comment about the beige/tan looking nice in the kitchen as that is what was there when we bought the house...except that the previous owners did have two different colours...beige and brown on the bottom! I just wanted to update the space and make it my own...but with the vaulted ceilings in the living room, painting in there would be a huge job!

Also, I just bought some creamy white leather side chairs for the kitchen table...would you suggest changing those :( or would they still work with the table if it were black?

The new rug sounds great both the colors and material. Have you considered yellow curtains? I think they would be great in a very light, diaphenous fabric, hung all the way from the ceiling to the floor. I received Ethan Allen's new catalog today and they had some great examples of yellow and grey rooms. Some of the yellow pillows they used were in geometric prints and would add some pattern to your family room space. Then maybe a little red from the flowers in your dining room? Several things come to mind with your kitchen table. If you painted it black, I'd choose a soft black and not glossy. If black the new white chairs with it may be too much of a contrast. What if you painted it all black except the table top itself and stripped it and put a natural stain on it and used the cute chairs in the picture? That would lean toward your french country. Or it you wanted to keep the white chairs consider a softer/quieter color on the table... a lighter grey, or a darker grey with a light metallic silver wash over it. Another option which I always like is to take out the leaf, make the table round then add a round beveled glass top that extends about 8-12 inches out from the edge. This can give a traditional style a little nudge toward modern/transitional. You need a thick piece of glass for this to make it look right.

Your fire place mantel is another area that would be easy to bring in some colors with accessories.

I have two suggestions for your living room. I think you need a little more color, maybe red pillows on the sofa? And how fun would it be to cover the pillows on your slipper chairs with a zebra print? The alcove in the living room has lots of potential. My first suggestion though would be to have a cabinet maker customize the space with built-ins painted white to match your trim. Consider things like glass shelving (I like to go ahead and pay for the wood ones and have them painted and then I have the option to change them out with the glass ones as the mood and season strikes me), lighting and electrical outlets. The back wall of the cabinet could be done in a variety of options...mirrored, painted, papered. I like to use the thin foam board from a hobby store and cut it to fit snug then cover it with fabric or paper and change it out every so often. The cost is really nominal. I have seen wall paper and wrapping paper used this way successfully. There are amazing new wallpapers out there with texture, shine, shimmer and some great grasscloths. Having said that, if you plan on any of these options, the back wall of the cabinet should just be your wall and save yourself some money. Enjoy the process!

I completely understand about painting wood and changing out flooring, am currently in a four stage/three year remodel with similar dilemmas!

Hello

Wow. You've done a fabulous job. Your home is beautiful and you've made great furniture choices.

I would also protest over painting the kitchen cabinets. I love the way your cabinets look with the wood floor.

Is that a TV on top of the mantel? If so, I think it's too high and not too attractive. I would move it to the wall where the chairs are now, with a console under it, and move the chairs to flank the fireplace. Then find a great piece of art for the mantel.

Try searching etsy.com for pillows.

Searching "yellow pillow" on etsy.com brought up these.

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas, Mary! I love the idea of recovering the pillows in a fun zebra print. Right now, the Chinese cabinet in the living room is housing all our office stuff (printer, shredder, etc)...but one day when a room becomes available, the thought of built in open shelving sounds wonderful. I painted part of the chair rail yesterday and I love the result. Can't wait to get at the rest of it. As for the table, I love the idea of a light/metallic grey colour. I have something in a similar colour as a bedside table in my master bedroom. So much to do and think about. I've also been on the look out for a chair or two to replace the brown chairs from Mikes previous life...any suggestions?

Groveraxle...hi :) and thank you for the kind words. I do like my kitchen...but have always dreamed a white one with lots of sparkly things... It's the girl in me. And I do know what you mean about the tv. However, my husband is the chef in the house and he enjoys watching tv as he cooks. And unfortunately, the staircase makes it impossible to view the tv from the kitchen if we move it to the other wall.
My one and only etsy experience...I ordered this beautiful yellow ginger jar...without reading the dimensions, and it came the size of my hand. Who makes a ginger jar the size of your palm?? I was a little put out...but maybe I'll give it another go as in really liked the last pillow in the pictures. Anyone have any ideas for curtains in the living room? Should I use the same curtains throughout? To try and tie the spaces together?

What would you guys think about painting the formal dining room a charcoal grey? I want something dramatic that would bring some of the grey into the other rooms. Or do you think it would be too dark? I will try to post better pictures of the dining room. Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas...

If you paint the dining room charcoal, your table and chairs will disappear. I wouldn't do it.

I like the color of the dining room, groveraxle is right it shows your furniture well. I don't see much of a need to bring the grey in there especially since it can be considered a neutral. Understand your need to wait on the built in shelving. When it is time, I would consider having the bottom be cabinets with doors, which will add some hidden storage and look good to. I can't see the brown chairs too well from the pics, but they look kind of interesting. If you think they need replaced, just keep in mind size, it's easy to get chairs that are too big. You may need to consider going with just one chair. Either way this is a chance to add some of the yellow you like. I would stay with clean lines though like your sectional. Also, the wall behind them is begging for some major artwork. If you are going to keep your tv above the mantel, adding some abstract art on the wall behind it would make it more interesting. As would colored vases flanking it rather than the clear glass...white, yellow or red maybe? From your pictures you obviously have good instincts, just follow them!

Okay! Thanks, guys :) I've been looking for an excuse to buy a new dining table, but get what you are saying about the colour and the furniture now. I've been waiting on buying the art as I don't want to rush into anything...still waiting for something to speak to me. I really appreciate all the advice and when the time comes for me to do the master bedroom...I'll be back!

Hi, what about painting the kitchen table yellow? Especially if you go with the yellow diaphanous curtains maryfgraves suggested...
http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm;jsessionid=4A8348F8ECE693C21035F64E541FC408.worker1?photoId=90674&index=1&spaceId=11

ooohhh...I think I like that. Am going to google images right now...