I’d like to talk about the wood trim. It is not the best, but to pull it off and replace it could be expensive and you other things you want to do.

I would paint the trim the wall color. Do the walls AND CEILING in a matte finish and the trim in a semi-gloss. That way you are getting rid of the stain by painting, but not calling attention to the size. It can be a very good look. I’ll see if I can find some pictures.

When you say to paint the trim the wall color, do you mean the framing around the doorways/cut out or along the baseboard or both?

inspiration pics

Just a note, the ceiling fan needs to be changed out, it looks horrendous hanging from the beam. Other than that, you need textured solid throws and pillows....

lindsaymcc,

The wall is load bearing. The ceiling joists (CJs) of the declining sloped ceiling rest on it. But a steel beam/microlam (if it's not already there) might let you open the wall more.

FYI, people usually have to paint their trim because lesser expensive pine finger-jointed trim is used. Yours appears to be the more expensive 'clear' trim (maybe in oak?). Wouldn't you want to show it off by keeping it unpainted? Given that it's not very wide lends itself to help convey a sleek contemporary look with a coloured (darker?) stain. If it's poly'd you should prep the surface anyway so why not prep it to take a darker stain that doesn't obliterate the grain? If you do decide to paint I'd encourage something other than cliche white (which is the default colour of those using MDF or PVC trim). And, "no", stained trim doesn't have to match the floor stain colour.

The raised panel cabinet doors define the style; not the brass hardware. A more contemporary look req's the doors to be replaced. If you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore nearby this need not be an expensive undertaking. One possible 'quick fix': panels of luan panelboard trimmed to re-face the cabinets...can be painted or stained.

Good luck w/ your project.

Sustainable Dwellings - I agree with the fan needing to go! What type of fixture would you suggest?

Yes, every thing which is not wall, gets the semi-gloss and everything wall, including ceiling gets the matte.

Do the mantel in semi-gloss also.

For the upholstery, I suggest that rather than buying two sofas you consider 3 love seats instead. I think the three would look good around your fireplace and you still get 6 seats.

Linda, is this your furniture or are these photos from the previous owners?
The furniture is quite country/traditional, which emphasizes the country/traditional elements of the space. If you could replace the kitchen chairs, red chair and sofas with something a bit more sleek you'd be on your way.
So when you look for your leather couch, select something with more contemporary, squared-off lines (like the chairs in Anne Dee's inspiration photo with the antler chandelier).) Steer away from poufy, rolled arm, etc. (However you do have to make sure your new sofa is comfortable--I picked one out that somehow isn't deep enough to relax in and regret it.
Also, with leather sofas, my experience is that with a baby, the cheap shiny leather works better than buttery soft expensive leather. Spills and baby vomit are easier to wipe off! Besides, the reality is that kids are pretty tough on furniture up to about age 6 or 7, and at some point looking at the couch and remembering what's been on it is going to make you feel a little ill yourself! You'll experience less guilt about replacing a sofa if you only expected to have it for a few years anyway....;^)

Great advice, myexecutiveranch.

It's the previous owners furniture - not our age bracket/style at all!

Good morning, Linda! I lean toward JudyG's suggestion to paint your trim the same as your wall color. The mouldings aren't very substantial and accentuating them, especially in a room with a vaulted ceiling, isn't really adding anything to the look.

If you are wanting a modern look in here, I would go with very pale grey or chalky white walls. Ben Moore's Classic Grey would look especially nice with the red brick of your FP. Here are a few pics of the color in a room.

Rather than buy leather sofas, would you consider slipcovered sofas? Not as quick and easy to wipe as leather, but you can still pull off individual seat and back covers, or the entire skin, and throw in the laundry. The baby spit-up stage lasts such a short time, it might not be worth planning furniture you will have for ten years or more around that!

The sofa below is the Solano from Pottery Barn, but they are available everywhere - different sofa styles, fabrics and colors.

I would love to see you place two sofas facing each other, and two arm chairs sitting tightly together, to form a nice grouping around that FP.

You have a beautiful home there - I can see why it spoke to you!

I am wondering what to do about the mirror in the alcove above the FP mantle, though..........haven't thought of anything yet!

Looking at your built-in bar, you could paint the cabinetry about two shades darker than the wall color. If the walls are Classic Gray, the color,would be Cumulous Cloud, shown below. You could then change out the hardware to shiny nickel.

I'm scared of not having more of a contrast between the trim and cabinetry and walls - I just don't know if it's too monochromatic for us... If we didn't paint the trim and kept it as-is, I'm afraid there's too much wood. I think paint will help tone it down, as will some darker furniture and rugs...thoughts in a revere pewter color for the walls?

If we were to keep the trim a

OK, I could not resist. Your room is so inspiring! Here's a pic collage of how I imagine it to look. I would add to this a textural rug made of recycled denim - tough, durable and childproof!

Linda, I have never used Revere Pewter, and I hear mixed opinions about it here on Houzz. It seems to come out boring beige in some homes. If you try some paint from a sample can, making sure to test it next to the wood, you might like it AND you might find it looks OK enough to leave the wood as is.

My personal opinion about stained wood trim is that it looks best with warm whites - maybe VERY pale greys - but I don't like it against colored walls. If you are going to keep the stained trim, it should be a feature of the room and the wall color should not compete with it.

I love the fireplace ,maybe your focal point could be this and you could try beige or off white on walls ,definitely all the inputs will guide you but I think washable material in cherry and brown color will look good

We suggest a mid-value wall color that wraps onto the pitched ceiling in the LR as well, creating more containment and warmth. We recommend a color like a mushroom, with enough contrast to the floors and fireplace, and painting all of the trim a lighter contrast, just not white We would actually recommend shutters painted in the trim color to close off the 'window' opening between the Kitchen and the Great Room, giving both rooms more interest . This could follow suit on the window near the fireplace and any others in the room. The fan can be replaced with a more updated one, Big Ass Fans has nice ones, or a statement chandelier. The chandeliers in the Kitchen being replaced with an updated (lantern or drum shade style possibly) over the table and track or a broad surface mounted fixture for general lighting will greatly contribute to the new Kitchen. The cabinet door style should become more streamlined- a Shaker style door perhaps. A strong countertop stone will really add nice visual weight and grounding- Ceasarstone Lagos Blue is nice, or any of the plethora of granite slabs available. A stunning tile for the backsplashes in both the Kitchen and Bar would bring things to life and add more to your design story- try a blend of glass and natural stone and metals. Bring in some metal elements in a table or two, and textural interest and pattern in pillows, rug, lampshades, etc. We encourage you to find leather in a tone that is not brown, so that is contributes to the palette you will create- perhaps a tobacco, mocha, taupe or whiskey tone, and certainly not a "set"- mix up the leathers, or do a chair in an outdoor fabric (lots of great ones out there and are very cleanable and durable) or the very child-pet friendly ultrasuede.