I'm not usually a fan of so much neutral, but I do love this room. I love the contrast of all the natural elements with the crispness of the stripes and the softness of the floral. I love that rustic fireplace over to the side, coupled with the soft sheer curtains. And I really, really love those lamps.

My Living room

Here are some befores and durings...I won't say afters because I'm not nearly finished. But things are looking a little better. Sorry for the poor photo quality, it was getting dark when I took the pictures.

Before...

During...

Before...

During...

As you can see, we painted alot. The ceiling beams and trim is all SW Pure White, the walls are SW Believable Bluff, and the ceiling is SW Tidewater. At first we had talked about tearing down the ceiling beams, but after they went white and I painted the Tidewater between them, they became one of my favorite features of the room. We also painted the paneling. If you have a paneled wall, see if you can take off the paneling. We couldn't because those two closets are actually framed in by the panels. So, until we remodel the room, we had to leave the paneling walls. I painted them a bright white, which makes a huge different and adds a nautical feel to the room. They already have such a different texture from the rest of the room, that I felt they called for a different color too. If you paint paneling, make sure you get a good couple coats of primer on there first. I'm just going to say, it wasn't a quick project.

Mabley Handler

I've always loved mixing warm and cool tones. The trick is that they have to have the same vibrancy. Mabley Handler has done a great job in this room. She toned down the orange and teal with a neutral rug.

Someday I'm going to convince someone who has 15 foot windows to drape the whole height.

I would have gone with larger tables in a room with such heavy trim.

Also that lamp shade on the overhead is a little lacking.

Lee Ann Thornton

Lee Ann Thornton is a great designer from Connecticut. Here are a few of her rooms. I love her use of neutrals with splashed of light blues and gold. It's very current but very classy.