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Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design So sad the ceiling is water stained. Have you had a good painter look at it? It might be saved with a fresh coat of transparent stain. I like the Gray idea. Because there is no trim between the walls and the beams I'd do them the same. If you have to paint the ceiling look at Blue-Grays. The dark flooring bothers me a little here. I'd look at medium tones instead. Check out Bamboo flooring too. For impact try a deep Gray in the Dining Room. Drop a cowhide rug on the diagonal in front of the sofa.
Hang a mirror with an interesting frame over the FP, or use an antiqued mirror in an exotic shape (think Morrocco). Hang floor to ceiling drapes in gauzy fabric in White. Place a pair of small stools in front of the FP. Peace!

meiguoxiaoniu And, can I do a built in shelf in this living room?

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design You might build in a bookcase on the wall facing the sofa. Paint to match the walls and paint the inside back in a color.

decoenthusiaste I'd have a pro see if the ceiling can be salvaged in the current color and if so, I might try greige for the walls and leave the floor as is. Two simple but colorful print panels hung at each end of the windows would look great. Leave the FP as is for now. Live with it and see if you want a mantel or not. Don't get in a hurry. If the carpet is in good shape, I'd layer area rugs over it and wait about flooring until you're ready to make another big change. See how the space feels and begins to develop with your things in it. You might consult with the individual who staged the home if you need assistance. They did a great job.

Custom Home Planning Center Have you tried downy fabric softener on the stains, That and a little light sanding might let you bet away with a gray semi transparent stain. Other wise I'd look at a solid redwood or cedar stain even a solid white stain will be a better choice than paint.

meiguoxiaoniu Thanks Jeffrey!
If I have to paint the ceiling, which pic will be great for my room? And what is the reason you think medium tone floor would look better than darker floor? Dark floor will bring out the glam and elegance of the room and I do like that, but I am not sure if it is the correct choice for this very room. Help!!....

meiguoxiaoniu Thank you Custom Home Planning center, will definitely try that!!

meiguoxiaoniu The problem is, I want to have the same floor through out my living room, kitchen, dining room and office.As you can see in the pics, the kitchen is next to the office, the dining room is at the other side of the peninsula and share the same wall with the living room.
I have set the tone of my kitchen to be white cabinets, white quartz countertop and dark floor with glossy subway tile backsplash.love it. So does it mean I'd better keep the same dark laminate floor in dining room, living room and office and rest of the house? Or use different lighter floor? God, this is so hard.....

Aegean-Designing Whims I actually like the existing colors. If you absolutely have to pain the ceilin, white is good. I agree with having a professional painter look at it and see if it can be sanded and refinished. As for your flooring, I'd stay with the same species and color throughout. Have you looked at Luxury Vinyl Tile instead of laminates. Sometimes laminate flooring can sound very hollow, and it "clacks" when you walk on it if the right underlayment isn't used. Manington makes a great vinyl that comes in strips ad we love using it. It's called Adura. Check out mannington.com and look under Adura for colors.
Dark floors show a lot of dust, but they're still very popular. It's hard to see the real color of the ceiling, but that "shade" would also look good with white cabinets and counter tops.
Chrysteen

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design OK. The dark floor would be dramatic but so would a medium tone with beautiful grain. Dark floors will accent the length vs depth of a room and may, in the long run, make things look smaller. There are lots of interesting finishes on the market these days. Some have a grey glazed look which high lights the wood grain. I like these for your rooms because they are easier to care for, show less dust and grime, and are a good backdrop for dark, medium, and light furniture.
For glamour, use some polished steel, chrome, or bronze pieces. Don't overdo it though. Bits of shine here and there will make a stonger impact than too much. Remember too that texture will also be a factor. Shiny with matt, fur with wood, stone with glass. Layer these elements. For contrasting color or weight, you can use dark wood furniture and light upholstery, or visa versa. For patterns, if you want glam/sexy/plush feeling, use something with lots of curves, loops, and waves. If you prefer crisp and more formal, use some small scale geometrics. Personally I find geometrics to look retro which is fine if you're going for Beverly Hills glam.

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design Some where in the big city, Superman waits and watches............

meiguoxiaoniu Wow. Thanks Jeffery! Just so you know we are able to remove the stains and will keep the ceiling this look! You guys are absolutely right that they are real hardwood with beautiful grains. I am happy that I came here and listen to your suggestions.

I will also change the floor to a medium tone to match the ceiling. Is this a good idea? So I will choose something very close to that Adura that Aegean suggested above.

Now we have started the entire house remodeling from our crampy master bathroom. If you could take a look at it....
http://www.houzz.com/discussions/314103/SOS--what-should-I-do-with-my-tiny-master

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design The floor and ceiling wood tones don't need to match but if they are in the same family it's a good thing! Your bathroom is on the small side. Keep the tiles relatively small throughout. Lay the floor on the diagonal. Create a focal point at the vanity wall and keep the rest simple. You can dress the shower by mixing in a different texture in a defined area. Use something interesting for your ceiling. You can create drama by using lighting to highlight the vanity wall.

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design How's it going??

kimdee24 Looking forward to seeing after pictures!

thackerbrown Hi. You may already know this, but a tip about whites from an artist friend of mine: Make sure the white paint, etc. you choose isn't so bright or 'white' that it makes any other whites (paint, fabrics, etc.) already in the room look dull, beige, or even dirty by comparison. Make sure all the whites in the room have the same undertone(s). IE: Do the whites have cool blue undertones or warm brown undertones (?), that sort of thing. (By the way, cool room!)

meiguoxiaoniu Sigh. What about Kelly Moore's dove white?? That's my new wall color.nervous... I am not sure if it's too white or not.. Don't want to mess up my first house. T_T

I originally wanted to do laminate floor in he entire house, but now I have to change the kitchen floor to tile. But you know, of I go with hardwood look, there is no way to find a pattern to exactly match the laminate, so it might look funny?....if I go with a typical tile look, it will be different from the rest of the house. darn..

homegrown4 what type of vibe are you looking for. I think right now it's a placement issue"

ispeakwhale Very cool house! I'm so glad to to read you were able to save the ceiling as it is beautiful! Personally, I think the floor would look best lighter, or darker, but not the same. This is just me, though, as I like either a perfect match or a complete contrast, but too close but not a match is a clash. Maybe you can lay rugs down, one light and another dark and live with it for a bit to get a good feel for it. You will know what feels right for you after a month or so.

Do you mind sharing what style/era of house this is? I love it. Thanks.

meiguoxiaoniu I agree with you that contrast is better. I wanted to do dark floor, until the other day when I walked into the half way remodeled house in the dusk. It was dark, cold and sad. It will be different if I turned on the light for sure, but that cold feeling lingered in my mind for several days and I decided to pass the dark floor idea.
It will be good for larger house with high ceilings, but for a tiny ranch style house, it's just not right..the problem with me is that I have too many ideas, but don't know how to be practical.
The house was built in around 1958.

ispeakwhale Well, whatever you do I look forward to seeing the finished house! We are looking for a ranch style house with acreage right now. We found a house just like yours, with beams, but w/out the wood, on the ceiling. I thought I would add it since your pics look so good! Sadly, the house went temporarily off the market today, and we don't know why. I think there was a lot of interest!

putter2 I'd paint the ceiling the white of the woodwork and walls, and do the dark floors you want. The rug is fighting with the stained ceiling. Maybe a white rug with tiny-detail brown to blend with the floors, and let chair fabric stand out. What about a dark beam as a mantle over the fiteplace....might ground it a bit better. And I'd paint the brick wall the same as the walls....then something divine and colorful over fireplace.....