SFGate

Brown Bros. Masonry WoW! Amazing living room. I'm not much for interior decorating but the fireplace caught my attention. Love the stone in that! You have a beautiful centerpiece highlighted with great views...awesome potential.

Ray Frisbee Thank you. I looked for a looong time and fell in love with the house when I saw it. The view looking down on Chattanooga, TN. is what sold me.

Ray Frisbee The big green tubing in the corner (second picture) is an air vent that I truly hate. I don't know a way around having it there though as there isn't any space inside the wall to hide it.

Grace Reed Congrats on your 1st home! Great FP wall! Honestly, I don't like much about the "duct work" wall. It looks disjointed and chopped up to me. Especially with the white trim. One option is to build the wall out. Ideally, across the whole wall but that will create complications with the width of the stair treads. Another is to blend it in with a darker wall paint as opposed to the orange which highlights it. Another option is to add shelving the same depth as the duct work. I'm sure people are going to weigh in and give lots of input!

Grace Reed I saw the pic in your IdeaBk. Do you want to post that or others to give a better idea of the look you like?

Ray Frisbee Well, the stairs picture is something that will probably come much later on. I'm wanting to redo the banister and railing as I really don't like the back wall at all like you had mentioned. It's painted paneling so drywall needs to go up too.

I hadn't thought about extending the wall out to hide the duct work. That's something to consider.

Carolina Photo To Go LLC I absolutely love the fireplace and the view!! WOW! It has the feel of a lodge- you can be on vacation all the time. Have you thought of using a leather sectional?

If you want a homey or country feel, you might want to have photography of some pastural type settings. Etsy.com is a great place to look for unique art or photography. Just use their search engine and input what you need.
I have also posted the links to 4 samples of photography below. You can click on them and it will take you to the picture. While there you can browse in the shop with Etsy's user friendly site. You can also contact me there easily if you want something customized or have questions. You cannot do that with made in China Art.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/102052370/horse-in-the-field-high-definition?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/113816411/horse-lovers-this-is-high-definition?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/106519159/art-photography-of-an-agricultural-scene?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/105992065/art-photography-of-wheat-field-on-prince?

furrytoes Congratulations on your new home! Beautiful fireplace and windows! And I would love to have your deck!!!!!
A temporary fix for the paneled wall would be to paint it the same color as the rest of the room (including the weird duct) so that it will (kind of ) fade into the background.
In terms of furnishings: consider creating "rooms" within the room. Maybe one area dedicated to television viewing, another for conversation/reading, etc. Do you need a "dining area", or would you want a dedicated bar? Would you want an area for an "office"?
If you like to watch your big screen during the day, you may have to consider glare from the windows. So you may have to figure out the best place for the t.v. first and then set up the furniture (but don't tell any of the interior decorators on this site that I said so!)

carolins Congratulations on your new home. And what a home it is. Gorgeous. Who needs a 55" flat screen with a view like that ;-)

The orange wall with the vent: cladding it with (reclaimed) wood could be an option? Either build around the vent or paint it in a dark colour (charcoal, black, brown) that matches the wood (or just a coulour that matches the wall colour if you decide on painting). I'm just adding some photos to give you an idea of what it could look like.

What kind of flooring do you have? Is it wood? I can't really tell from the photos.

lilion I agree with the prior posters. The duct has no business being a different color, it makes it stand out like a sore thumb. The first thing I'd do is paint it all the same color. I also think that building shelves out on the wall out to detract from the duct is a good idea and it would give you a bunch of storage. As tall as it is, you could put in a library ladder and use them all the way up to the landing.

It's an amazing room. I'd LOVE to have one like it. I see big, comfy chairs and couches (leather would be terrific) around the fire and facing those terrific views. A big ottoman, not a coffee table, so you can snuggle down and put up your feet and relax in front of the fire.Private Residence Rustic Log Home

Or if you'd like something a bit more formal. storm mountain ranch house

carolins Which wall will you put the tv? Please don't mount it above the fireplace!

Sandy Spencer CONGRATS on yr first Home!! We had to put Ductwork in Ceiling because under house there was not enought clearing.. and We also had a big sore thumb sticking out. but I painted room all one color so it would blend in. But in one corner where it stuck out I had a small office there . worked very well.. One way is to Build out that wall so it is concealed. but i wouldnt hurry and try to do everything at once, get use to home first and Ideas will come to u... ENJOY!!

Ray Frisbee The flooring is a very cheap laminate, I'm wanting to replace it with dark "hand scraped" hardwood though. Money permitting as it's taken a nice toll on my bank account to fix the roof and close on the house.

I love all the ideas, I never had a thought beyond just painting the duct and now I have all sort of choices not only to disguise, but perhaps use it to enhance the look of the room. Wow

I had thought about putting the television to the right of the fireplace, although there is space to put it else where and I don't know if the TV would distract from the view. Perhaps my upper loft is the place for the television and there doesn't need to be one downstairs?

I love you guys, you've got me really excited.

Ray Frisbee BTW I love the reclaimed wood idea for the duct work. I've quickly searched ebay, where else would be a good place to look?

carolins Ha! I like that you like the idea of the reclaimed wood. Sorry, can't help you with a good source for it, because I'm Dutch and live in the Netherlands. Not a clue about where to go for that sort of material in the USA. Although, if you just do an internet search for reclaimed wood providers, so not an ebay search?

I'm glad you're not thinking of mounting the tv over the fireplace.

A hardwood floor would be very nice. In our first house we just had a new mattres, a very expensive B&O tv (hubs' idea) and a couple of cheap garden chairs, until we had enough money to buy the sofa we really wanted. You can put the most expensive sofa on the cheapest laminate floor and it will look sh*t. Just saying... don't get overexcited now. All you need is one gorgeous & comfy chair to watch the view and the tv from. Or a great couch of course. And then gradually build from that.

Ella at Wishack.com WOW! This is a stunning view! My living room feels so small compared to yours but my head almost exploded with ideas for your space. The pic attached doesn't have the same height of your fireplace, but it's an idea of how to arrange your space. Let me know if you have questions about the furniture in the picture.

A nice leather sofa would do wonders in here, especially a recliner set that you could totally relax in. Sigh, your view really is amazing.

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design Hi, Congrats!
Windows; if they have not been treated for UV filtering I'd do it. The red wall can be simply painted in a color drawn from the beams. In fact, I'd consider painting all the white walls to push them back.
Windows, if they really need covering, would look great in flat roll up or down shades. Remote controls have come down in price big time. No idea about floor plan since I cannot see anything here other than the two pics. Skip the leather sectional thing..........instead use a sofa, chairs, ottomans and easy to move tables grouped loosley. Don't be afraid to angle a sofa or a chair. Use smaller rugs. Flat weave, thick piled, shaggy, and animal hydes in a subtle pallette will add texture and warmth. Now White highlights will look awsome. White window shades, photos, a chair upholstered in white wool, and just for a chuckle, a white paper mache Antelope head on a side wall. Float an opaque screen to one corner and place a chair, stool, rolling table here.
TV should be in it's own "zone". It doesn't need to have a huge sofa for viewing. Comfortable chairs, floor cushions, a table can all work.
PS The sky is the limit (no pun intended) so you can mix all you like. French, Scandanavian, Industrial, shabby, shiney and new, will all work. One point here, the scale of your furniture can make or break a room like this. Just be sure to have one or two pieces that are taller than the rest. Can be a sculpture, a bunch of tree limbs tied together, floor lamp/s, oversized art............(if everything is standard sized in a room like yours the result is dull and dehumanizing, like standing alone in an empty airport terminal or a stadium!). I'd really like to see photos as you get going....all the best in your beautiful house!

Ray Frisbee I'm loving the ideas, this is really helping out.

Even though the space looks big I can't help but think its pretty narrow. It's been a couple weeks since I saw the inside so it's not fresh in my mind. I get the keys Friday so I can get a better idea of things then.

I'm hoping that painting the walls a lighter color will open things up. At first I was thinking about removing the red paneling and replacing it with drywall but painting over it for now may be a better choice.

Reclaimed wood for the duct work and paint are cheap enough. I'm going to have to ease into the furnishing though. The plush rug is a great idea, and ill probably steer clear of the sectional. I'd live some more layout advice... Or any other input.

Thanks a ton!

Kathryn Peltier Design Fantastic room and view! I agree - it's kind of hard to give you layout advice because we can't see the whole room. Post more photos after Friday! And congratulations :-)

Kathryn Peltier Design Oh, sorry - didn't see the plan. I would put the TV on the end wall and arrange your seating, probably with two couches at right angles to each other (the one facing the wall with the TV). If you add a couple of large chairs on the other side, that should fill the room nicely. Behind the sofa across from the fireplace, I would do some interesting table to use as a sofa table (but not some skinny little thing) Something kind of big and either rustic or industrial looking. Lighting can go on this table, and then use a floor lamp for the other couch - maybe a big arc lamp. It seems like you would have room at one end or the other for a game table and chairs, too.

carolins You could use this free online roomplanner to get an idea of furniture lay-out
http://www.urbanbarn.com/Room-Planner

carolins Something like this?

Kelly I have no comment except i am super jealous...love the space completely! Congrats! Love the photo above to bring in the red....if you are keeping the red.

tsudhonimh The style you probably want is "rustic modern" - that's leather and wood but without the dead animals and lumberjack plaids.

Your first task is to repaint that orange wall and the huge duct the same color. In flat paint.
A light-to medium brownish grey that goes with the rocks in the fireplace would look good, and you can use it as the base for any weatered wood siding you want.

To permanently hide the duct, just build a bookcase and cabinet on that half of the wall that is as deep as the duct.

Take your time with the furniture ... get really good, simple things. Modern leather sofas and a Persian or flokati or ethnic rug in front of the fireplace, with rustic wood side tables and a couple of bright ethnic patterned upholstered chairs.

Look at the furniture on ana-white.com if your budget is low. She has plans for making all kinds of rustic modern furniture that is EASY ... including a bed for that mattress you have.

pipeman1 Just type in rustic in the Houzz search and there should be plenty of great photos that you can draw from. Everyone here had great ideas also! You might check Craigslist or a local builder or salvage yard for a source of reclaimed wood. Might check out any older homes being demolished and could possibly pick up inexpensive supplies there, too. Good luck. PS: never was a fan of leather furniture, it's either cold or hot and not comfortable for curling up in front of the fire. It also makes farty noices when you move around on it! Lol

Carolina Photo To Go LLC @ pipeman. We have had leather for years and love it. Have never noticed any of the issues with it that you mention. For us it has been durable. As an animal lover, I like that pet hair does not cling. And brown goes with lots of different colors and I like my animal print throw.

Ray Frisbee I think leather would look good but I'm a very warm natured person and I'm afraid I'd tend to stick to the surface.

Ill search out some modern rustic and see what it brings up. I'm thinking something a little softer and cozy feeling though. Maybe southern instead of country fits that description. Im a bachelor but id like some semi feminine feel to the area, minus flower prints ect., with just a couple bold statement peices to show a man put it together. That's one reason I really like the reclaimed wood for the duct. Im having a hard time Putting my finger in what I'm thinking. Time to do some research.

Ray Frisbee Carolins- I'm wanting to go less modern but I enjoy the suggestions. Perhaps there is something I love out there that I didn't even think of.

lilion Ray, go wiwth something in leather and fabric. The best of both worlds.

carolins Right... see, now we know what you don't want :-)
Maybe you're more drawn to lilion's suggestions? They seem to fit your style more.
I'll see if I can come up with Southern 'masculine but not butch' suggestions. Nothing more fun than virtual shopping.
And I'm sure that if I can't come up with thé idea, someone else here most probably will.

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design Happy Wednesday! The world is about to turn white around here. Ray, I'd like to hear a little more about your tastes, what you do, where you've traveled; a brief profile. I'm asking for this because for me your room can be a powerful (I know, this is gonna sound whacko...) home for you.
Out here where I live it's all about the views. Many of the homes feature huge banks of windows, some contemporary, some not, but the common denominator is the "power-of-place" (Frank Lloyd Wright) the owners have to work with. Best, Jeff Brooks

Ray Frisbee Sure, this sounds like fun. I'm a 28 year old guy living in Chattanooga, Tn. I've been here all my life and I love my location and the heritage that comes along with it. I was once an animator for the local school district but recently started working at the first plant that Volkswagen has brought to America here in town.
I'm more of a home body and haven't done much traveling but when I get out around town I prefer something outdoorsy to bide my time, hiking and such.

It'd be nice to perhaps tie in a loose railroad element, or maybe just a statement price that used some iron elements to reflect my love for Chatt. Still overall I'm thinking something comfortable and clean, with a touch of masculinity. Avoiding white seating since it'll probably be a highly used space.

I'm excited to see what you come up with! Thanks!

carolins Oh, I'm so glad someone had the courage to ask you all of this personal information :-) It really helps to pick out things that you may (or may not as the case may be) like. I'm sure Jeffrey Brooks will come up with some great ideas for you.
But... since I do love this virtual shopping... I'll see what I can find for you. You're so right. This is fun.

Ray Frisbee Thanks carolins I really appreciate you input.

bevballew Cool house. Have to read posts to catch up. Sky is the limit! How much fun!

BTX Window Automation Gorgeous view and congrats on your place! View of wide open vistas can be fully retained while simultaneously safeguarding in-room privacy with roller shades. Mesh shade materials carefully selected in openness and color tone provide light optimal filtering results. The openness of a roller shade indicates how much light will be seen through it. For example, a 10% openness means than 90% of the light is blocked. Blackout fabrics block all of the light. You can apply motorization to your window coverings if the windows are tall and hard to reach.

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design Ray, first I want to tell you that it's not my policy to send lots of pictures or specific furniture pieces. Just don't have time for it and I think of this site as a forum to educate people about interior design and what it takes to produce a "real-world" place. Collaborating with people like you is just a cool way to give and keep the brain excercised.....(and I need it).
Any place people are they're influenced in subtle and unconscious ways. Architecture is really an ongoing study of what works for human beings and Interior Design is as well. Even more so because we have an impact on how people "feel" day in and day out.
Anyway, that room you have there can be a really powerful battery for you. Not everyone has the opportunity to live so much in contact with nature. But you have a situation that is pretty unique.
As far as the overall looks of the place go it seems like a good keystone idea for you is nature.
In other words when you're looking for things to bring into your space they should represent the elements. Water (Glass,) Wood (Wood furn.) Metal (Iron) Stone and Air (colors of the sky at your favorite time of day) describe a good place to start. No Orange walls or Purple rugs.
As you go forward just drop me a note or picture if you like and I can give you feed back.
"Trust the force Luke".......... Jeff

Interiors International, Inc. Ray, Jeff just gave you a lifetime worth of information. Do yourself a favor and use it and take him up on his offer to talk in the future. Jeff you are being very generous.

bevballew I was curious when you said Frank Lloyd Wright. I just bought a house that was designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. What style of,decorating should be applied to a Wright home?

MyCraftWork, LLC I absolutely love the fire place! If you need an eclectic touch, you can get in touch with us!

Ray Frisbee Thanks Jeff, I appreciate the direction and ill definitely be getting back to you for some opinions.

Thanks for all the compliments everyone..... I'm excited to get started.

furrytoes Just saw these photos and thought of you. (Be sure to place your cursor over them to see the entire photo).
And in terms of buying super-comfortable chairs to start your decor, buy two (unless you're a hermit).

carolins It's almost Friday. Yay!

Look, whatever you do, do not go to a furniture store and just buy the sofa's, tables, chairs and lamps that they've put together in their showroom. Just gradually build your home around you, it will fit you much better and will reflect your nice personality and not the nice personality of the salesperson.
So I'm just giving you some examples to show you that not everything has to match and it will still look great if you put it together, not saying that you should buy these (although... the VW art and the antlers... they would be perfect ;-))

Shobha Bhushan Use white floral curtains country style with tie backs too ,can have a copper color art above the tv area

Marie Hebson's interiorsBYDESIGN Inc. Very cool home - lots of potential - are you repainting the red/orange?

DO NOT buy what they've set up in the showroom - good grief - most furniture stores offer an in home design consultation - have them work for their commission - a space plan must be done to ensure that all the pieces fit properly in your home.

If your keeping the orange-red accent colour - be sure to spread that love sparingly - here's some photos to inspire,

My best advice:
1) have an inspiration photo of your absolute dream space for colour, furniture style and accessories (houzz is a great start to find that), and
2) have a inspiration point (eg: toss cushion, fabric, pattern, artwork) that inspiration point must be all the colours and textures you want to have in this space, then
3) do up a floor plan, so you can properly plan out what pieces of furniture you want where, and how your going to use those areas. Use this plan to be sure you spend your hard-earned money wisely and purchase the right items the first time!
Good luck, you have an amazing space - enjoy the process - we're here to help!

Ray Frisbee Carolins you have made me absolutely giddy. I worked third shift tonight and saw your post before my ride home and it's all I could think about. I wanted to stay away from leather but that sofa has stolen my heart. The wing back chairs add a bit of elegance (women's touch?) I was thinking of. You hit the nail on the head and I've got tons of ideas flowing! The VW bus is a great touch too :) Heck I'm digging the rug too.

I can tell I'm going to poor tons of money into this room but I'm nearly certain that couch will soon be sitting in front of the fireplace.

Marie, thanks for the heads up. I'm completely happy with earthy tones, and not a lot of color "pop". I'll start taking that thought into a possibility too now though. Yes, the red however is going completely bye-bye

carolins LOL
Ray... you made me a happy woman :-) You know, I nearly didn't post it, because I thought you wouldn't like it, but yay!! Usually I'm pretty good in sort of feeling what people are looking for, but with you... I just couldn't put my finger on it... I thought.
And good leather really isn't uncomfortable. Plus it's easy to clean and gets more beautiful when it ages. Fabric doesn't.
It is really worth saving up for some good pieces that you absolutely love. And there's nothing wrong with adding cheaper rugs or cabinets from Ikea for instance. The mix will make it a really personal home that will fit you like your favourite shirt.

Good luck with completing on your house. And with the roofing and other jobs that need doing.

I also spotted a great media storage solution somewhere. Will see if I can find it again.

Keep us posted okay? Really looking forward to seeing the progress.

carolins Oh, sorry, also wanted to say that you should never buy a sofa or chair without sitting in it first. Some Chesterfield sofa's are horrible because of their low back.
Couldn't find that media storage cabinet again, but it's not important anyway, so... When the time comes you'll find one :-)

wyndyacre You mentioned wanting to bring some touches of the railroad to your room, to honour Chatanooga's history....you could use some great graphic art of vintage posters like this...

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Canadian-Pacific-Railroad-Posters_i7402366_.htm

(not specificallythat one as it is Canadian) and repurpose antique railroad items like switchlights for ornaments or a baggage cart base as a coffee table.

carolins Hehe... we're all pretty excited about your house. When you have the correct measurements of your room, make a room-plan. It will help you visualize. I was thinking that two of those gorgeous but rather big chairs may be a bit too much. But you'll know when you use an online room planner (gave you the link somewhere above I believe, but will give it again: http://www.urbanbarn.com/Room-Planner. No pressure... ;-))

I like wyndyacre's ideas. Also, if you go to http://etsy.com and search for chattanoogaor railroad, you'll find lots of interesting things that you may want to incorporate. Although... less is always more :-)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/97648486/bike-chattanooga-tennessee-bicycle-art?ref=sr_gallery_2&ga_search_query=chattanooga&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_search_type=all
http://www.etsy.com/listing/71103885/walnut-street-market-street-bridge?ref=sr_gallery_9&ga_search_query=chattanooga&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_search_type=all

carolins Found this, for your kitchen? Quite a unique piece I should think, but who knows...
http://www.etsy.com/listing/76973656/1971-chattanooga-coke-crate?ref=sr_gallery_36&ga_search_query=chattanooga&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=all

wyndyacre Love that art print of the map with a bike on it, carolins! Gives me inspiration to create one similiar with an aviation chart and a plane for my own house. :-)

I agree about "less is more" in terms of themed accesseries! I live in an old schoolhouse and although I have made a vignette of antique schoolbooks, large inkwell and pencil box on a shelf, I have to gently discourage people from gifting me with more and more "school" items. I want to honour the history of my home....but not live in a museum!

Carolyn C Congrats, great house, great view. Lots of good advice above. Take your time and do things right. With a room such as this you would be well advised to get professional help. If you can't afford to hire a local decorator or designer, many stores provide the service free of charge when you are purchasing furniture. The bonus to having a layout done by an independant decorator or designer is that you are free to purchase where you want and take advantage of sales or online. It may take you some time, but when you are done you will have something you really love and can be happy with for many years. You will be spending a lot of money so you don't want to make any mistakes.

Ray Frisbee Just got the keys! I'm headed to work 3rd shift but I snapped y'all a few pictures.

Shobha Bhushan I think the contrast between red and violet is stark but otherwise it is going well

Kathryn Peltier Design CONGRATULATIONS! I'd have a hard time concentrating on work ;-)

Ray Frisbee No worries, the red is leaving :)

Shobha Bhushan Now you can experiment with pastels and neutral shades depending on what you would like to be the focal point.Choose a favorite which will inspire you and make you feel warm from within,once you step in you just feel the positivity,when you are relaxed and can think with a less stimulating mind I suggest you close your eyes ,slow down your breath and just feel calm then your choice will feel right.

carolins Congratulations! How exciting. It is such a wonderful space, full of character and light. Love it.

rosiegabby I have not read. All the comments so I do not know what's going on but could you open up that door way on the orange wall? It may help you disguise the green tube/air vent as well as help with that wall.

Ray Frisbee Soon!

Shobha Bhushan Now there is coherence and continuity visually.I like the look you are achieving.Now you can do the minor add ons

carolins Man... it looks so much better already without the red.

Shobha Bhushan Good luck and help will continue as you go along.I like the fact that I could be of some help with my ideas

bevballew Love your fast pace. So excited to watch progress,

katfarm Love your space!!! I too bought my first house not too long ago and have yet to get tired of exploring decorating options. One thing I would not do is go leather. There are so many wonderful, easy to take care of textiles out there to replace leather. IMHO I think leather is dated, unless of course you are going vintage.

Shobha Bhushan You can have a cork surface sized frame which is in scale with your fireplace and and make your own art work,just let your imagination free you can create one of a kind,some tips are walk in ti michael;s craft stores or any other store in your area ,use some mirrors [small sized ones,different shapes and make a concentric pattern.Anything you love to do is alright.Remember you can change your decor this quick by removing the cork board if you get bored.Inexpensive idea to try on.

pattiegoode Congrats on your house! It really is a great room! Your question was about arrangement of furniture. I'll search for a pic but what do you think about two sofas flanking the fireplace and your big tv where the little shelves are opposite the fireplace? You should visit Pottery Barn for inspiration, and then go to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other thrift shops to find cheap options. I love old wooden boxes as coffee tables! They can either be painted or natural. In the past, I've used blanket boxes, tool boxes, and a very old military footlocker.

I see the 3 small stone shelves on the FP and the iron stove. I'd bring in more iron and black on those shelves. It looks like the beam is close to the stone but not touching. Can you drape a rug or quilt over it? Other areas to claim with furniture are beside the stairs & doors (maybe floating shelves) and in front of & beside the double wooden front doors (farmhouse style wooden table, antique pie safe, hutch or shelf, etc.).

Is there an Ethan Allen store where you live? That's another good resource for ideas in your style. Post more pix!

88 Atelier for Architecture If this is your first home and there is a lot to do to make it livable I recommend you hire an interior designer and buyer. Make sure you get references and that he/she will work FOR you and your needs, your taste.

pattiegoode Rug for the floor?

Amy Torres You mentioned putting the TV upstairs, would that be in the bedroom? I see that you have taken down the drywall; raring to put up reclaimed wood?

Amy Torres I'm in the process of planning a whole house remodel (for when my money tree takes off) and have been pinning items from sites such as Restoration Hardware and One Kings Lane ... as well as perusing Houzz. I am finding a definite flow for my idea books and am similarly inclined to Rustic Modern. Don't rush into decisions! A hasty choice could be costly. We've been in our home for 17 years and I've bought cheap sofa after cheap sofa. Now my heart is set on a leather sleeper sofa that will likely set me back $3000 but hopefully it will be the last one for a long long time. If you don't need two bedrooms, install the TV upstairs and live a little in your new home before throwing down big cash.

sharpkl Love the Chesterfield sofa. Both Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware have nice ones. Great room! Good choice! I have a feeling you will make sure it looks fabulous.

carolins Hi Ray,
tired of renovating or still going strong? :-)

I don't know if you like it or if you can use it in your renovation, but I just came across this in another houzz thread. They are wood panels.

http://www.finium.ca/expression/

Ray Frisbee Your full of great ideas!

I'm trying to find a reliable contractor... Wow! That is harder than I would have thought.

Shobha Bhushan I think a break will help you sort things out Ray ,you are doing fine ,just have to combine ideas that is all.

carolins Don't get me started on reliable contractors.... deep sigh :-) Be sure you check references.

I read a lot of comments given by Ironwood Builders here on Houzz. I wish he lived near me. I'd permanently employ him as our builder (if I was rich that is). But perhaps he lives near you?

carolins Here's his link, but he's in California. Still... you ever know if he can give you tips or knows people around where you live? He seems a friendly, helpful guy.

http://www.houzz.com/pro/davidironwood/ironwood-builders

sheryn1 How can I decorate a bluestone house...

Amy Torres Ask your realtor about contractors... he/she should be able to give you some leads.

Amy Torres Keep in mind that you may need a place to eat and/or work at home... I love looking at Restoration Hardware for inspiration... This Flatiron Bar Table is counter height and narrow... very hip looking

Grace Reed Hi Ray! Do you're homework! You cannot be careful enough chosing a contractor. The National Assoc. of Remodeling Assoc. is an excellent resource. I'd get 3 quotes, get references and visit the space-even some jobs in progress and check the BBB. If it works for you, you could start with a a small job before committing to a larger one. Great fun watching this!
http://www.nari.org/homeowners/findapro/

carolins Hi Ray,
how are you? Any updates? Just curious to see how far you are now. And I came across this thread on Houzz about a nicely remodelled home with a reclaimed wood wall and tips on how to do that, so thought of you.

http://www.houzz.com/discussions/402039/Check-out-our-BEFORE---AFTER-of-this-cute

Adele Kieser hi, paint the orange wall. keep the duct. it is industrial looking and would be quite attractive if the traditional white trim on the bookcase etc was gone. if you want a quick temporary fix before spending loads of money, paint the railing a grey to bring it in line with the duct and find a nicer colour for the orange walls. in other words tone it down. the duct with the wooden steps and the greyish railing would be a nice modern industrial look without it being hard. . the balance of metal, wood,glass is so important. The orange is too warm, need the cooler element of metal ie the duct and repainted railing.
The wooden steps and beams are the warmth. Repaint the orange wall with something cooler, offwhite, white, light grey (concrete colour) or very pale sand being careful not to go to cream and therefor getting warm again. have fun..

Adele Kieser oops, sorry just read you comments again. I thought the duct was a nice metal galvanized type duct. Pity.

Adele Kieser http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=2t8I6dxaa3lkFM&tbnid=1wut6y2DGq1MzM:&ved=0CAcQjB0wAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesteampunkhome.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fbookshelves.html&ei=fOZKUZmyBMyAhQeD04GYBg&psig=AFQjCNGsMbMJhDI54ULD6wEseKTcKvggYg&ust=1363949564141650

This is a link to steampunk. nice bookshelf idea.

Ray Frisbee Sorry, progress has slowed a little. I've spent a couple nights at the house, tore down more paneling, but little reconstruction :)

Hopefully ill have an update soon.

deb I'm a "newbie" here, and have just discovered the site. Just wanted to say how impressed I am with the sense of community and generosity so many of you share. We just purchased a small home in Lake Arrowhead, CA (currently in Texas), and I'm looking forward to poking around the site a little more. I have LOTS to do to get our home ready, but like Ray, working around beautiful views. Ray, looking forward to seeing your progress...your home is going to be FAB!!!!

Adele Kieser dont stress about progress, we have just taken 3 yrs to complete a new house. also double volume huge windows. enjoy the journey!! you get the feel as you go along. dont stress!

Amy Torres Deb, my vacation home is in Big Bear Lake, just down the road from Lake Arrowhead... feel free to message me :)

Shobha Bhushan Coming along just ok

Ray Frisbee Soo now that I've got the paneling down I'm thinking of redoing the stairs too. Ill probably have some little ones around and the current setup leaves a lot of safety issues...

I'm liking this design.

carolins Chuckling... I was just about to shout WOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!, but then I noticed that this isn't your place.
I do like the design, but I'm not sure if something simpler will work better for your space. It could work, I'm just having trouble picturing it. I need another coffee and have to do some other things, but meanwhile I'll have a think about your stairs.
Let's see what the others come up with :-) You're definitely right about the current setup not really being the safest.

carolins Can you post a photo of what the paneling looks like now?

Shobha Bhushan I think it works well ,just be abit careful with the little ones around,I think your idea of doing the stairs is a right decision

Ray Frisbee Carolins- the paneling is all down now on all the walks. I had to remove the vent too to get back behind it to remove the paneling g there too.

I like the railing but some people here at work gave mentioned it might be a little much when I go to resell. Hrmmm still some to ponder.

It's a Beautiful World! Great space to decorate, Ray, and tons of info to process! You will get there, taking it easy always helps :)... Best of luck decorating your first home!... Raisa

Kathryn Peltier Design @RAy: what about using a few panels of the "branches" as balusters along with simple square wood balusters, whether stained or painted. I think the wrought iron would stand out even more that way. It would be pretty at the end of the 2nd floor hall looking towards the great room. Another way to get this kind of look is to actually do it in tree branches. I'll see if I can find a photo. I know I've seen it in log homes but it could be stunning in a more modern setting, too.

Not exactly what I had in mind, but interesting. I was thinking more of the stripped branches.

Shobha Bhushan I think the vine design looks good,just try to visualize them in your space,easy when you are right there.Like the look you are achieving

carolins Kathryn Peltier's idea is a good one. You could do the railing at the top (the straight one) in stripped branches (or wrought iron like you posted) and the rest of the railing just vertical wood or iron. It will still make a statement, but not be 'too much of a good thing'. It will become more like a work of art then.
I still have trouble visualizing the effect it will have in your room if you do the whole thing in the branch-like iron. Although I do like it. But you have a lot going on in your room with the beams and the windows and the great view already. Worried that it could be too much.
Not from a resell point of view. You should do what you like and what you will enjoy. Unless you are doing the place up solely for reselling it and not for living in it.

I've seen Kathryn's advice in another thread (Rhonda) and I really like her ideas and her attitude. She's lovely!

3DCGI It's a stunning space Ray and there are lots of good ideas that people are suggesting. What are you leaning towards in terms of the design direction as I could put together a 3D image for you of what it could be...

carolins Ray, just came across this in another thread:
http://awoodrailing.com/

Shobha Bhushan I still think the other design works well as compared to the wood railing one

leecy I'm not sure if anyone has suggested this (sorry I skimmed through the comments) I know you said you don't want dead animal heads on your walls, good choice. Although something I keep imagining in this space is those antler chandeliers. I'll see if I can find any pics. :-)

leecy http://www.houzz.com/Antler-chandeliers

leecy This is what I was imagining.
There are heaps of cool ideas in the link I gave.

pattiegoode I think the iron railing ties in well with your desire to pay homage to Chattanooga's railway history, without literally having a train theme. I personally like a simple straight or twisted iron railing rather than the curves in your inspiration pic. I'm sure that budget-wise, the curves will be more expensive, too. If it is, in fact, the curves that appeal to you, then the tree branch rails might work better.

carolins ...following Pattie Goode's comment: you could also do simple straight iron 'up-downs' (what's the word I'm looking for?) with a natural curved wood/branch handrail.

Ray Frisbee Hmmm if I could find some distressed wrought iron or something that looked really quality then I might could go with straight bars. The stuff I've seen at interior showrooms, lowes and such look sooo cheap.


Ohhhh and after trying drywall myself I've hired one of the best reviewed services off Angie's list and he's coming in to do it in a little I era week. Soo relieved.

Ray Frisbee *Over a week

Kathryn Peltier Design How about used rebar? Cheap and industrial-chic!

Kathryn Peltier Design Have you checked any antique/salvage places? You might find an old cool railing/baluster set, or I was thinking about using old fencing as balusters. Even if there weren't enough to do the whole stair, you could still do portions. The height would probably have to be increased, which wouldn't be a problem because it could be inset into a wood frame but the other problem would be the spacing of the uprights - it probably wouldn't meet code. I"ll keep thinking ;-)

Kathryn Peltier Design Check out Outwater for a fairly large selection of iron balusters. You might find better quality here than big box stores.
http://www.outwatercatalogs.com/lg_display.cfm/page/870/catalog/Master_2012

Another idea: how about finding a farrier who could make some balusters for you? I know they buy the basic bar stock and then hammer and shape it, but they might be able to get wider stuff - which I think would be more in scale with your room - and/or add pieces to make it visually heavier. I have a client who is having someone make her iron balusters which look like grasses (not inexpensive, though)

Kathryn Peltier Design Hey! Look at this!!! How about cutting this up for balusters? And look where it is - whoo hoo!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Railroad-Iron-/140919051416?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20cf6e1498

pattiegoode Love that idea KPD! I bet these guys could advise re: incorporating rail into a stair railing: http://www.railyardstudios.com/categories

Ray Frisbee Yes, those tracks could potentially be awesome. Ya'll make me love this site sooo much. Great ideas just seem to pop out if no where

kskousen Everyone has great suggestions. I haven't read them ALL but if no one else has mentioned it, I would also change the baseboards and door framing on that orange wall, and entire room if needed, to a heftier size - 6 inches for the floor and 3 1/2 to 4 for the door frame. And get rid of the white paint - use some color to compliment the wood or just stained nice wood. I love the several intimate spaces within the large room. I agree with those who said PLEASE don't put the huge tv over the fireplace. You can even disguise it with a large painting that has a soft backing and take it down when you want to watch tv. It might keep you from watching too much and we all need that!

carolins @Kathryn PD: you're awesome!!!! Those railroad tracks! And from Chattanooga too. Huge smiles from me :-D

Grace Reed Just gotta say...you all, your suggestions and the resources you suggest are awesome! And Ray...so cool that you're doing this and are so receptive!

carolins I wouldn't like to be the one who has to carry those railroad tracks inside the house though...

leecy Have you made any more progress? I can't wait to see what you do. :-)

Ray Frisbee Just got a contractor set up for the walls finally. He'll be going at them in 3 weeks. We should see quite a bit of progress after that.

Shobha Bhushan Now looks like the walls will be up and cant wait to see the results and also progress.It is good that you are taking time in your decisions

mforr I really like the idea of the rails for stair railing, could be rather expensive though. I used rebar as a railing in my barn rebuild. Mainly I liked that it didn't block the light coming thru the windows, also I liked the rustic industrial look it imparted. I did seal them so the rust patina remained on the rebar and wouldn't rub off on anything else. I think it would also look great installed vertically.

Galilee Lighting Since you have a high ceiling, our modern fused glass pendant lighting, will look beautiful in your space.

carolins mforr, very nice!

mforr Thank you carolins, high praise coming from you. I enjoy all your ideas.

Shobha Bhushan I think the railroad railings would be a good idea,just think about the look and the choice will seem to come thru.

Jeffrey Brooks Interior Design HOWDY! Just passing through................FYI in Chicago, upstate NY and Virginia (and more I think) there are companies that warehouse salvage from residential and institutional buildings. One of these could be a source for components you're looking for. Regards, Jeff

mforr Take a look at ebayclassifieds ad # 26857813. Barn wood siding, in Chattanooga.

Kathryn Peltier Design @mforr: didn't look at it yet, but that could be really nice, especially if pickled for a more sophisticated look!

mforr Even wirebrushing it can change the amount of browns and greys and really change the tone without taking the weathered feel away. Also, it may be something Ray could do himself to save a little money. Every little bit counts!

Olde Wood Ltd. Congratulations, looks a a great home!

Rustic Wood Studio If you need custom switch plates and outlet covers, I am happy to help. I hand-carve all of my plates, and will create a style just for you. www.rusticwoodstudio.com

Katie Daniel Suggestion for sofa...ultra suede, comfortable &easy to clean. Love mine!

Ray Frisbee Awesome, I'm glad to have ideas still pouring in!

The wall guy should be here any minute. I ran into a little trouble moving the stair stringer over to accommodate for the thicker drywall replacing the paneling and destroyed most of my stair setup :p.

Ooooon the good side I found a friend of my fathers that's unemployed with 20+ years carpenter experience and he's happy to help for cheap.

It looks like things are finally moving forward. I'll be glad too... Sawdust sandwiches are getting old :)

mforr Good luck! I can't wait to see some after photos.

mforr Not sure if you have air conditioning or if you'll rely on ceiling fans, I've used these in my barn and in a smokehouse conversion. They're indoor/outdoor and a great price. I like the finish with the barn wood and they remind me of train station lights. I ordered them from Home Depot.

Ray Frisbee Love the fans! We have some more traditional ones hung ATM but those are far more to my liking... Ill have to look into that.

Little preview :)

Ray Frisbee Btw the stairs are just temps for the drywall guys to be able to maneuver.

pattiegoode I'm so confused. Your stairs had to be rebuilt?

carolins Still, even in this state it looks better already. And yes, please explain about the stairs?

travisinteriors Love it. What a view. Do nothing too windows. Just leave as is move the wood wagon out too. I see you are doing construction. You have a lot of comments, didn't read all. Guess this is main living space with a 55 flat screen. I would go rustic look you like. With big over stuffed brown distressed leather. Reclaimed wood media center and very large reclaimed wood coffee table the reclaimed wood look is a gray blue look to it. Some more distressed than others. You could two seating areas two big chairs with a cow hide rug on floor by firepl. And the big sofa and smaller chair on other end with TV. Area rug to define areas. After you finish work send more pic of room and can send u more infor. Looks great already. What kind of lighting? Recessed?

travisinteriors I would paint all one color pewter leave beams and stairs as is. You have a contemporary look going in the house too. I would put a long low chest on either side of windows. With a tall vertical mirrors. It will add interest to room. Leave fireplace. If you can add more candles do. On mantel add chunky cream color candles all the way across about 4" apart in between weave sticks( buy at Michael's and cut to size) between candles. In front of mirrors on wall above chest. Add pots in black 3 ft high 5" across put white birch branches. Also buy at Michaels place center of mirror. My love is accessorizing it makes a room. Anyone can put a sofa and chair in a room it's how it's accessorized that makes a room come to life. Ill be glad to walk you though it.

travisinteriors I just saw in a post after you took down wall you are putting up reclaimed wood. Good for you. Perfect.

travisinteriors You can go on line to see some very interesting stair rails. Some look like wood branches made from iron. Would look awesome in your place. Don't be afraid to go bold and different. Are you. Buying this place to live for a few years or buying to flip? If keeping it. Make it your own. Don't decorate for some buyer down the road. I hate when people say may not work in resell. Every house has a buyer.

travisinteriors You can get overstuffed leather that has fabric on seats. For people that want the fabric feel.

travisinteriors Carolina. Love your post of furn . All would work. The VW pic is great.since he works there good Job.

carolins Thanks travisinteriors :-)

Ray Frisbee Okay, got the walls mudded and primed. Now to figure out a color to put up.

Suggestions? The drywall/painter guy is trying to get me to go with a light beige?

carolins Ray, it looks great! So clean and fresh. Very nice!

Wendy Hummingbird Designs Beautiful room ..... World is your oyster :) what feel and style of the room do you want.

Kathryn Peltier Design Hi Ray: Light beige is too bland for this room. You need some saturation in whatever color you choose. Pull the color from your stone. Staying in a warm neutral tone, I would go with kind of a carmel color - something that works well with the wood tone. If you would like a cooler tone better, then I would go with a color closer to the mortar color. Which direction do the windows face? That might determine how warm or cool you want to go. Do you have any idea of your furnishings yet? Did you mention somewhere that you would like a leather couch? This room can take a lot of big furniture, so I would tend to stay with neutrals, but use a lot of texture. Bring your color in through accent pieces and accessories.

Shobha Bhushan i WOULD NOT GO WITH LIGHT BEIGE ,maybe light butterscotch color will look good,try to see what color sofa you would choose ,amount of lighting from the windows are omportant factors to be considered.

mforr What colors are you drawn to when you look at rooms similar to yours on houzz? Light beige does seem a bit bland. Maybe a warm color that hints at the outdoors. SW independent gold is a color that changes with the light, sometimes a warm gold, sometimes a greenish color. But very warm and cozy looking. Very hard to describe, definitely one you have to look at yourself see what I mean. Looks great with wood, stone, leather and the views from your windows. BTW, it's not a metallic gold color.

Ray Frisbee I went by SW just now and picked up the independent gold you suggested, a humble gold ( a little orangish now it's in the light, and I'm a sucker for sagey. Time to try out some pigments!

Thanks fellars!

Ray Frisbee Oh, and the windows are facing east.

carolins Good luck with finding the right colour :-) I think the ones you picked up are all beautiful. Have you chosen a floor yet? Because the wall colour has to work with that too. Usually the paint colour is one of the last things you choose, because it has to match furniture and floor and rugs and whathaveyou. And since paint can be mixed to the perfect shade....

Ray Frisbee Hrmmmmmmm. Well I should have thought about that. :P

Ill mess with these samplers and get a general idea when I'm going.

Nancy Walton Ray, check out http://www.rusticlightingandfans.com/rustic_ceiling_fans.htm for your fan/lights they manufacture here in Albuquerque, and make custom lighting. You can design your own! My fiance is the metal fabricator for these lights...

Nancy Walton The pic didn't come through, but if you mouse over it you can see it.

Nancy Walton The chandelier can be attached to a ceiling fan or not, that's the kind of thing they do.

Shobha Bhushan I would go with buttersctch shade which is the second left on the shade card, to tell you I have my rooms facing east ,I have a neutral color but I think a warm shade is good,if you have oak wood floors,but if you want to reduce the sunlight ,I recomend greens,lighter hues to cool it down

mforr Hi Ray, I just wanted to send some pics of small accent cabinets that I think would look great with some of carolins furniture recommendations. Two of them also fall under your desire for something with a bit of feminine mixed with the masculine. These are from RSH catalog but I'm sure you could find similar from other places. Keep us posted, I love your view!! I'll send you my view on this kind of chilly morning. Love spring greens.

mforr One more picture. This is from restoration hardware, it's actually an outdoor piece made from 100 year old reclaimed elm. Very expensive, but if you're a bit handy maybe something to build yourself. I love how substantial it is, it could really stand up to the height and length of your room. I'm assuming from the diagram at the start of your post that there's no dining room and this great room would need to be a shared space.

Kathryn Peltier Design @mforr: love your view :-) It has warmed up here but cloudy...

mforr Thank you I say, as i take credit for nature. It was 34 when I took pic, but it's well on its way to 63. Crazy northeast weather. It'll be 80 on Thursday.

Kathryn Peltier Design lol, mforr - same here in Michigan!

carolins mforr, nice garden view! Love your ideas for Ray's room too. It's very trendy here in the Netherlands, or it has been in the last couple of years, to make garden furniture from scaffolding planks. The RH (my favorite site and I'm so glad they are not in the Netherlands, would be far too tempting) is very similar to that.

mforr I'm here in the states, but I've seen the trend for using scaffolding planks in the UK for a while. I think it looks great. And I love the juxtaposition of slightly formal with rustic and a little industrial. If it fits the space, do it!! Thank you for the compliment on my garden. I'm very lucky, not a bad view from any part of my house.

mforr I try to stay away from RH too, but I will always pay a bit more for their bathroom hardware. Beautiful style and really well made.

judyg One thing I learned the hard way is that the direction from which your light comes is very, very important. Those are huge (great) windows giving you a bright but cool light. As the sun moves around the house you want your walls to continue to hold their own.

A green: BM 486
A blue: BM 780 this is a great color for accenting a fabulous view.
A grey: BM 1451
A yellow: BM HC-5.

mforr I like the Weston Flax color.