Love your floors good job. Good luck in design school. I find working in the field is more help than taking classes. There are many furn stores that hire designer or want to be designers, for their stores. To help clients, and go to their homes, to help them buy furn. You can gain so much knowledge this way . And make a living at the same time. Working as a assist to a designer, is a great way to break in to the field. A lot of designers will hire from the school. I'm sure you have a job board. Check it for even part time work. It pays off. Now your room. Like your sofa. Good color to work with. But, don't forget the small stuff. Like window covers, art, area rugs and accessories. Putting a room together is the hardest thing to do. It's very easy to put a sofa and chairs in a room. It's the accessories that bring a room together. Study a designer you relate too on TV. There are many I used to love Candice Olsen. Not sure if she is on the air. She does have books out. Study them see how rooms are pulled together. Then copy it for your room. Color is a matter of taste. Look for unusual things to add to your room. A simple thing like stacking some books together with a art item on top,is inexpensive and space filling look. You don't have to spend a lot. Rug, pillows window panels are found everywhere. Unless you have unlimited budget, can shop, Ikea, Pier One, World Market, Z galleries, West Elm. Even some deals at Restoration Hardware. Sometimes just go window shopping at above, to get ideas, find fun things. Don't rush. Take your time and find just the right thing for you. Good luck. That being said go a 6x9 rug in a traditional look with yr red and gold print. Stay with those colors just go different tones. Going the dark reds over bright is way to go in traditional. The bold colors work better with a modern look. Mix up design, size and prints in pillows. Panels on end of windows with a bamboo shade in dark brown. A inexpensive look that is timeless. Panels could be a gold velvet, that will give you a more traditional look. Move media for TV closer to firepl. If in budget go a round or square 24" coffee table in glass to show off rug. Over firepl a big 36" sun burst mirror hang 7" from top of mantel. TJMax has great price. Also ck them for pillows, rugs. They have a great return policy, which is very important. Always ck store policy on returning. Because you will be returning, it's part of the job. I will buy. 3 rugs at a time, to try in clients home. That's OK. Things look different in different light. Also coffee tables should be no more than 18" from front of sofa.

Are we talking about a slip-cover, or actual reupholstery? While I think a turquoise sofa would look amazing with your grey walls and white marble floors, it would be a considerable investment that might be too trendy. Case in point; I absolutely LOVED my teal leather sofa in 1990, but by 2000, was so sick of it, and asked myself what the heck was I thinking? Expensive mistake, one which I will never make again. It would be far better to stick to a neutral sofa and buy turquoise pillows, throws, curtains, a rug with some turquoise in it. These are things that could easily and inexpensively be changed out as trends and tastes change.

Hi minnie101, Thanks so much for your detailed reply. Great to know what colour that grey is. It may be a little dark with our floor. We will definitely update the handles - I hate the current ones. We'll probably go with wood to keep within budget. Your non-tiles pic is lovely. We'll probably keep some tiles and try to keep the kitchen a little more modern than country kitchen, which might be a challenge with wood. The room faces south. I like your idea of dividing it with paint. We probably will go with white in the kitchen and then 1/2 slightly darker tones in the tv-couch area. The 'other' entrance into the dining area is narrowed by a non-structural wall, so we should remove this to open it properly or like you say, close it off. Maybe not close it off entirely as we'd lose a lot of light, but maybe put in a counter or breakfast bar if space allowed. I love your pendant light suggestions over the dining table. Details like this and a rug in the couch area will really help divide the room as at the moment it is one big cavernous space. I really can't decide yet what way the couches should face - into a tv in the corner, or out into the room like you suggest. We'll have to draw out some chalk outlines on the floor and see how much space there actually is. Colour-wise we like the idea of keeping walls and cabinets quite stark, the wood counter will add a bit of warmth, and then adding colour with couches, rugs and possibly dining chairs. I've attached a couple of pieces of furniture I like. Some may not work, but we'll figure it out.

Hello Houzz Ireland, We are currently renovating a 1960's build - so as you know, there is a lot of decisions to be made!! So it would be nice to get some gems of advice from the experts to help us through this daunting task. Areas where we would really like some inspiration for - small bathroom downstairs. I would really like to do something fun with this room and although small, I think it could work really well with some funky wallpaper or possibly tiles?! I'm just not sure what to do with it. Also - pulling a whole house together?! Where do we start? We have the bigger pieces of furniture but how do I know what nest of tables goes best with a suite? Or what accessories will bring a room together? I'm due a second baby in 2 weeks time so any help at this stage would be so amazing - to guide me on the right interior design path for our new house. Thanks, Laurie