Hello the days are brightening up by now and I'm sure the room is looking less drab for it. However I think furniture rearranging will work wonders. You seem to have nice low window sills: show them off. If the sofa goes to the left between window and built-in unit you'll have a view out to the garden and more light in the room. Equally: can you fit the piano between the radiator and the double doors? Again: more light through the window. Low sills are a god-send, and so many of us are stuck with high ones. The room will feel more spacious with a good view to outdoors. The armchairs then: one to the left of the fireplace and one between the other window and piano. TV then between the two windows. (No shine on the screen) Does that fit maybe? Or do you need all five seats facing the TV? I rather like those stripy cushions. Can you find a striped wallpaper in matching colors and with an irregular pattern repeat for your accent wall? if going with wood floors how about a sheepskin rug for each of your doggies? Black or white. One last detail. A lower table for your side lamps would be good: At sofa arm or seat height. Coffee table could work in corner between window and new sofa position. Btw: I liked the suggestion to replace the cupboard doors above the fish tank with full-height ones. In some kitchen shops you can find ready-painted, wooden, panel doors that might fit. It's a long shot but you could be lucky. It would brighten up the corner if you got a light colour.

If you want custom cream panelling built from scratch, it is likely to take you more than three weeks to line up a contractor, get it built and then painted. If you want to use beadboard (thin, lightweight, cheap) you can do it yourself if you are good at the small precision cuts around the wood window trim and behind the radiators. You can get a custom built wood cover with doors for your tv or use the painting over tv disguise made with hinges. I think the room is beautiful as it is. Spend some money on a truly beautiful, impressive chandelier, have it centered over the table. If you want to impress relatives at an event, the chandelier is the way to go. Clean the windows for extra sparkle. If you are in the US, try Home Decorators http://www.homedecorators.com for DVD storage cabinets that are closed. I would not get a rug for this room unless I was ready to get it cleaned frequently and I could find one that looked good with dog hair on it and did not show stains. A good quality, highly patterned wool Oriental rug will do that job nicely. Such a rug is an investment and may take longer than three weeks to find.

Well, you could certainly provide some counter height stools without adding onto the counter. I would make the stools simple ones that don't call attention to themselves. Look at how the ones below are there to be sat upon but there's no overhang. The height you will need is called a counter stool. Or you have space for 2 at each end of the island with just a big of an overhang. People just like a place to perch while they chat with you while you're cooking. White stools would blend right into the island and be inconspicuous.

Thanks. Beautiul space. Can you please take a photo of the wall that is across from the island? -there is no overhang on the counter...so I am not seeing stools there on either the long portion of the island or the shorter portion by the window. -if you mean by the window, there is a door on one side and an oven on the other.....hence it is a traffic way,,,,,,you don't want stools there I am not sure why you feel the need to put something there. You might consider art on the wall across from the island to ground that wall. Need a photo.