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.

I think you're making great progress. CDR wanted you to put them all vertical because she thinks only professionals should style bookcases. We are/were all amateurs at one point, that doesn't mean we shouldn't decorate our own homes. You're getting there! Just keep studying the photos of bookshelves that you like and keep practicing. Just remember to keep the decorations simple. Look over the beautiful photo above from Maureen again, and you can see that some shelves are still all books, and there are only a few decorative pieces.

Take out sofa, use beanbags and those blow up seats for their friends. Coloured rugs for tumbling and crawling on. Supersoft teddy bear blankets so they can curl up. Add in one of those soft blanket boxes for toy storage and so you have somewhere soft to perch when you are with them. Paper half way up the wall in the wall paper that kids can draw on, so they can decorate in whatever colour they like and you won't mind. A childs lift up desk, bookcase and some crazy lamps in weird colours. Then close the door, collapse on the sofa that you have moved, breathe a sigh of relief and thank your lucky stars that you have another room for the kids to go to. (Grab wine and pretend they aren't yours for half an hour! ;-) )

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