You can't trust colours online, so if you order online make sure that it can be returned if it clashes. Your taupe/beige woodwork has a pinky undertone on my monitor, avoid colours with a yellow undertone. I selected dark blue because it's very fashionable, works with the pinky wood, plus with with two walls of Windows and a ceiling fan, I'm guessing the room gets hot. Blue is visually cooling. That's also why I put up blockout curtains and blinds. I think you need sheers too. neutrals work well with that blue, so do the dark reds, berry, brown, as you asked for dark. Also taupe, cream, light creamy pink, which is another very fashionable colour. I would search for metallic lamps if I were you. If it were me I'd choose champagne gold, but there are lots of options. At night it would be good to have that gleam with the dark scheme. let us know in your ideabook and here, which direction you are going to go.

there are way too many colours going on here. Your home is a traditional style and yes the cream and green are traditional colours with the reddish brick however why did you put grey around the windows??also you have red scollops above the grey and it doesn't do the house justice. What colour was there before you painted the grey?? considering grey is a more modern colour I think you were attempting to modernise the externals. in saying that the roof would have been better to paint charcoal the cream in white and then the grey and then the driveway would be done in a grey stain. but if you leave it the way it is and cover the red scolloping above the windows the same grey and the bricks below the windows near the ground grey as well then get the drive way restained to the reddish colour of the bricks on the house and then it would blend more and look inviting.

I really like the ceiling, as others said it gives it atmosphere and frames the view. When you say pine, I'm thinking you mean the finest of all the pines - Oregon which is fine grained and a warm honey colour. I have a cathedral ceiling and I would gladly swap my bland white faux Hamptons look with you any day! I would look at a large rug for the floor - if the budget is small, find a carpet that you like and get it edged as a rug - my favourite hack. I agree to bring in some black in the curtain rods and swap out al that cream/yellow paint for a neutral white. Your kitchen reminds me of mine circa 1998. Change the splash back to something neutral. Even white painted glass or a white textured or interestingly shaped tile. Swap out your bar stools for timber and introduce some timber elements in the kitchen to match the roof. Think chopping boards,, timber bowl for fruit, utensil holders, pot plants. Paint the walls white as well. All the creams in the world won't help the ceiling look better. you need to work with it not against it. Good luck and keep us up to date!

Don't paint the ceiling and don't rush into extending until you have lived in the house for at least 12 months so that you understand how it works with the seasons and the extremes of temperatures. Landscaping is always after building work - as most tradesmen don't respect your plants. One of my clients said that they should be called treadsmen after her garden was trodden down! Look carefully at your lighting options, especially wall sconces and uplights to make the most of the beautiful timber ceiling. Once painted it can never be re-instated back to a timber ceiling easily. While this is your new home you are not going to live their forever. If you paint your ceiling the next owners will curse you, and wonder why you vandalised such a beautiful and expensive feature. If after 12 months of living with it you still hate it then consider a subtle lined finish, which will work with the original architecture of your home, but won't conceal the beautiful grain and character completely. Best of luck with your settling in process and learning to love the beautiful character of your new home, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls and Dr Retro Virtual Visits