| The suggestions you had on the Kitchen forum are really good ones....counter color and roman shades. They are great people over there with tons of inspiration. I have little kitchen remodel skills compared to their knowledge..other than knowing what is loved and comfortable personally. I like the idea of using the blues and the terracotta from your grandfather's watercolor. Do you have more of these to place as a grouping on a wall? An added frame for the current one would draw more attention to it...tis wonderful to have family history and I really like the painting. And, as an artist, if the current watercolor is on a wall where the sun hits, you may want to consider moving it. Or be sure to have it mounted under glass which keeps the colors from fading. Are you homeschooling or is the bulletin board a gathering spot for your children's activities? I actually like the bulletin board, it feels so much like family. Trimming this may add to the decor...perhaps black. And a small chalkboard added? I took out two cabinets in my kitchen to make space for an eating area....had no idea at the time how much storage would be lost by doing this. If you want a banquette (and I like them too), is there a way to reuse the current cabinets? Perhaps cut them down for seating on top. You mentioned you were very DIY people. This way you still have most of the storage avaliable. Adding seat cushions and pillows with fabric to match the blues/terracotta would really brighten the area up. Is that a saddle on the wall for coats? Tis hard to see in the photo, but is the only thing I can come up with. We had a collection of saddles in our home at one time...when our home was much larger. If that is a saddle....a very functional idea. There are a lot of storage options for the wall by the door for shoes/boots/coats. Many inexpensive and you could also use one or two of the cupboards if you decide to take them out (cut them back fit the area), with decorative hooks above. For lighting...hanging drop lights over the table and specific task areas? I am still on the fence regarding undercabinet lighting, like the ambience but not sure if they really give the work light needed. Rambling input....for a kitchen that is huge compared to mine. I really like the layout of yours and it has bunches of options for actually making it fun to redo. | 
