Top Ten Home Tour...and I need some input, please!

Laurie, over at Tip Junkie, is inviting us to share a tour of some of our favorite things in our homes, for her "Talk To Me Tuesday" Feature. I'm going to cheat a little since we recently moved, and really haven't started decorating our new house. I'm going to show pictures of decor from our old house and maybe revisit this topic in a year or so, when we've had a chance to do a little more here. I noticed a theme in my favorites--it's all about paint. And that happens to be the thing we are a little nervous to do much of in the new house. Where my old house had all white walls that were begging to be painted, the new house has pleasant two-toned paint (mushroom brown color on the walls with white trim). It is nicely done, but lacks a little warmth, which I am hoping to bring in with fabric. I think the kids' rooms will need to be painted at some point, but we seem to be a little more afraid of messing this up than we were with the old house, as you will be able to see by my bold paint choices there...

On with the tour:

#1--The faux finish I did on my kitchen walls. I got lots of comments on this, and I really didn't follow a specific technique. I practiced on the walls behind the fridge (that wouldn't be seen), until I got it to look like I wanted. We started with a light yellow base. I then applied orange and red paint, loosely mixed, over the top with a brush and rubbed it in with a paint cloth, some places, more than others. I guess it is kind of the "rag-off" technique, but I focused mostly on blending.

#2--The colorful plate display. These shelves are from IKEA. My husband added some screws so that I could put those bowls upright to display. What can I say? I like color!

#3--Speaking of color...I liked this shelf (also from IKEA) in the loft, which served as the office/play area. The colorful dot magazine holders are from IKEA. The colorful nesting boxes are from Costco, and the big file boxes at the bottom were plain until I covered them with fabric. Sadly, it usually didn't (doesn't) look this neat.

#4--The Wall Gallery. I can't wait to get this hung up in my new house because I think it will look so much better with more space. This is the other thing I would get lots of comments on. The gallery pieces are from Pottery Barn (via ebay), and since they were out of the bars that go on the top, I had my husband get some wood (1x4s?), I painted it black and distressed it, and he figured out how to hang it, so that the rods could hook on. I have plans to paint some of the frames and change it up a bit in our new house. I made the plaques above at a Super Saturday at church. One says "Home is where our story begins" and the other says "Families are forever."

#5--The purple wall! I knew I wanted a purple focal wall from the time we moved in. My first attempt was disappointing. I thought I picked the perfect shade, but on the wall, it was shiny, bright and grapey. It could have been fun for a kid's room, but not the sophisticated feel, I wanted in my master bed. The finished result you see here, came from the Venetian Plaster paint product at Home Depot. I gave them the swatch (more gray-purple this time) and had them go as dark as they possibly could with that product. The plaster is fun to apply. You trowel it on. It is hard to capture it's beauty in a photo, but we are renting this house out, now, and all of the potential renters, were willing to change their bedroom decor to match this wall, rather than the other way around.

#6--(Super blurry picture...Sorry!) The wedding picture grouping on that purple wall. We enlarged and framed this wedding picture, and flanked it on either side with these candle sconces from IKEA. They are pretty and actually give off a lot of light. (hmmm...IKEA, I'm starting to notice another pattern here.)

#7--Kids' bathroom mural. Back to the paint, here. I suppose this isn't the best for resale appeal, but what can I say...my house was my canvas! I had fun painting cattails and hiding ladybugs around the pond-themed bathroom. (And the kids had fun finding them!)

#8--Kids' bedroom--Not a perfect picture since my daughter had some interesting ideas about where her pillow, etc. belonged. Again, we painted green hills all around this room. I even let my daughter help paint. The room is bug-themed and the curtains are actually a shower curtain, cut in half, hung by cut bug shower curtain holders.

#9-Powder room--More paint. I'm not sure the photo captures the true color of the deep blue I painted in the powder room. I love how the white sink, etc., popped against it. This water color is one I purchased on the street in Salzburg, Austria for about 10 euro. It is really lovely!

#10--Does it count if it is outside? My fountain and the chiminea. Fun furnishings like this can help me make believe that my patio is somewhere more exotic than Arizona.

BONUS:

The most decorated place in my new house, so far!

So here is where I need your input.

My lovely little "Vanna-White-in-training" is showing you the color scheme in our new house and I am wanting some input on painting. I'll make it easy for you, leave a comment, and

vote for one of the following options (unless, of course you have something else brilliant to say, and then, by all means, say it!):

A--Your home needs the personality that paint can provide! Don't be afraid to add some color to those walls.

B--Have fun painting the kids' rooms/play areas, etc., but use fabrics to decorate the living areas of the house since the neutral paint will go with most anything.

C--Paint? Why would you paint any of those beautiful walls, unless the paint is peeling off???

Since I'm begging for free advice. I love my fireplace in my master bedroom, but I'm not entirely sure what to do with it from a design standpoint? Any experience with hanging things on brick? Would you paint or cover that little bit of dry wall between the brick? I know you're dying to give your opinion! Thanks!