You could also bring in some texture with bamboo sticks or decorative branches and help balance a bit the height of your room with small scale furniture. Spray paint them if you find the perfect size and shape but they aren't the color that you need. Ikea carries white decorative stalks for a very good price. the ones in the 1st picture hold well with small kids around and you don't need a vase for them. there are washi paper or crinkly paper floor lamps with a soft beautifully diffused glow For a budget friendly version check ikea or target http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80028552/

I think a comfortable distance between the island and the counter is around 42". It seems that you have only 30" between your cook top and the counter. I might be a little too tight. The wall between the entrance and the kitchen could be 4' long instead of 6', you would then be able to move the island a foot which would give you more room between the cook top and the island. Could you switch the location of the toilet and vanity in your dad's bathroom so your enter facing a vanity instead of a toilet which is a lot nicer.

Thank you Groveraxle for the virtual ! you are too good a designer that is why I cannot help troubling you ;) you have your biggest fan in me ever since your first advice:)) As for an in-house designer I am certainly going to call somebody soon . Just that I get such a lot of options and great advice from highly accomplished and talented Houzz designers ..I would be better prepared after these conversations ..please forgive me for pestering you guys like this:)

Hi Nishi, Beautiful furniture and a very cute cosy nest you have. To begin with replace your existing coffee table with a hard wood simple coffee table. Replace your cushions with an assortment of pink, turquoise and golden yellow in different sizes and shapes, this will add some brightness to the room.Replace the pictures on the wall with a big mirror as per the wall size and add a nice frame to it. On the shelf on the picture wall place the candle stands currently on the centre table. The stools can be replaced with a nice upholstered ottoman bench in a printed fabric as sofa is plain. Cover the entry door with curtains as well so that it gives an illusion of a single wall behind. Since the wall behind the bench is already textured do not put anything on the wall. Remove the white bench there, instead put two big white teracotta pots there of different height and put bamboos on it. Finally put a blue/brown shaggy rug below the coffee table to complete the look. Hope you find the suggestions useful. Also you could put a few glass shelfs on the wall behind the 3 seater and place all your small knick knacks on displayLike how I have done on my wall