Let's talk style

as you guys have read I moved into a new house at the beginning of March. I'm having a time getting my style here at the house. My previous house was 'eclectic clutter' with a known color scheme of cream, sage, beige/browns, and a splattering of vintage and cottage/romantic. Funny thing is I still have all the same furniture (let's better phrase antique and vintage hand me downs). The only new items is the couch and chair/ottoman. I totally changed my color scheme with them and I think that's what throwing me. It's a deep beautiful blue by Lane. It's deep and LONG-Little one, 2 dogs and I can lay down together. I looked and looked and looked-when I walked into a small local shop and she was sitting there with the matching chair in the coordinating pillow (flower tapestry one)-that's it! Totally unlike the neutral me. I left my floppy shabby beige one in the dust--it can't stand up to a toddler and dogs; it died a death after 7yrs--way to early for the LARGE price tag piece of furniture. So as you can see:

Its contemporary /classic style with the old fashioned big stud construction. My grandpa owned an upholstry business when I was growing up and that's what I remember best going in his building and hear the hammering of those studs in beautiful old antique furniture.
Which brings me to the kitchen (one of those kitchen/breakfast area/living room combos with the countertop eating area also)--it's a dream one you see on those HGTV shows but I miss my white kitchen, white appliances, and light countertops. I can't get used to the granite--it's dark brown with some creams, light browns, etc. The title backsplash is browns/tans/grays/copper like colors. The cabinetry is a nice light maple but for some reason they installed BLACK appliances--all nice top of the line stuff but black? So out goes this horrid sunflower walls and a nice grayish/tan color on the walls from Lowe's. It totally calmed down the whole downstairs area. I felt a tiny bit better and have received a whole lot of compliments from the family who saw it before. I saved that paint chip for 4 yrs! You can see a bit of it behind my tiny cottage corner here in the breakfast area.

For those that live in the South, I got these gorgeous creamy roses at a local supermarket, Publix! for 7.99! and appropriately called Cottage series. The sweet bottle and metal carrier I got at our local Pottery Barn for $19. Not bad for Pottery Barn.

This is the other corner of the breakfast area (the owner left these white hanging shelves perfect for plants due to being next to 4 windows)

So let's talk style--what's yours? Ideas to break down and soften that kitchen? I'll be back to talk about the dining room (formal); get some pics of the kitchen, and my horrid poop brown walls upstairs!

So this one followed me around; take my picture, TAKE MY PICTURE; CHEESE! How can you not love that? (okay--don't ask me after 8 hrs of that insistent chatter)

xo Kris