Nicole, I need your expertise

 My sister has a degree in interior design, and I really need her help.  I put this on the blog because it's the easiest way to share photos and info.  So, here's our house.  We moved in late last Spring, and it doesn't feel like our style yet, but we're very grateful and definitely enjoying it.

 So Nicole, we're just focusing on the living room now, so we don't overwhelm ourselves, but if you have ideas for the other rooms, let me know.  If not, no bigs.  We moved the piano to the spare room to make way for another chair, and because Chad thinks it looks cluttery.  I'm not sure.  It is nice to have the piano out of the front room, because that's where we watch tv.  If it stayed in the LR, I would paint it.

 Here is what things look like now.  Nice-ish....but SNOOZAROO!  It has no pizazz.  There is no fun going on.

Here are our ideas.  Chad really wants get new mid-gray to dark gray carpet, that's less shaggy, because this stuff has lots of stains, and Chad hates it now.  I'm hesitant about the dark gray.  There are stain-proof carpets, but I wonder how stain-proof they really are.  We want carpet, but something that can withstand the dogs and Jet. 

 We move the dog beds to the bedroom at night, and when guests come.

I really want to paint this wall (fireplace wall) charcoal gray.  I would LOVE to do chalkboard paint and draw cool frames and stuff in chalk, but then I have an idea for the other walls, and it would be too much.

We don't like the color of the tiles.  Dingy.  But there is nothing we can do about those.  Wish they were white.  Ol' well.

 Ottoman, ick.  We were thinking two small white leather or leatherish ottomans.  Again, we like low-maintenance fabrics, and we love to put our feet up.  Maybe I could recover this one.  Eeks.

 View from the front door.  Too traditional.  We need more fun.

 This "media center" is warped and chewed.  We want to get a credenza (st. vincent) and paint it a fun color (orange, peacock blue, something fun).  We're going to start using our smaller tv.

On these walls (the one with the tv, and the wall perpendicular to it)  I was thinking of doing large horizontal stripes, in a light gray.  But then I also like the idea of doing horizontal striped curtains, and that's just too over the top. 

We love this mirror.  We love distressed wood.

So, I invited you to my pinterest...but I don't know how it works.  I just want you to see my inspiration boards, so if you need my username and password, let me know.  I'm loving charcoal lately.  SO PRETTY.  I love the mustardy, muted light yellow that's going on right now.  I like black and white.  Anyway, it's just so much easier if you see my boards. 

If anyone else has any ideas, bring 'em on.