Before: MIL's living room and dining room

For months I've been working on my mother in law's living room/dining room.  Its one very large space, about 30 x 30.  We had a pretty tight budget, so we kept all of the existing furniture.  My in laws like a traditional, ornate style, which is reflected in all their furnishings, and they wanted the new room to be a very formal style.

I apologize in advance for the darkness of these pictures....but there is one light fixture in the dining room, and that's it.  I am gently prodding my mother in law (she might say incessantly nagging) to have an electrician install a light fixture in the living room. 

This is the view of the living room when coming in from the foyer. The fireplace and bookshelves are a dark mahogany. There is a sofa under the window, a loveseat in front of the piano, two peach floral chairs, two dark side tables and a coffee table, and a red piano. 

Behind the piano in the background, are also three very large shelving pieces that held stuff. The floor throughout the space is a cinnamin-reddish marble. 

The rug in the living room is a gold/peach/blue/cream color.

The wingback chairs have a floral peach pattern:

The other side of the room had a very different color scheme, and a lot of furniture as well:

The dining room had a cherry wood dining table and chairs, a china cabinet, a buffet, two small liquor tables,  two curio cabinets, and armoire, and two little tables.  

The wallpaper was a striped floral and the rug was a red/blue oriental.

I tried and tried and tried to bring this room together with fabric and color....but there was just alot already going in here, with the peach, red, blue, cream, greens, striped wallpapers, floral rugs, floral chairs, taupe sofas, red pianos, dark mahogany bookshelves, and cherry dining set....so I gave up.

I've used  virtual designers Kelly & Olive in my own space before, and so I called them and asked for a color consultation.  I knew that I wanted to take out half the furniture, and I had some ideas for a botanical print wall and new curtains, but pulling both sides together with color was beyond me.

They suggested that instead of trying to bring the two sides together with the blues that were in both rugs, that I go very neutral instead.  This was a great idea, and it really opened my eyes with picking fabrics, etc. 

The room is very nearly done....some sneak peeks coming up in the next post!