"I do worry about the possibility of splinters though." Don't worry sciencegeek, as long as they are sanded properly, there should be no fear of splinters.

i think it is a chair. you can see an outlet on the far right.

if this was crappy wood paneling, i would say, paint it! but this is beautiful, so i will say, don't paint it! if you want to lighten up the room, i would suggest getting lighter, more modern furni...

i would love to win this for my parents apartment. they really need the help.

i agree that you should not paint the fireplace. it needs a good cleaning and the mantel should be more substantial to create contrast and give it more visual interest. i'm picturing somethin...