Yes, you need something to balance the black curtains across the room. Either art or a mirror or a textile could work -- but it would have to be big.

If you're on a tight budget, I suggest a big piece of Marimekko or similar graphic fabric on a stretcher -- until you find just the right piece of art.

Hi there, it seems like you have a lot of gray going on in your furniture (and your cat!). Now I'm not suggesting you dye your cat a different color, but take the opportunity to introduce some color to that big wall. For example, you could make some simple, long vertical frames and stretch some cool fabric on them. You can work with your rug as a starting point for color and complementary colors. Also, the mirror over the fireplace seems a bit out of context with the style of the rest of the room. Perhaps a different mirror with cleaner lines, vertical, and maybe even introduce a pop of color behind the mirror by painting a cool color behind it kind of like a frame. Or if you want/need to work with the mirror you have, paint the frame a fun color (if you are not beholden to its original frame) but raise the mirror up a good 6 inches on the wall.

A long horizontal mirror would be pretty. I really like your use of dove gray.

Try to find a mirror that has a little bit of wooden or resin orrnamentation around the edges, and paint the ornamentation not bright white, but white with some gray, so it's a little bit lighter than the walls.

Ballards.com always carries oversized pieces -- you might find something you can adapt from that source.

By the way, don't fret too much. You've done a super job. Btw, it looks like you have an empty round vase on your dining room table. It's summer. Find a short variety of zinnias and add some color. Or even cut down some roses. The ocean spray roses that come in lavendar might look really great. I got a bouguet of them for $6.00, so it's not a pricey alternative right now.

I would say try switching the couch to the big wall and the TV to the other, smaller wall. Then create an artwork collage behind the couch. That, to me, is the most obvious solution. That would also break up the visual clutter of the smaller wall. Another solution would be to keep the TV and chair on the bigger wall, but add a floor lamp with a white shade (for some symmetry) next to the chair and some artwork on the wall behind the TV. A large floor plant next to the TV would also help in breaking up the big wall.

http://www.tangiedecor.blogspot.com

If it will work, I would flip your sofa and your TV. The sofa has more visual weight to anchor such a large wall, plus when you're bored with what's on TV you can look out the window instead of a big blank wall. Then I'd put a singular large piece of art or two medium pieces of art over the sofa. I wouldn't put anything too high up the wall, you want to keep the focus lower. If you aren't facing it all the time, it may be less bothersome.

I feel you! I've been dealing with a similar issue in my living room and I think I finally solved it just by rearranging the furniture. What seemed like the most intuitive layout actually just made the room feel really narrow and out of scale, even though it's a huge room.

Perhaps swapping the TV and the couch would help, since when you're watching TV, you won't be staring at a giant expanse of wall behind the set. The shorter wall will be easier to balance out.

Also, almost all your pieces are neutral, so there isn't really a focal point for the eye to zoom in on. It just bounces from object to object. A unifying color theme on the bookshelves and an accent wall might help that. Recentering the mirror above the fireplace instead of tilting it on the mantle may help with the visual clutter made by the diagonal roofline and the up-down-up rhythm of the built-ins.

All your stuff is great, it just feels like it needs fine tuning.

You have a lot of little things, which is what makes for a lot of visual scattered interest already. Can you edit some of the items from the shelves?

I agree that you need something on that big wall.

Also definitely raise the mirror.

Or.. can you move the white bookshelves or are they built in? They might do better on either side of the TV. The fireplace and the mirror are almost enough to anchor the small wall and you wouldn't have to buy anything!

Yeah, I agree. Find a BIG, bold piece of art and hang it.

You might also want to hang up the pictures that you currently have leaning on the chair/behind the couch. It might make it look less cluttered.

However, the fact that nothing is hung makes me think that maybe you are renting and can't put holes in the walls. Is this true?

While I'm a big fan of books and open shelving, I think in your particular case, its the open shelves that actually contribute to the visual overload. Perhaps putting doors on those shelves?

Or, you could put away some of the books, saving only those of the same color so that you could stack them in various heights on different shelves? (i.e., do stacks in black, gray, tan-the main colors in your living room, with accent stacks of green & yellow books.) Couple that with your existing decor items should keep the eye moving without overloading it, with zero cost! =)

Best of luck to you!

Maybe moving the TV somewhere else would help (install a flat screen TV above the fireplace?).

Try filling up the space with a series of leaning bookshelves (ex: http://www.bdiusa.com/furnishings/tables/eileen_shelf.shtml) or ledges to display your artwork. A large textile wall hanging would work great, too.

trim & railings could help break up that space.

Oh I love it. So pretty and soft and comfortable. I agree with the others that you should experiment with a new arrangement. And I think that your fireplace is crying for a nice round mirror.

There is a woven one that is beautiful and on sale at Target right now. Or several at West Elm. And of course Overstock.

Good luck - post pictures of whatever you try please please.
~k

Wow this is some really awesome advice. Thank you all in advance...
ok to answer a few of your questions:
We own...I just can't commit to anything in a permanent location yet which is why everything is leaning!

I didn't originally switch the couch and tv because the entrance to the room is opposite the wall with the couch. I didn't want the first view of the room to be the tv. But maybe this is the best choice?

What you can't really see clearly is the art above the couch it's FULL of color. I was hesitant to put anything too colorful on the big blank wall for fear it would compete

Any ideas on a unifying color theme for the bookshelves or a color for the mirror?

If you'd like to see the rest of the pictures of the room they are here
thanks again
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40519338@N06

Because there is a lot of going on in the space already--the eye bounces around from place to place, object to object--I would cover the wall with one big painting or photograph. This would be a place to rest the eyes; some might call it a focal point. You can have digital photos blown up to monumental sizes and printed onto canvas for a fairly reasonable price. Another low-cost option would be to stretch your own canvas (or through craigslist, I'm sure you'd be able to find a starving artist who could do it for you for not too much money) and make your own painting. You could use a favorite artist as inspiration or even flat-out copy something. If you're artistically challenged, invite your most creative friends over for a painting party. Choose your palette beforehand (buy pints of house paint), and supply the paint, brushes, and nachos.

I actually think this looks very good as is, esp if you are in to minimalism. To make the empty wall around the TV work better with the fireplace wall I'd use and expedit tv unit in white and switch the tv and sofa.

Hi all
wow these are great great suggestions!

Here are a few responses:
The entrance to the room opposes the wall with the couch. My original thought was that I didn't want the first view of the room to be a big TV. But maybe that's the best option??

The art above the couch is very brightly colored and so is all the stuff on the bookshelves so I was hesitant to do something with too much color on the big blank wall for fear that it would compete.

Any ideas for a unifying color scheme for the bookshelves or a color for the mirror?

We do own! I'm just very hesitant to commit!!

:-)
thanks again everyone
Here is a link to some more pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40519338@N06

I would suggest swapping the TV with the couch so that you have a blank wall to fill above the couch not the TV with whatever you put on the tall wall will compete with. I think the room will have more balance if you swap the furniture around. (I hope that makes sense)

Agreed that some color is needed in the room, can you paint?

I'm not a fan of hanging fabric as art, but that is just me. I see you have some framed art behind the couch and next to the TV, you could hang above the couch (once you swap the room around).

I agree with the mirror comments.

I think the curtains are too heavy, could you invest in some sheers? or even white linen sheers double hung with colored panels for interest? West Elm has a sale on their curtains currently and they are quite affordable.

Amanda,
Perhaps you could pick up a few old frames from your local thrift store, spray paint them colors you love (I'm noticing lime green, orange, red, and sky blue in the photograph), and assemble a large vertical arrangement the on the big, blank wall behind the television. You already have wonderful furniture with a monochromatic color scheme, so you could take a cue from the frames and add some graphic pillows to your sofa and and chairs that coordinate. I would definitely say that you're off to a great start though. I wish you the best of luck on creating a stunning room.

I agree with bumble that the mirror should be hung higher -- it would be fun painted the same yellow as your rug, but I think it's fine how it is if you want to keep it dark.

As for the ginormous wall ... you've created such a pretty neutral room, why *not* go for a show stopping pop of color on the wall? Something BIG. I like the idea of the stretched fabric like Lisa said.

If you're on a budget then why not get a little crafty? Make a triptich -- buy some large canvases at the craft supply store and go all Pollock on their asses with the splatter paint.

If you want to keep things in the grey area you could try rastorbating a nice b&w photo... that might work really well on that wall actually.

I see some framed b&w -- are you a photographer? If so, why not go for that theme? String a couple lengths of picture wire across the whole wall, and hang 8x11 blow ups of your photography with clips, like an old fashioned dark room. You could switch the pictures out as you got tired of them.

Use paint to divide up the space.

This is an excellent example:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/inspiration/5-green-interiors-for-st-patricks-day-079192?image_id=64731

Or even faking a sense of architecture that isn't there:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/look-unique-and-colorful-paint-job-066331

I'm loving all of these ideas....
Here's the kicker. I'm having a party on Saturday so for now I need a short term fix but I will DEFinitely be implementing more long term solutions as well.

I love this idea:
String a couple lengths of picture wire across the whole wall, and hang 8x11 blow ups of your photography with clips, like an old fashioned dark room. You could switch the pictures out as you got tired of them.

I also think the idea of a floor lamp and houseplant with art work well also.

It's interesting to me that so many of you see this as a neutral room. In person it seems to have too much competing color to me.

Keep the suggestions coming. I will definitely be editing the bookshelves this week. I'm nervous!

A taller table/console to house your television would serve to define the area a little better, would break up the huge empty wall, and would create a nice step effect with the chairs flanking the TV. Then you could just fill in the areas on either side with smaller artwork or mirrors, without the stress of a HUGE area to fill in.

As far as visually being too much, I agree that the mirror above the fireplace is too big. You should have 4-6 inches of breathing room between the mirror and the bookshelves on either side to make it feel more balanced.

something not gray! A persian carpet? A painting with plenty of red? A huge can of Campbell's Soup? A blow-up doll of Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia?

Hi there, thanks for the link to additional pix. Your house is beautiful, by the way.

Those prints you've got behind the couch are kind of hidden and I think they want to come out and play. They should definitely be up on a wall. It looks like there is some orange in all those prints, so perhaps orange as an accent color because it would also look good with your rug.

:-) I agree I did get carried away with the Gray. I do love my gray!!

Love the photo of Amsterdam in your Flickr - how "huge " is it? Because if, as others have suggested, the couch and tv are switched, that photograph would be beautiful filling some space on that tall wall.

You could go all out and paint a mural, too!

Also, I agree with the suggestion of at least raising the mirror over the fireplace, and also hanging the artwork currently behind the couch. One of the reasons that one wall looks so enormous is that those other elements are not placed as high as they could be.

I like the idea, which several have suggested, of swapping couch and tv, hanging the pictures propped behind the couch (now on the big wall), and raising the mirror. Put a runner on the table, with a big pot of flowers, or a plant?

I think the coloring of the room is just a mite cold. Maybe pick up the warm yellow of the rug with paint or ... something? (Might not be to your taste though.)

I should say, I shot these pics on a cloudy day. It's normally UBER sunny and warm in the room.

Reminds me a lot of the layout of my house. But we have lower cielings. I understand your dilema though. The same thing bothered me about our place.

I tell you what we did because after 3 or 4 tries I feel like it is finally working. Instead of switching the TV and couch I would swap the couch and those two chairs. The couch should face the fireplace. Then you can leave the tv where it is but you wouldn't be staring at the big wall. Add a small entry table just to the right of the entrace and place a large round mirror over it. If you can upgrade to a slightly more substantial media stand I think that would give that wall a big pice to anchor it. Also, two tall bookcases, one on either side of the tv would give your eye something to focus on over there. Something like these would be nice:
http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=118&f=4673&q=bookcase&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1 (look at the room view. The first picture doesn't really do them justice)

It's a lovely room though. I think your 90% there already.

oh, another thought...since you said you already feel like it's busy with the existing bookcases more bookcases might be overkill...how about a storage piece like this to put the TV on (look at the photo with the pair of tables side by side, not the first picture with the puny single one). It's narrow and taller so has some color so it would really give that wall a pop of color and give your eye somewhere to rest besides the big TV. Might take some patience but a vintage piece might be nice.

oops...forgot the link
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p11172/index.cfm?pkey=cconsole-entryway-tables

You have created rigid symmetry on the far wall, while your architecture is emphatically asymmetric. The potentially dramatic triangle above the twinned bookcases is currently meaningless. Even a large asparagus hung from the ceiling to the right might do the job. (A bronze or copper planter would echo the floor)
Loosen up a bit. Be a bit more playful - needed especially with of that serious gray. Lots of "games" are inexpensive and changable, so don't be scared.
There is a whole world of grays waiting for you to discover. Most are created by mixing opposite colors like yellow and purple (I am a painter) and not just black and white. They are social creatures - a dull gray mud, can look brilliant when place next to a slightly contrasting gray.
Your wooden floor is currently the only intense color in the room.

i have no advice because our living/dining room is set up very similar and we have the same vaulted ceilings which makes for huge blank walls! so im happy to read all the advice here- and please post after pictures if you it get up set up to your liking!

Don't be afraid color. Your obviously drawn to it, and I see little hints of it in some of your accessories, which look to be green & orange. With all the nuetrals you have going on, those two colors would really pop with anything you do and help give your eye something to rest on. Try throw pillows.

I agree you should hang up the prints that are currently leaning behind the couch. That will help with your feeling that things are too "busy," I think. Also I think the shelves are too crowded--you need more blank space on them. The other shelves in your flickr set are really nicely arranged, maybe just apply those principles to these shelves.

Amanda--

Yes, your room has problems:

Your bookcases and mirror are overpowering the fireplace - Your seating is spread around the room and placed into corners making it a TV watching room rather than a place to read or have conversations - there's a significant lack of color and one too many hanging things from the ceiling.

I'd being by clearing the room and painting the walls something other than white - Since it appears that you're into a grey/white/yellow thing, I'd choose a medium grey that's darker than your upholstered pieces, and consider choosing a dark grey & white graphic patterned wallpaper for the entire fireplace wall.

Next, you need to arrange the room so that the focus is on the fireplace - not the TV set. The mirror above the fireplace is the wrong shape - it needs to be either round or taller than it is wide to accentuate the height of the ceiling. Place the bookcases together on the wall between the windows with the TV in between and open shelves above. Place the sofa on the wall where the TV is now. Rather than what appears to be a console behind the sofa holding pictures - hang the pictures on the wall above the sofa in a long line which will direct your eye towards the fireplace wall. Place the armchair closer to the sofa, slightly in front of the bookcase and facing the fireplace with a floor lamp/table. Place your existing end table on the fireplace end of the sofa, and get a long-low credenza for additioal storage on the dining area end of the sofa. A pair of lamps - one on either end of the sofa - are necessary for lighting and balance.

Eliminate either the ceiling fan or the tiny chandelier - preferably both, and replace with one large-scaled round chandelier above the dining table. Consider replacing the table with a round table since there are already so many squares and rectangles in the room.

Finally - there only appears to be one yellow element in the room which is your living room rug, so it stands out like a sore thumb. If your intention is for a yellow/grey color combo, bring in some yellow pillows and yellow table lamp bases for either end of the sofa. Place a bowl of lemons on your dining table. Paint the backs of your bookcases yellow, and replace the draperies with some yellow panels that are hung floor-to-ceiling.

This might not be feasible to do in time for this weekend, but I would actually move the white bookshelves to the largest wall on either side of the TV (with the doors on the outside.) They are the tallest things in the room, and it would make more sense to have them on the tallest wall. Then the fireplace will have more room to breathe and be attractive and you can hang some of your art to the sides of it. Put the two chairs facing the fireplace on the wall in front of the fireplace, and put the single chair where the two chairs originally were. I think this arrangement will make it easier to find the spots for your art, and I agree that maybe having the TV be the first thing you see isn't what you want.

Very fond of it as it is.

definitely moving the bookcases will help. The fireplace wall is way too packed with stuff compared to the other too walls. Putting them on the same wall with the tv will help balance things out

for a large, graphic, black & white piece for above your TV, I totally recommend getting the Stendig calendar (http://www.stendigcalendar.com/). It's $30 and a really nice visual pop! The months alternate between white numbers on black & black numbers on white. Try googling for even better prices.

I *love* the mirror you've got between the bookshelves. The shape does a lovely thing to balance out the very masculine clean lines & the (masculine, to me) monochromatic gray. I would suggest painting the frame a pop-y color -- and I would try to get more color into the room in general (this can be easily achieved with pillows, etc). I'm no expert, but what I see is a really promising monochromatic layer that needs another layer (or two) of interest-building, colorful elements.

Your room is not balanced. Most of the tall/heavy dark pieces are on the left side, and lack of balance is emphasized even more because your tallest wall is on the right side.

The mirror above the fireplace is fabulous - don't touch it.

Keep the sofa where it is. You want the biggest seating element to be facing the door. Remove the ledge behind the sofa and hang up those pictures.

Move the bookcases to the wall on either side of the tv. Also, get a new piece of furniture to put the tv on. I'd prefer to see something about the height of the doors on the bookcases, and linked to the bookcases visually - nothing too dark or modern. The spare dining chairs will have to be stored somewhere else.

You need lighting on that side of the room. You can clip picture/bookcase lights on top of the bookcases, and put a floor lamp next to the chair in the corner.

I'd also clear out the shelves a bit. For example, the little bottles or vases lined up on one shelf - keep it to 5, and put the others away or display elsewhere. For additional interest, back the backs of the shelves a contrasting color.

I think you can keep that armchair in the corner, just pull it forward a bit to make room for the shelves. I'd also like to see a narrow table or credenza between the two matching chairs and the dining area, but I suspect there's not enough room.

I think the room would be better served by removing that end table and replacing it with something taller that works equally with the sofa and the chair next to it. Preferably round. In fact, I'd get something similar for the other end of the sofa and add another lamp. You can 'merchandise' these tables with the accessories from the ledge behind the sofa.

Speaking of color, there's not much going on there. I'd look for some accessories to pick up the yellow in the rug, and add in a third accent color (I'd go for red or light blue).

The curtains are lovely, but too dark/heavy, particularly because the sofa is on that wall too. I would switch them out in favor of lighter colors.

You didn't ask, but the light over the dining table seems too small... think about whether a larger light would help define that space better.

Hope we can see pics once you've made your changes!

you seem to have accents in apple green scattered throughout. I like those, and would pick up on that color for an accent.
Besides that, i have nothing to add, but I do like the room.

I agree with moving the bookcases to the long tall wall. And As I wrote - you have modern informal architecture. Go with it and not against it. Break the rigid symmetry and right angles. And move those spare dining chairs back to the table: The TV doesn't need bookends

Perhaps experiment with putting the bookcases at right angles in the far right corner, or as was suggested, along the tall wall.

The mirror is so funny and out of place here, that it is charming! Keep it! Just liberate it from it's constricting niche, and hang it a bit higher.

You own such nice furnishings and a nice house, so the work will be easy.

Amanda your place is well out it's way to being great. I suggest that you move the couch so that it faces the fireplace to break up the room and hang the prints you currently have on the shelf behind the couch.

Although I love your chandelier (btw where did you find it? I have been looking for something like that for my hallway), I think it is too small and should be replaced with a light fixture that has more visual impact. Good luck.

I did a quick scan of the comments, and will add in my vote to swap the sofa to the big wall.

Window walls are the darkest walls. The wall across from your window wall would usually be the lightest...and you have glorious skylights, that make it even lighter. And the curtains are dark, making the darker wall even darker.

It does make one side look heavier, lower, and that side is already lower and darker. The art behind the sofa is propped on something...keep that something, or install a photo rail behind where the TV is. So it's a feature, not just of a TV, but also art.

That huge Amsterdam item you have, I would put that behind the sofa.

Lighten the window treatment. If possible, even the rods:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90155002

Consider also, moving the mirror and making an art niche between the bookshelves while the other walls are peacefully empty. Various shapes and sizes of frames, like this shown on a stairwell:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/home-accessories/wall-art/12-ways-to-display-art/?page=9

Coordinate the art display between the bookcases with the framed items IN the bookcases.

Also, check out this image:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/home-accessories/accessories/decorating-with-mirrors-to-maximize-size-and-style/?page=22

A couple things might be useful from that image. Fireplaces, when not in use, have a gaping maw. LOL! That mirror IN the fireplace is acrylic, cut to fit the opening. You may be able to give yourself a quick idea on how it might look by moving the mirror above the fireplace to below in front of the opening.

Next, look at the shelves next to their fireplace. They have full shelves too. What makes a difference? They're using more white, more covered areas.

As usual, IKEA totally rocks for small inexpensive solutions.
White magazine files, 5 @ $2.99:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50022354
2 @ $5.99:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30159507

CD boxes in white:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00115459

If all the art and photos are above the fireplace, you can use those CD and DVD storage boxes to virtually "white-out" the far wall. With the emphasis placed upon your collectibles, such as the fans. Or the green vase.

You can test everything out without having to buy anything.

Move the mirror to the fireplace.

Remove all the art from the shelves, and make paper cutouts of the sizes, to practice arranging the art in the space above the fireplace.

Using plain white paper, you can also tape or prop it over the areas and items that would be replaced with white storage.

Drape a white sheet over one of the rods in the living room and see if it makes that much of a difference to change to something a lot lighter.

Other things. Nevermind that my fridge is similar, LOL, but declutter the fridge face. I'd move your bright green accents (if possible) to the kitchen island. The frame, the lantern, the vase. And maybe add on kitchen towels in a similar shade.

You have some great foliage plants by the kitchen window. I bet a couple plants would be real nice near the tv on the short wall. By that first window.

I might suggest trying to move the extra dining chairs back into the dining area.

Take a couple snapshots of the temporary suggestions, the mirror, the art, the curtain, the moving of furniture, and see if looks ok. Sometimes it's easier to see the whole room as a whole, by reducing it in size to a picture image.

Only you can make the final decision on what works in YOUR space, for YOUR family.

I am so thankful to all of you for taking so much time and effort to help me with my room! It's so appreciated! I can't thank you enough.
I'll let you in on what I think I'll be doing:

I know most of you said to move the couch to the big wall. I am still hesitant to have the TV be the first thing you see when you walk in the room. Maybe down the road I'll change my mind, but I am definitely hanging the art on the wall and putting 2 matching lamps around the sofa.

I'm going to work on an art collage behind the tv. I'm nervous but I'm going to try.

I'm going to edit the bookshelves.. #9, I love the idea of whiting some shelves out with the ikea magazine holders. awesome!

I'm going to put a task lamp near the side chair, some plants around the tv as well.

I'm adding yellow accents to the couch and to the room and editing some of the hot pink and green to another spot...maybe closer to the kitchen.

I'll definitely be moving the flanking dining room chairs out of the way.

I am putting an end table in between the 2 side chairs to make it more conversational and less TV watching.

The mirror over the fireplace seemed to be very controversial! I'll tell you that it's an antique I bought from the University of Penn in an old attic. It weighs almost 200 lbs and was TERRIBLE to hang. My husband may kill me if I ask him to move it...so i'm not sure.

I will be changing the color of the end chairs as well.

I think that's all for the short term. I owe you all pictures.
thanks again. What a great community!

Also I need to specifically thank Jamie Meares of http://www.isuwannee.com/
who really was a help as well with some specific items for the space.

Can I ask where you got the curtains/material?

"I know most of you said to move the couch to the big wall. I am still hesitant to have the TV be the first thing you see when you walk in the room."

i agree about moving the couch to the other wall. what are the dimensions of these 2 areas?

i have the same setup problem, except worse, actually because we have an enormous (and archaic) hand-me-down 56" TV from the 1990's which is on wheels. ours is also on the same wall as the entry. seeing the ugly tv and wii wires hanging out drove me nuts, so i addressed the problem by placing a large ficus tree next to it, so when you walk in, you see the ficus in its pretty pot instead. i know some people hate ficuses. you could accomplish the same thing with reeds in a large decorative vase.

i kinda like the mirror. it adds character. and call me crazy, but i think it'd be cool to bring in a brightly colored graphic patterned runner or placemats on the table. something like this, but maybe less flower powery?: http://www.frenchbull.com/our_store/runners/Mosaic-Runner

good luck, you've done a great job already :)

Well, well, where to start.... You do have to organize your accesories... they just dont look right together and there are too many!!.

Do you have a decent budget? Then cover the wall with shelves...not completely simmetrical...staind wood tones, it will add tons of character, it will give space for that tv (seriously consider a real flat panel one), rearrange your books, your framed art and other stuff... it will give your cat some extra space and will make you look like an intellectual artsy person!

That way you will also get rid of the ones close to the fireplace... that way you can put (as someone mentioned somewhere up there) two big plants....

That black curtain is not the best choice... nor that thing the tv is on.... the same with the flanking chairs.. put them back at the table and leave them there,a and put flowers or some green there...maybe a group of candles. Give those throw pillows more uniformity... either by choosing contrasting fabrics, or getting fewer and bigger ones. The framed art you have there could be part of the shelf arrangements or one on each side of the fireplace, behind the plants... The rug i think it will work after things become simpler. Is that a recliner in the corner?..... oh, my, this is worst than i thought.....

In the case, there is no budget, try making a wall treatment with sheer fabric, in a color similar to what you have.... like the ones you see in designer hotels, or lavish parties... striking and not hard to do. Along the whole wall... decoration could be with (measured, don't go crazy here), tiny lights to give a more ethereal look. (If you live with a guy most surely he is going to hate this part!).

I do absolutely love the mirror, it shoud be properly hung, it deserves it... And truth be told... i DO LOVE that big empty wall... the overall color is really soothing and nice... i wouldn't mess with it...

There is a lot of work ahead....and not necessarily on the wall itself...

manu_pty...
you give some critical advice with not much substance....

"You do have to organize your accesories... they just dont look right together and there are too many!!."

So just rearrange? that's it?

" rearrange your books, your framed art and other stuff... it will give your cat some extra space and will make you look like an intellectual artsy person!"

What does that mean? I would love to know how to do this to have people think that i am (gasp) intellectual and artsy! Again, just rearrange I suppose.

Also, I don't think the chair in the corner is bad or "worst" than you thought.

ehouser
the material from the curtains is Waverly and I had them made. I know everyone says they are too heavy, but I love them!

the chandelier is from www.greatchandeliers.com

Sorry if my comments hit a spot.. What i mean is that you need to revise your accesories... I can't judge if you like this little pillow or that blue vase... Those are things that are obviously put there because you love them and have a story (or maybe i'm wrong and you did buy it just for decorative value or space filling value). I can never judge directly on something like a decorating item because i don't know the story behind it. Accesories are very personal and i dare not suggest getting rid of them... that's why i say rearrange or reorganize....

I would switch your couch with the tv so the tv is on the smaller wall, then you could put a collage of photos over the couch on the large wall.

...continued from my earlier post

If you can't switch the couch and tv, I would paint a large bold stripe down the large wall. Large enough to "hold" the tv and chairs. Maybe 10 ft? Then I would place about 3 floating shelves above the TV. Almost as wide as the paint stripe. Start the shelves about a foot above the TV top and have them about 2 feet apart. On the top one, you could lean a few large pictures.

I'm back again. While they don't have the 4' bar right now, this is a pretty much fool-proof way of creating a gallery of art on the big wall:
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p4318/index.cfm?pkey=call-wall-decor-mirrors

Click on the link to "Create A Memory Wall" also on that above page.

They have templates you can download to help make sure you get the overall style and appearance.

Move ALL the art to the big wall.

As far as the dark curtains, have you tried them in the yellow rooms?
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/color/colors/yellow-home-decorating-ideas/?page=2

I would LOVE to see the black/white pattern with the yellow. Like your flickr photo of the entry that shows yellow walls, black frames, white mats, black and white images, white wood work.

And I so want to gather up all the framed items and put them in one of those Pottery Barn gallery ideas. And find a place to display ALL the vintage fans together. All the vases together.

Group like things. Things that are alike. Then you have a collection, that people can admire, all at the same time.

And you have a lot of books. That's a tough one. But here's what I'd do, remove the overhead lights in the family area (orange sofa) and put up a fabric rail system to completely and totally shroud the book area. It will help on dusting too.

That's your LIBRARY then.

And you can use most of the framed images in the living area, which is your GALLERY area.

Looks like you already have a rail system in the guest room. And I would LOVE to see the guest room with it's black and white get the black and white curtains/drapes. Maybe changing the wall color to the white in the image of the yellow accented room?

You have a great house!

There used to be something like "Use what you have" kind of decorating feature or show or column. I don't remember what the format was, but the goal was to take what the person already has and reuse it in a new way.

It made all the difference in the world to remove the dead plant from the nice pot. LOL! And to put in a fresh, healthy plant, move the pot inside, and put it on a functional stand. I had a decent pot...that I wasn't using, that could be used.

Some of the straggly plants that were cast off by neighbors looked pretty sad on their own...but grouped together, using the pots another neighbor cast off (all white ceramic), they become lush foliage. A collection of interesting textures and leaf shapes.

Use what you have. Create collections.

This is a two part response. First, on the fireplace wall above the mantle and bookcases, use a deep color like taupe or teal to draw the eye past the large blank wall. If you are not allowed to paint, use fabric. You spray it with liquid starch and apply like wallpaper. When you are moving out, spray lightly with water and it comes off without damaging the wall surface and endangering your deposit. Secondly, on the wall above the television screen, take a long narrow (about 18-20 inches top to bottom depending on how high the ceilings are) piece of foam core (found in art supply store), cover with a striped fabric which includes the color of the fireplace wall. Spray adhesive should do the job. The foam core is very lightweight so it, too, will not damage the wall. This is a good opportunity to pull together a couple of other bright colors into the total decor (for ex. the quirky color in the rug and the blue or green of some of the items in your bookcase).

buca45,

I appreciate your response! It goes a long way to use what you have instead of buying all new things. I'm not into waste and I think things can always be used in new ways.

I'm definitely going to take your tips for the bookshelves.
But I've said before, I'm still nervous about switching the couch and tv. The entrance to the room opposes the window wall and I'd hate for the TV to be the first thing you see when you come in the room. I'm hoping I can make it work in another way.

I know the curtains are controversial, but I really love them and almost everyone says they "make the room". In person the room is very white and bright with the white kitchen, white bookshelves, light gray walls. I think the curtains really balance that out. I'm also trying to add a touch of masculinity to the room.

When we can afford new countertops, we plan to build a lip into the island for stools. As of now there is nothing so it's not functional. We can't switch the positioning of the table because it blocks the door to the laundry room then. Eventually though we'll make the change.

I'm not sure about painting the shelves themselves. But I do like the idea of painting behind them.

Anyway, thanks again.

and #9
you're totally right about the collections. I need to get on that.

the mirror is great, but it needs to be higher and paint the frame a bold color. Perhaps the pink that is on the throw on the chair? Or, consider hanging it behind the sofa and moving the framed peices to the mantel or the dull wall. An almost bare mantel might help that wall..

And, paint the wall behind the TV a creamy tan. Nothing too bold, just enough to make it pop a bit.

I agree that you don't want the TV as the first thing you see. Oh, and stack the extra dining chairs in a closet or something. Having them in the LR is making the 2 spaces seem undivided. Nice room, though.

I see a great gallery space on that large wall behind the TV. Collage your art work/ photos and hang them up. It will help declutter the shelves and the pictures behind the sofa. It will make the TV into part of a larger an assemblage.

Bring in more green accessories into the room...some green pillows on the sofa or a runner for the table. I would also try to decrease the number of shelves in the unit around the fireplace. I see five rows of shelves on the inner unit, can you take one row out so it doesn't seem so cluttered? Don't know if I'm explaining it right??? I actually like how you laid everything out on the shelving unit you see when you enter your home. Try to recreate that here.

I know you're very hesitant on moving the tv to the opposite wall, but since it's actually pretty low to the floor, it might not be very noticable when you walk into the room, as long as you make sure to highlight other areas. The huge black/white print you have would look great on the bare wall. Could you find similar prints to create a collage of some sort on that wall?

That mirror looks very awkward above the fireplace. Could you replace it with a round one and use this mirror in another section of the house? If not, I would place the artwork you have behind the sofa above the mantle. I think the colors in the artwork would really make the green accessories on the shelves "pop".

I love that shaggy white rug you have underneath your orange leather couch...I think it would look great underneath your dining table if you ever want to change it up a bit.

Don't be afraid to move things around! Good luck.

>>>(You could use a favorite artist as inspiration) or even flat-out copy something.<<< Please don't copy another artist's work. We make our living by it and we own the rights to our work. Inspired by/homage to: yes. Flat-out copy? No no no no no!

Here's an idea for the artistically challenged: order several prestretched canvases of different sizes (but all the side measurements should be the same). Paint them all a different color (or different shades of the same color, lighter to darker) and make sure the sides are painted, too. Acrylic paint is inexpensive. You can even texture the solid colors if you don't want it to look all flat. Arrange them on the wall in a grouping with space inbetween. Voila, instant wall art that is not using stretched fabric.
Katy
http://fengshuibyfishgirl.com