i would try to find a lamp/lampshade that does not blend in as much with the wall color! maybe bright green? or a blue that compliments the art? not sure what other colors you have in the room. have you tried 20x200 for art? you can get some great prints for $20. you might also try hanging the portrait a bit higher - i think it would stand out from the stuff on the table more.

The first thing I would do is paint the inside of the alcove the pale blue in the painting...Get a taller lamp and add some flowers to the buffet.

I think the scale of the lamps shown is too small. I would do a taller lamp, and let the painting hug the dresser. I would try off setting the painting a little bit rather than centering it up with one lamp. You could do a pattern paint job or wall covering on that rear wall only to really make the furniture stand out. If you combine your painting with other pieces, I'd be careful not to try to make it look too organized- maybe a grouping of varying sized works, old small paintings from thrift shops, etc, to create a nice collected, vintage look. And more accessories on the surface of the furniture.

Wallpaper the wall to give it some punch; presumably when you open the door, the photograph you submitted is what you see. Move the art elsewhere and hang a big butch mirror above that cabinet, something tall and wide, with a narrow plain frame that doesn't fight with the style of the cabinet. The lamp should be plain in terms of the base; the one you have now is neither here nor there, its pattern cancelled out by the pattern of the wood inlay. Think texture when you choose a lamp; maybe one with a base of woven rattan or wicker would be good, to contrast with the smoothness and geometry of the wood cabinet. Shade? Plain white; no need for anything else.

I'd let the art be the focal point and would paint the alcove with a bright color and highlight it with some sort of stripes or stencils.

I would not go with either of the lamps and would use a ceiling lamp if there is not lighting above already.

i agree that the lamps shown are too small and that they shade needs to pop better off the wall color...changed or otherwise. and i like the idea of off setting the picture especially witha larger lamp.

I don't like how both of those lamps cover part of the painting. I think that given the blocky shape of the painting, something more slender like the piece you have on the other side of the table would be more appropriate.

Agreed, the scale of the lamps are both too small. Need something taller. Lamp and a plant that has more delicate smaller leafing or luridly colored and shaped flowers (like peonies, large garden roses to contrast with the bold geometric design on the buffet. A taller more vertical artwork or center a tall mirror, drawing your eye up so the composition doesn't feel so squat and contained? Definitely add something colorful or shiny to add pop.

I think the painting could be much larger. You can find some great poster art on the internet or in thrift stores. Something with brighter colors would stand out more. I also agree that the two lamps are too small.
You could do a nice chandelier and let that become a focal point. Depending on the length you might not even need a painting there. Adding a plant could complement that nicely if there is enough natural light.

Get a much larger lamp - Waaay larger than what you're considering, in a bright color and with a tall drum shade. It needs to be larger and taller than that orange vase.

The painting could be larger - or get another one and hang them in a vertical arrangement on the wall.

Painting that wall would sure help too.

http://www.target.com/Interlace-Table-Lamp/dp/B0015VE0LI/qid=1220547527/ref=br_1_4/602-1114724-9383034?ie=UTF8&node=255032011&frombrowse=1&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=255032011&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=9
affordable lamps above, including two listed as recently viewed.
i would paint the walls something similar to this teal:
http://www.coxpaint.com/store/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16377&category_id=251
and a larger piece of artwork:
http://www.polishposter.com/p/p2217.html
http://www.polishposter.com/html/poster1514.html
http://www.polishposter.com/html/poster1570.html
plus, i would look for 'tortoise shell' venetian glass pieces,
http://www.thisnext.com/item/5B8E4CB0/0BC87C3E/Maison-Midi-Online-Store
available for not much at tjmaxx and marshalls...place on buffet? surface, and you'll have to be the judge of number and proportions.

Add some green plant.

i say get a floor lamp that reaches up to the height of the painting or higher, push the buffet off center so that the edge lines up with one side of the painting, add flowers and maybe a small cluster of objects and you'll be doing lots better already!

if you have time painting the wall would be nice as well. good luck!

BTW - You can get alotta lamp on eBay for far less than $300.

I prefer the rounded shape of the second lamp. A plant or a low dish would help fill the space

Push the dresser to one side, and add a chair - maybe upholstered in some great fabric, or even just a cute pillow? A floor lamp would work then as well.

(the painting might need to shift with the dresser...but not necessarily) I like the painting ideas - and would also recommend MIRRORS to frame the painting?

love the painting. could you commission your friend to do another of you now? sort of a before and after. it would look great side by side, same size.

add a tall floor lamp, an oversized table lamp, or a pair of taller skinnier table lamps if you want symetry.

lose the red vase. go with a lower bowl or plate shape for flowers/mail/remotes.finish with something living - a plant, a fishbowl.

what about hanging a pair of curtains against the back wall? then tying them back at the height of the table top to create kind of a 'theatre curtain opening' to frame your art? like a deep velvet eggplant... i think it would add a bit of extra dimension as well.

what a neat buffet! painting or wallpapering the alcove (whole thing, not just the back wall) would define its space. a tall floor lamp with a distinctive colored shade would look really nice. if you do prefer a table lamp, try something a bit larger; in that case i would suggest an off center arrangement; try hanging the portrait over the right side of the buffet.

Thanks for suggestions thus far! Love lots of these ideas.

Ok, for the lamp -- what I'm hearing is taller (not wider), keep it neutral, add some texture, and maybe something shiney. I grabbed a lamp from my bedroom to try out something with a taller, thinner shape. Here's another photo of the alcove with an acrylic faux crystal lamp (forgive the clutter -- I'm painting my bedroom at the moment).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/2828836382_381de396f0_o.jpg

This is not the right lamp, I don't think. But! proof of concept that taller and thinner is the way to go for sure. I'll keep looking.

I'm not inclined to wall paper or paint the alcove another color at this point, but I lreally like those ideas for a different type of house. The buffet is going to stay it's gorgeous natural mahogany -- sorry to those modernists! I really want my solution to focus on the lamp and art.

As for the art.... I'm going to see the friend who painted me this weekend. If I get the opportunity (it's her wedding, so this is likely not the right time), I'll ask her to do another. Or maybe one of my partner! Nice idea. Thanks for that!

Floor Lamp
Buffet Off Center (as lamp didctates)
Mirror (smaller than painting)
More Artwork Of Varying Sizes (2D and 3D)

"Come alive" means to me add something that's alive! Add a plant appropriate for the amount of light that reaches the alcove.

A big plant on the floor in a brightly colored pot.