Window treatments. rug. pillows.

Duh.

Wow, that couch is beyond hideous. Seriously.

Can you stain the coffee table and TV console a very dark brown or almost black to balance the bulk of the couch?

I'd want to paint the inside backs of those built-in shelves as well, maybe in a soft blue or green taken from the tiles. And make the shelves themselves thicker. Can't see the ceiling but can you paint it the same colour?

Definitely an area rug and lots of cream and blue/green cushions on the couch.

Paint one or more of the walls in a bright color. Or paint the insides of the bookcases. Or hang some nice large art on the walls (decently framed posters, like reproductions of old advertising posters, can look really good if large and fitted to your space). Or add a nice colorful rug. Or get a slip-cover for the black couch (probably not worth it but it is an option). Or paint or tile the top of the table, or just add some colorful elements to the top: a nice colorful vase, small collection, bowl, etc.

In addition to the good ideas above, consider re-doing the seat cushions on the two dining room type chairs.

The nice thing about your situation is that you are beginning from a very neutral base. At least you don't have a neon orange couch to contend with!

Good luck!

Paint the back of the bookshelf (ie the wall that the books sit against) a coordinating color with the tiles on the fireplace.

Definitely get a rug.

Curtains?

But your quick fix is to get RID of that couch! What a disaster! Go to Goodwill and get a couch for $50. That's a good fix until you can afford something more expensive and permanent.

Paint the walls - including the walls behind the shelves on the sides of the fireplace to break up all the white (but I'd keep the woodwork white.) Based on your description of the color in the tiles (hard to tell from picture) I'd probably go with a greyish blue that would tone down the intensity of the black sofa. If you have any storage or a room in need of some additional seating, I'd remove some of the corner pieces of the sectional and just make it regular sofa sized - and less imposing. Once you finish painting, then you can find a nice rug or throw pillows to tie it all together. You might not even need to paint the other items of furniture as the walls will make a huge difference.

Is there any way that you could sell the huge sectional on craiglist and use the money to get something else from craigslist that you could accent with colors (pillows, rug, window treatments, vases)? You could also reupholster those chairs with a more colorful fabric.

Your place looks like it has good bones, just needs a little TLC to get it right.

right now Ikea has some really cute fabric that mixes black brown and white all together in a very graphic print...get some to use maybe in a throw pillow or curtains to try to link the couch to the rest of the room, then you can use brown and green accents in other pillows, rugs, art, etc.

Or if you reaaaallly hate the couch, you can sell it on craigslist and use they money to buy a new couch from craigslist that's more your style!

Hold up, am I having serious deja vu or was this posted last week and already got a bunch of answers???

Paint the walls. It's perhaps your most affordable option. Love the tile in the fireplace, perhaps you can use that as a guide. A dusty power blue/green/grey, very muted, but in a shade is lighter than tiles and that act as a neutral. Especially with the architectural details you can even highlight one detail being a different color than the rest. As for the couch, it seems too big for the space. Since it looks like a sectional, maybe you can move a part of it elsewhere, and then find a couch cover in a neutral mocha? Visually so much black in a small space will always draw your eye there first no matter what.

Since you have a fairly short (one year ) time horizon, I'd suggest either buying pieces you know you would keep and move, or working with less expensive accessories. The couch is un-beautiful, but it looks extremely comfortable and functional. The coffee and TV tables are a pleasing neutral brown--I would leave them as is. A rug would be my first purchase. It could be colorful, or a neutral like grey. Colorful throw pillows and framed prints or posters would be the other things I would invest in. I notice that the space between bookshelves is very large; you could consider installing an extra shelf between and then filling the cases with books. They are very warm and colorful and add a lot of personality. But (speaking from experience) I'd stay away from the hassle of moving, buying, recovering, disposing of couches in a short-term residence. That can be expensive and a lot of work looking for the right thing. Wait to be in a more permanent place to invest in the sofa you want. Meanwhile, enjoy lounging around after work and on weekends on that big indestructible sofa.

Ditch the sofa - Just call the local fraternity have the guys come take it away!

Get some color on the walls, including the backs of the bookcases.

Start shopping Craigslist, consignment stores and your local fleamarket for rugs, pillows and a replacement pre-owned sofa.

this was posted last week but the question was slightly different...more focusing on how to incorporate the couch, now color seems to be the issue...slow day for Good Questions?

paint the walls a soft grey and the ceiling a light sky blue. burn the couch.

Break up the sofa. Maybe move some parts of it to a different room. Black is such a heavy color that it weighs the room to one side. Then paint the bookcase wall by putting a soft color on the walls and then a bright contrasting color inside the bookcases. I would paint or leaf the mirror frame in a metallic color. Consider reupholstering the chairs. They are great! and adding a pattern would be a good idea. you could even use the same fabric for pillows for the couch. If you are not attached to the coffee table or TV stand then I would suggest painting them white. Keep in mind that darker colors give weight to a room and with such a small room it incloses it. Light colors visually weigh less and therefore your eye is not drawn to them right away.

http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/prw/prwrug/prwrugwoo/index.cfm?page=viewall

choose bridget blue, posey in blue-grey or maren (more traditional)...that will dictate your style and color choice for painting the walls.

list the couch as "free" on craigslist, or "curb"...pick up a clean, neutral comfy one of craigslist. if you are absolutely STUCK with the couch, get rid of all but the pieces necessary to give it the appearance of a couch, not a sectional.
choose a coordinating fabric from this remnant shop, and do a quick re-upholster of the chair seats.
http://www.modern-fabrics.com/store/store.php?pg1-cid41.html

you may find fabrics for throw pillows, too.

choose a large poster from here that you both agree on:
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT

I agree with ek, break up the sofa, buy some inexpensive king-size flat sheets to cover the sofa sections. Paint the walls a contrasting color to make the woodwork pop. Place the stereo speakers sideways on the book shelves, and if it fits, put the TV in there as well. That way, you can make the fireplace the focal point of the room and still be able to watch TV. Buy a carpet remnant in an interesting color for the floor or if you can afford them, how about some Flor tiles.

I'd also move the sofa away from the windows, if there's room. The windows are another interesting element in the room. If it fits, put the piece that's holding the TV (sans TV) under the middle window and flank it with two of the chairs reupholstered with a brightly colored fabric.

Totally, the biggest mistake many people make is buying a monstrous large solid black couch of eitherr a sectional such as what you have, or a large couch and love seat in a style that is, well not really a style per se other than being of the "overstuffed variety that is bland beyond hope, no matter the fabric and have it be the dominant element in the room.

Sadly, it's what's weighing down the room you have now and add to that the white, white, white walls which by themselves can be uninspiring and bland like the couch, but not overwhelm the space visually.

Add to that, very little color and what you do have is subdued to say the least and no wonder your room doesn't seem to work.

I'd go sell that monstrous thing on Craig's List and find something more suitable for your space and get some color in the form of paint on the wall(s) and definately an accent color on the backs of the built in shelves for interest. I'd leave the wood pieces alone for now, throw down a nice area rug to pull the room together, add colorful pillows to help unify things even more and that should spice up the space wonderfully. I'd use the colors in the fireplace tile for inspiration here and if a blue or green, use the same tone, but shade or two darker or more intense than used there as your base color for the room, and something contrasting for the shelve backs.

And finally, add some lamps to the space, preferably something in a colorful base that will work with your main colors.

Classic story all right. It took me years to get rid of the white leather monstrosity my BF/later husband owned, and then only because we moved. Something in the male psyche feels secure with a humongous leather couch. Plumb the depths of his attachment to the couch and make a long-term plan to compromise until his attachment to you is stronger than to the couch ;>)

This WAS posted before and like every other response said paint at least one wall and specifically suggested using the colors from the fireplace tiles. Some, including myself, suggested painting the back wall of the bookshelves.
Since so many of the responses involved color (that is one of the main problems of the room after all), even though it was a slightly different question, I don't see why this is posted again.

I would paint the inside of the bookcases in a color that really pops-- like a strong red. And then I'd use a subtler shade of the same color in the rest of the room. That's the cheapest solution. And, of course, you can add pops of color in the form of a rug, throw pillows, throw blankets, and a framed poster or two-- though that can get pricey. I'd go for accent pieces in jewel tones as your budget allows.

Ok I did the big black couch mistake.. But I had victorian pillows made in 26 x 26 down inserts - just used them all over the couch mine took 12. did them in rose color with vintage fabrics- going to sell them on ebay soon as I moved and gave away the couch. I paid 150 each to make them? interested? Also I think your mantle is amazing but terrible in white- faux paint it marble or wood or take the time to strip and refinish.

If you have to keep the couch, go with it & use black & white in the rest of the room with one strong accent color.

Get some plants; you know, nature?

Do what I did when my BF brought his purple velvet couch to our new place, Get rid of it! It sold on craigslist which I'm sure you can do with the overbearing sectional. You can probably get a decent price for it just based on the size alone and then check out you local thrift store or flea market for something that goes with the rest of your furnishings. I would paint your coffee table or tv stand, the wood is beautiful. The problem is that your eye only has a few places to go in the room, all white or all wood. Painting the back wall of the bookshelves would be the first step. I would go with a color not too vibrant to compete with the wood tones. Then get a rug to break up the furniture floor blend that is happening. If the budget allows, maybe some sort of ottoman or armchair other than the dining chairs that are there now. Good luck and let us see the finished product.

I would Not paint the coffee table and tv stand! (Sorry, typo)

Honey you got the guy. Live with the sofa.

OK, I understand why everyone doesn't like the sofa, but is it really helpful to tell her to ditch it, either in normal ways or slightly devious ones? Like a few of the other posters, I also married a couch, er, a boy with a black leather couch. Sometimes you gotta keep it and it's just not worth trying to get rid of at the moment. Plus, she basically said they were keeping it, so the advice to get rid of the couch is just not helpful.

But based on some of the other comments, people are just feeling a little judgmental today anyways.

Fabric (like curtains and pillows) can be an inexpensive fix and a nice color addition, especially if you have a discount fabric store near you (we have one here in the Twin Cities that sells overstocks of designer fabric for 50% off that is a great resource, and I'm sure there are plenty of those around the world). Paint is a nice cheap fix, too. (Note: you should do fabric first and then find paint to match it, not the other way around.) As cool as I think painting the back of the bookshelf might be, it might make you hate the bookshelf in the end, due to all that detailed work and the massive labor involved. I'd go the easier route (especially if you're only going to be there a year) and paint one or two walls a nice color that is found in the tile on the mantle (I like blue personally). If it's a rental and you're only going to be there a year, don't put too much energy and money into it, as it will all be lost at the end. Just do what it takes to make the place liveable and homey to you for now.

And deal with the sofa later; consider it part of the package deal of "the boy" and go from there. If our townhouse ever sells, my husband's black leather loveseat and chair are going into the new basement for his man cave. :)

Thanks for the ideas everyone! I'm considering all these good suggestions. Though I'm not opposed to putting the couch on CL to see if I can sell it for enough money to go towards a new one, chances are it is here to stay for the time being.

Thanks too for sharing stories of husbands/bf's who had similar "manly" furniture they weren't super ready to part with. Glad I'm not alone!

Once I decide which way to go with the room, I'll post pics of the finished results.