I think that the walls are large enough that you could use a print on your drapes. I might even extend the bar a few feet and add more sections of fabric.

I'd also move the chair to where the palm tree is and use the ottoman with it. It looks like it is free floating right now. Since it's a conversation area rather than a TV room, I'd love to see a third piece of furniture, perhaps a dark red loveseat?

One easy fix - head to your nearest garden supply store and get a nice marble-look pot for your palm if you are intent on keeping it. It will fill out a bit of space and keep the height that the room needs.

As for the walls - I think your sofa and interesting lamps would really pop if you painted all three walls the accent color. Right now they are all lost on the large beige expanse. I'd love to see some sepia-tone family photos hung over the sofa as well. You could arrange them symmetrically to keep the traditional style of the rug or find an interesting way to arrange them on the wall to add an unexpected twist to the room.

Personally, I'd ditch the rug and find a better one - that one looks ratty and dated.

I agree with rollingroot about pairing the chair and ottoman in the corner.

On the large wall, have you considered a faux/electric fireplace? They can be quite large and ornate, and you could then add decor items to the mantle and have something above it like a large mirror or artwork.

I would put the couch infront of the window and make that the focal point of the room. Then put the chair and another matching one opposite the couch with one of the side tables in between. Then you have two bare walls to work with instead of one big awkward one. You could arrange art work / matching frames gallery style at eye level on both sides. That may make the space more balanced.

You could use some contrast in your wall color and furniture color. Even just a little contrast. What about a soft grey or beige-y grey for the walls? That may contrast beautifully with your red accents as well and make your furniture stand out.

Another thing.. I don't know if I would use red as the accent color just because of the floor color already has so much red in it. Just a thought.

I would ditto rachelmarie except flip the arrangement (so the chairs are on the window wall) - so you're not blocking the window.

Don't stress too much about the big wall. It's true you could hang something huge, but the scale of the room is such that it could get overwhelming. I would stick with some stuff hung at eye level, balanced on the other wall.

I agree about the red in the room. The floor color and the wall color look great together if you cover up the red in the picture. With the red, they seem a little confused.

Have fun!

Ditch the drapes. They're hung incorrectly anyway and the angled ceiling just makes them look puny. I'd put some simple wood blinds in the same color as the wall, recessed. Or a fabric roman type shade with dimensions just outside the window. Or those IKEA sliding panels across the entire wall but hang them higher. Because the window is smallish, make the window covering more like the wall color. The accent (darker) color is on the wrong wall. Should be painted light, or put on the far wall with the window. Dark colors come forward, light colors retreat. You want to visually widen the narrow dimension not make it more obvious. Plus you want the geometries on the far wall more horizontal, not vertical.

Get some artwork, pillows with same/similar color as your floors. Your floor colors need to relate to the room. Drape color is right. Maybe you can recycle the fabric?

Either get rid of or paint the super dark wood (legs on couches too). The dark mass is too opaque for such a small room. Glass see-through works or leggy tables.

Lots of contrast (light/dark) only works in large rooms or explicitly un-traditional rooms. Smallish more traditional rooms such as yours need less contrast to appear larger and cohesive. You don't need to be bland, just all about the same value in color. The accent or darker than the value color should probably be your floor color since you can't change it; just don't use a lot. Add one more darker accent like your present accent wall color.

For artwork pay attention to scale, don't make too puny on those high ceilinged walls or group a lot of smaller for bigger impact. You could also paint a wall sized graphic on one of those longer walls.

Ditch the rug - it's too small. Going without a rug might be best. If you really want a rug there then get a bigger one and make sure that the front legs of the couch and any chairs are resting on it; rug islands look odd.

I'd bring the darker wall color all the way around the room; your beige pieces will have the opportunity to stand out more.

For the tall wall try low-level bookcases or other storage (30" high max.) that span the width then go with art above. Mix up the sizes and fill the space. If you go this route then by all means get a big framed mirror to go over the couch.

The curtains bug me, but I can't quite put my finger on why. Maybe the color or how they're hung.

Don't hesitate to switch things out from other rooms; you're not locked in to any one way now. Have fun with rearranging.

Great start! Here are some ideas from someone who likes an eclectic/lived in look.

1. Add some round to all the square (your crystal ball lamps are a good start!)
Round mirrors I like
http://www.wshome.com/products/p9267/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1|24|||1|||||||mirror&cm_src=SCH
(I think there is a knock off of this on Overstock or at JC Penney - can't remember)

I have this mirror in my entry way and love, love, love it.
http://www.horchow.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=cprod32860024&eItemId=cprod32860024&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dporcupine%2526_requestid%253D3693
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/good-questions/help-with-living-room-design-dead-ends-good-questions-126441?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+apartmenttherapy%2Fmain+(Main)&utm_content=Google+Reader

Put the mirror on the wall opposite the sofa with a craigslist or vintage buffet to ground it.

You could use a round coffee table or tufted ottoman, too in place of what you have. (Plus it will break up the matchy matchy of the end tables/coffee table.)
- Try for vintage or craigslist. You could also do round with a mirrored surface for a little more sparkle.

2. Dramatic, lush curtains. Hang them 10" above your window and make sure they go all the way to the floor.

Pick a luxurious fabric close to your wall color. The light will hit it and it will look high end but not contrast with your walls or make your angled ceiling stick out. I think sand is the best color for you - but of course look at it with your wall color and make sure.
http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1472006&navAction=push&navCount=3

3. Your rug is pretty, but too small for the space.
Get a big sisal'jute to go under it. I don't know the dimensions of your room, but you may even want to go 9 x 12 - leave 12-18" around the border of the room so your pretty hardwoods show through.
This is from West Elm - super affordable
http://www.westelm.com/products/jute-boucle-rug-r038/?pkey=crugs-flooring

4. Fun artwork
I have framed pages from a children's book, melanine John Derian platters from Target, boiled peanuts for sale signs, calendar pages, you name it. Just get six big, plain black frames from IKEA (11 x 17) and six things you love. Have mats cut at an art store (this makes it look polished, not DIY) and hang them in a grid with 2" in between each frame)
Put this over your sofa.

Finally - I would ditch the floating ottoman and get another chair to match the one you have.
Get a ceramic garden stool in an unexpected color or finish (like turquoise or chrome) to use as a side table for the chair.

Keep having fun - you are doing great!!

I don't think it looks at all bad and don't think drastic changes are needed at all..certainly don't paint that nice floor!

I think a big piece of graphic/found/unconventional art would be great opposite the couch, maybe some old shutters or something? Try Banana Tree in Old Town Alexandria

couch under the window, rug swapped around 90 degrees, chair/ottoman in the corner under the stairs. make the side tables work where they fit. then your seating area is defined by the rug (which does not look ratty or outdated - just classic) and you have a view from the couch.

One suggestion is to purchase another chair and have the 2 matching chairs face the couch for conversation. Not sure that wall should be accented with a different color. An oversized mirror leaning up against the blank wall with a larger rug on floor should make the room look a lot better. The main thing is to add your personality into that room with accessories. Right now it looks like a display from a furniture store. Let me know if you need more help. ~Tracy @ daily decorator

WINDOW AS THE FIREPLACE - I agree with everyone's comment of purchasing another matching chair and place them opposed to the couch. Right now, you have a chair that blocks the window and you wouldn't do that with a fireplace if it was the main focal point. Treat the window like it was your fireplace. Don't block it but frame it since that is your focal point. The red curtains you have are a great color as it defines the space. if you had matched your curtains to the wall color, it would've disappeared. I've read that someone said it looked puny and they are right. If you are going to use it as a focal point then those things have to substantial. They need to be taller, wider and barely touching your floors. Now put some matching artwork on either side.

BALANCE - Now that you've drawn your eye to your window, let's work on balancing the rest of the room. You do have a good idea of putting large artwork or mirror above the couch. Since your ceiling angles away from your couch, you need something large to balance the height of that wall. Put some artwork on the taller opposite wall at the same height as the large artwork/mirror you put above the couch as someone mentioned before. That gives your eye a defined ceiling height and keeps everything more balanced regardless of ceiling height differences.

You also painted your tallest wall the accent color so you are automatically drawn to it. So you may want to revisit that.

SCALE - I think the scale of your furniture is nice but that rug is a little small and looks like a runner compared to the rest of the room. Someone mentioned as well to put a larger rug and I whole heartedly agree. Also, put the plant in a more substantial pot as it looks anemic compared to the rest of your furniture.

LIGHTING - I noticed you have pot lights on the celing next to the wall with the window. At night, obviously you won't have light coming in so it won't be so much of a focal point so get some adapters to put spot lights in those existing light sockets and point them down on that wall with the window. Preferrably pointing down on artwork on either side or just wash the wall with light. This will definitely help with keeping the eye away from the angled ceiling.

Other alternatives includes making the wall with the couch as the focal point. I still wouldn't block the window with a chair though. If you are making that the focal point, then use the lights to add focus on that wall instead of the wall with the window. There's no set rules, just make sure you have Balance, Scale and Focus! Have fun! That's why I love design. :)

Quick comments:

1) Don't paint an accent wall here. It will just make that tall wall look even more imposing.

2) Furnishings: Yes, you do need to balance the room with something across from the sofa. But think about your NEEDS and how you want to use the room, rather than focusing solely on the way it looks. Do you see this as a place to entertain? Then maybe you need seating. Do you envision this as a place to pay bills and take care of paperwork? Then maybe you need a desk. A quiet reading nook? Maybe you want a chaise. Or maybe you want to change the layout so the chair and ottoman are reunited. You get the idea.

3) Think about scale. Your furnishings are all sets (sofa + chair set; table set; matching lamps). This means everything is the same height and scale. You need to vary the scale of your furniture, and include some larger scale items. This will add interest and create a more dynamic sense of balance.

4) The window treatment is not working. The curtains should be hung higher and need to be longer. Also, they are simply too insubstantial for the room. At minimum, you need something lined. If you like curtains, get something with some weight/heft and decent drape. These just look cheap (sorry).

A plant is a great way to add something large scale that won't break the bank. Replace your tiny palm with something really oversized. You've got the ceiling height for it -- do it.

1) CURTAINS: Taller, wider, to the floor! Hang the rod above the window casing and lengthen it to cover the entire width of the wall. It will give the impression of a large bank of windows and will scale up to the rest of the room.

2) RUG: Ditch the rug. It is simply too small for the space. Perhaps go with something round.

3) COLOR: Eliminate the red in the rug and curtains. Paint all the walls the same color. As an accent color, consider orange or a deep teal blue.

4) FURNITURE: Add a loveseat or a matching pair of chairs to face the couch. (After all, it is not a space for television watching, it is a space for conversation!) Turn the couch 90 degrees and try placing it in front of the window.

5) FUNCTION: Add a bar cart or credenza to one corner.

And yes...place the chair and ottoman together. It will give them more volume.

It's a lovely room so far. I love your white furniture, where did you get it?

Since you asked, some suggestions:

1. Buy a second chair, flank the pair on the wall with the railing so that the chairs + couch create a conversation area.

2. Move the ottoman to sit in front of the window.

3. Ditch the rug. A little too red and too traditional looking.

4. Swap out the curtain rod for a black one (every room needs a little black and it would work nicely with your tables).

5. Reds, yellows, browns, and oranges are really kinda staged home boring. Paint the room a mocha/ cafe au late color and add pops of vibrant yellows, oranges, and aquas (art, pillows, accessories, curtains etc). No accent walls.

6. Put your palm in a more substantial pot. It's current pot is underwhelming. Ikea sells great white pots for cheap.

7. Art work above the couch.

8. More substantial accessories for tables.

Good luck!

The rug seems to be too small. Perhaps if you did add something to the wall on the left, then the rug would fit better. But, you would probably be better off getting something larger.

The rug is too small, the furniture is too beige. Throw some bold colors for accents if you're not going to replace the furniture. Try a bolder rug. Side table is very dark. I would personally go for something lighter and round.

Since you have such a majestic, high ceiling, I would fill it with floor to ceiling shelves. Custom shelves or a bookcase. It doesn't have to be filled with books, either. That space is just begging for a "library" of some kind. Whether you have a library of books or other objects is up to you.

I think I would try turning all the furniture 90-degrees in a clockwise direction - including the rug. Couch facing window, the chair (plus another) on either side of the window, coffee table in front of sofa, but side tables elsewhere probably. Put a tall sofa table behind the couch, and it will serve as a place to put a lamp and things behind the back of the sofa.

The window is the most vertical thing in the room, so use it to break up the space more and bring in more light. Have the curtains fall over the walls to the sides rather than over part of the window. Move the tall plant and metal art elsewhere to lend some 'verticality' - in fact I could see a small tree in this space.

Some non-neutral throw pillows will help un-tan the furniture a little, though I think moving the current chair & ottoman to a different room and getting two dark (leather?) chairs would do wonders. And look into some big art of some sort. A group of similarly framed medium sized work can have a similar effect, as can a mirror, map, or more low-relief sculpture.

With the TV and bookcases elsewhere in your home, it sounds to me as if this space functions more as a reception area. I would square off the room with four comfy chairs in each corner (two of those will be invisible), some interesting accent tables that can be easily moved about, and use wall-mounted lighting here and there. Keep it casual yet structured, if that makes any sense.

Paint all the walls the same color. Hang your favorite whatevers wherever. Install a small stereo unit and you can use this space for impromtu dancing.

I do agree that in this room the focal point should be the window, not the tall wall.

Another chair might be good - in a deep rich red like the drapes. Sit the current chair in the corner facing the sofa with the ottoman with it and do the same set up with the other chair (with or without an ottoman).

A new rug would be nice since this one both looks ragged and is too small for the space...or use the old rug as a tapestry while getting a new rug?

The room needs something big to focus on - the couch needs something to face besides a blank wall. A nice low cabinet or low bookcase might look good with art above.

The plant should be in a more substantial pot and could look good sitting sort of behind a chair.

I like the idea of moving the sofa in front of the windows and I LOVE your lamps! They'd be stunning if you added a console table behind the couch in front of the windows and moved the lamps to the ends of the table. Your red drapes would then set off the lamps beautifully! Rotate the rug and coffee table to match the sofa's new orientation and the room feels fuller and the wall space less empty. The sofa is now out far enough into the room you could cozy the chair and ottoman into the corner by the staircase with one of the side tables without having it seem like screaming distance between them. Add a red throw or pillow to match the curtains and tie the color into that side of the room. If you can extend the curtain rod so the curtains only cover wall your windows will seem SO much bigger! You could even move them higher on the wall, since the bottoms will be hidden by the sofa's new position. Then move your iron-art to the wall between the chair and the sofa to draw the eye to notice the cathedral ceiling height.

Making these changes will fill the room's current empty spaces so it feels more balanced, but if you feel the empty wall opposite the staircase needs something decorative, painting a large square/rectangle of your darker accent wall color with either a series of smaller pictures or one big one would fill out the space and make a nice feature as you come down the stairs.

You have great stuff; all if needs is a quick twist!

So far there have been some excellent suggestions. I'll throw mine into the mix just for fun :)

I'll echo the fact that the curtains are completely wrong. You need something lighter/less patterned.

The rug isn't necessarily bad... with different colors/arrangements in the room it could really work.

Open up the room in front of the window.

And finally... paint.

paint. paint. paint. All of the colors in the room are about the same - some variation on beige.

If you are feeling adventurous, I would paint all of the walls a fairly pure white with the exception of your great wall. That one I would paint with black chalk board paint (the whole thing) and then do a big drawing on it. If you can get your hands on a digital projector, it makes it easy to trace a photo if you are unsure of your drawing skills. The image will really be yours, will fill up the space, and can be changed at a moment's notice (ish)

Finally, the bright white and black will make any colors you have in the room really pop (the rug for example).

Whatever you do, good luck and have fun!

after pix, please!

What always helps me when I am in a dilemma like this is to ask myself: "How does this room need to function?" Party place? Get a big buffet for the wall across from the sofa. Relax n Read? Book cases are in order. Once that question is answered, the other details will generally become apparent. Lovely space, BTW.

I like this room....it's visually interesting, just needs a little tweaking. If this were my project, I would replant the palm into a rustic container--if you plant two palms in the container, the plant will look more lush. I'm not crazy about the color behind the curtains...I think I would extend the tan color to that wall, too. Btw, love the rug, love the black tables, love the white furniture. I would add some important art/mirror/object over the sofa. I don't like the wall decal...it is not as sophisticated as the rest of the room. A console table would be great on the tan wall, and the ottoman could slide under it. The red drapes need to hit the floor and you could replace the rod with a large-diameter black iron rod. Hope to see the after pictures! Happy decorating!.