I like the wall sconce. I would add two end tables that are the height of the arms of the sectional and place a lamp on each one of them. Maybe a gingerjar lamp or something with color or great style. I would add a torchiere lamp in the corner to the left of the TV.

I would get phone wire extenders and place the phone on one of the end tables.

Could you give us a photo of the wall behind the sofa - the one with the ledge?

I can't put a side table on the short-end of the sectional because the stair comes down right there. Here is a pic

Thanks!

Is the new EC the one in photo?

Yes, the small one in the corner. The old one was really big and was only for a old-style tube TV.

I totally understand your reasons for wanting as few spaces for kids and critters to hide. I watch our two year old grandson and have four cats. If toys will be played with in this room, and yes, I'm sure they will be, I'd bring the toy box and set it in front of the window to the left side of the sectional. I've "moved" the right section to it's right a bit to allow room for a table so you can add lighting for reading if needed. If you got the right sized table it would work great centered in front of the window. I like the look of lamps in windows. Kind of brings back the idea of having an ocational table with a with the large drum shaded lamp in the center of a picture window. Yes, I'm old. Not too old, but old enough and happy to be so.
Too bad your coffee table looks as though it's too long to fit there. If it does, then you could use the toy chest as the coffee table.
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How much space is there between the window to the right of sectional and the corner? Is there enough space for the doored bookshelf? Not sure of it's size, but it seems as though it might equal out that side of the room "weight" wise.

The way that you can float the sofa out a little would be to place a solid ended console table behind the short end of the L (next to the half wall). Look at something with a simple shape like the Ikea Expedit console (doesn't have to be that, just that kind of solid end). That way you would have space for a couple of lamps, photos, and the phone thingy behind the sofa, but kids & pets can't get back there. Also, it would allow the long end of the sofa to be more centered on the window wall.

Second thought is that you have an issue of scale. The mantel, tv, and half walls all end at a similar height, and there is nothing to balance the height of the windows, which is emphasized by the contrast of the curtains against the light walls. If you create some height behind the tv, it might help, but I haven't completely worked that thought out in my mind yet. ;D

Unless the console table was the full length of the sofa a child or animal could crawl over the back of the sofa to get behind it. Other wise it would be nice to have a table behind the sofa on that wall. I have an adorable little photo (pre-digital) of our daughter where she'd slipped behind our sofa that was set a bit way from the wall for some reason I no longer remember. She looked something like this. Since she wasn't hurt I grabbed my camera and took her picture. I just couldn't resist.

I can certainly see your need to keep the couch to the wall. The room is nice looking and you need not fret BUT, I think it would look nice with a little more color. I'd love to see some art over the mantle in a taller size than the mirror and place the mirror between the two windows. You may even be able to see the tv. in the mirror from the kitchen. Go to art.com and check out Gregory Garrett theater view print. I would have copied it but I don't know how.

I am another one who would move the couch away from that end wall and add a console and lamp or two, but I get that you have to live in the space to fit your family and needs. So for now, it stays.

I am concerned about the drapery hanging over the baseboard heating. Have you checked to be certain that is fire-safe? If not, I would move the rods and get the curtains up above the baseboard. That would also visually give the drapery more importance to fill that wall , which might be nice - right now the rods feel like they are crushing down on the windows a bit.

I would like to see you get a second wall lamp like the first, and use them as a pair on the short wall behind the couch, instead of the one by the window as it is now.

Add an end table (with some storage if you need it) down at the end of the couch closest to the fireplace, and put a lamp on that table. The lamp could be a handpainted or ceramic, again to add some color and interest. A round or oval table might be nice to break up all the rectangles in the room. Then put the phone down on that end table.

Your coffee table is fine. I sure would NOT do a glass table right now - safety issues with kids is one reason, another is that the glass will be FULL of fingerprints all the time, so messy. However, if you were open to change, I would look for a round leather or fabric ottoman instead. More practical since you put your feet up on the table (not a good use of the furniture, LOL) and the ottoman would be a nice thing with the kids for play and more seating if needed sometimes.

I would turn the mirror over the fireplace to run vertically. That will bring some more height to the room, instead of everything being at the same 'horizon' in the space. It will also give you a bit more visual open space to allow for some candles or vases up on the mantel to bring some color up there. Move the plants to the left of the fireplace.

I would pull the tv out of the corner - it looks jammed in and lost. It needs to be forward and to the left, more in front of the baseboard heat to the right of the fireplace.

Then use that long wall to the right of the TV for your book case that needs a home. Add the toychest there as well - either on that same wall, or on the end wall where the cat toy seems to be, with the back of the toychest against the wall for the stairs on that side of the room.

I would add another lamp (either a floor lamp or a wall lamp) on that side of the room for some more light.

I'm confused about the stairs - in two photos, they seem to be opposite the two windows, but in the photo showing half wall behind shorter side of sofa, the stairs appear to be facing fireplace? I must be reading something wrong in the photos, but not sure what.

I like the idea of the console table behind the couch there. I might not do that ASAP, but maybe somewhere down the road. Just because I'm not up for purchasing it yet.

I cannot move the TV out from the wall, its a corner TV unit. So it stays. It would look silly to pull it out, unless maybe if we got shelves to add to the sides of it, which I have thought about.

gwbr54 - The stairs are in both places. They wrap around. here are some older photos

What about getting some wall shelves for above the TV? I was thinking maybe something like these, but in expresso stain to match the TV console. I could do 2 corner shelves right above each other (like 24" apart?) and then extend them out 2' on each side. Would that work?

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K, so I am thinking maybe shelves like this around the TV.

WE got our TV stand at Crate and Barrel and they do sell side towers, but not specifically for this corner shaped TV stand, so it might be a bit odd, but they would be 5' tall, so another idea is to get 2 of those for either side of the TV.

But keep in mind my TV stand is corner-shaped. So it looks like this, but it could be pulled out form the wall a bit to make the side towers fit.

I am also liking this bookcase at PB.
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Thoughts?

The cherry bookcase I have is way too big for the left of the fireplace. It probably could squeeze to the right of the TV, but it would be tight.

Probably not a long-term fix, but the wall-hung shelves are a relatively inexpensive solution. A plus is that they would not interfere with the baseboard heat. An artful arrangement, making use of the photos now behind your sofa, could look nice. Thicker, more substantial shelves usually look better than light ones.

The shelves would provide no concealed storage, so the toy trunk would be really useful under the window at end of sofa.

I would definitely raise the curtain rods to give the windows more height.

Hmmm...well I am not looking for a short term fix. If I'm going to spend $300 on wall shelves I'd probably keep them quite a while.

I can raise the curtain rods, but the curtains are only 84" long, will it look OK to have the curtains stop above the baseboards?

I would leave the drapes alone. Yes, perhaps if you were buying them new right now you might want them to be hung higher, but I don't think it's that big of an issue.

I think your wall color is a bit too yellow/light for your drapes and sofa. I know you're not ready to paint yet, but I think if you picture a tad darker color - like the medium gold/taupe color of your rug - pick a color from your rug that you like - neutral but a bit darker for the walls. The new color would not make your drapes pop quite so much and would make the room feel a little more cozy.

For the corner by the window and fireplace, I think you need a chair there - not a big overstuffed one, but something with some presence of its own - like this Pottery Barn one maybe? Something like this - not the same style as your sectional. I'd also put an end table with a lamp at the end of the sectional if you have the room.
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For the TV corner, while I understand financially this may not work for you, but I think you need a more substantial piece of furniture like an armoire that will house the TV and fill up that corner. Right now, the TV is dwarfed in that space. The tower units would help with filling space on the sides, but you really need to fill the space up to the ceiling. I am not a huge fan of those floating shelves, in a corner area like yours. They're not subsantial enough to put anyting but small items and I think it will look cluttered. Maybe the two towers beside the TV and some metal wall art in the middle on the two corner walls?

Your sectional is such a large piece of furniture, you need something substantial opposite it to balance things.

I'd also look at buying either a nice big piece of art or put one of those circle mirrors with the wide dark frames over the fireplace.

Just some ideas for you!

The TV stand is staying. We just got it last week, and we had a larger one before that we hated. I dont want a huge piece of furniture taking up the entire corner.

I'm most likely not going to tackle the mirror above the fireplace. I could, but it was a huge PITA to hang, and I would rather not do it again.

I like the idea of a chair. Maybe once the toy box is no longer needed!