Cute place you have there! Love your deck, and your kitchen is darling. Great fabric on your WT's! I think you've done a marvelous job getting settled in, but it's a new place, so it takes some time to feel at "home."

How about a platter on the wall instead of the picture? Do have blue and white dishes by chance? That would pull the colors in the WT's which are so beautiful. I could also see a small blue and white porcelain planter with a trailing plant in place of the dried eucalyptus on top of the bookshelf. That would bring in a little something fresh and green and Spring (it's on its way according to the groundhog!)

Also, how about a rug in front of your sofa? Again, something with the blues and greens to break up the beige and add some texture? Maybe a braided rug in an oval shape?

Best wishes with your new home!

I don't think it's the picture that's the problem; it's the narrowness of the windows. The Roman shades only emphasize the narrowness. Sorry :-(

I would put long drapes....ceiling to floor on the sides of your windows to make them seem wider. I would probably use sheers in the color ecru or cream and put the same drapes on your windows/door. They would not need to cover the window/door or narrow windows, because you have the blinds. Then I would remove the two chairs you have in the living room, or cover them with the burgandy to match your sofa cushions, maybe even put a flat cushion on the back (tied in place) to give them more substance and put them straight against the wall. I am not liking the blue/white with your furnishings but then I am not a "blue" person. A nice green plant on top of your bookcase would bring some "life" into your room.

Would you ever consider painting the bookcase? That would break up the woodiness you've go going on. It appears you are someplace tropic like from the foliage outside. (as opposed to my current view of snow. It might get above freezing today). That brings to mind a coral accent color for pillows and the bookcase, plus it would brighten the room up.

Along the same idea with grand3, what about extending the valences to the corners and then doing a tie-back curtain so most of the window still shows. That would make a cozy looking wall.

Yes to the window panels to widen the windows! Replace the bookcase with a long shelf that spans the wall between the windows. Tuck the chairs under the shelf, side by side. Place a large mirror over this shelf. Put a few large piece( a stack of your attractive books) on the shelf, including a lamp, or two slim buffet style lamps. Instead of a shelf, possibly place the dresser on this wall with mirror over. The enemy of a small space is a scattering of random pieces that often translates into clustered look. Small pictures work best grouped together vs. dotted here and there.
Scaling down in furniture size and actual pieces, along with a monochromatic scheme works well. The burgundy pillows pop too much. I'd prefer a contrasting blue and stone stripe. Put the t.v. on the wall and replace the larger dresser for something shallow...perhaps in a shade that mimics the white of the wall trim, making it disappear somewhat.
This is just what I see, and may not be at all what you have in mind. That balcony looks very inviting and expect this will end up a very charming and happy new home for you. Have fun with it, take your time and don't stress. Takes time ....enjoy the journey!

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, and honest feedback. A few things to clarify...I won't be painting the bookcase for now, it's been in the family a long time. The furniture in the room stays where it is except the two chairs that I just recovered can be removed. The burgundy colored pillows will not be staying. I was hoping for a new look from where we used to live which is why I just picked blues.

Here is a photo of the model which is where I got the idea to make these window toppers. They are using smaller furniture which I just don't have right now.

I'm in Southern California with tropical plants outside the patio, no snow here. In fact, it will be 71 tomorrow.

I do like the idea of a plant on the bookcase. What about the mirror instead of the picture? As much as I'd like to have long drapes, I already spent the money and time sewing these shades. If it really looks funny, I can take them down and leave it like the first photo. Thoughts?

Forgot the other pic!

Having the wall space around the windows instead of longer and wider curtains would make the room seem on the small side.

Have you thought about wooden shutters? You can get them in all different stains and would add a touch of "architectural detail" to the room, and help control lighting.

If not, then I vote for the curtains a bit wider than the windows.

I love your home, btw! Very cheery looking!

In the model pic the sofa is long and bridges that span beautifully, unlike your very nice, but too small bookcase. The grouping of pics above the sofa fills in the space there, as well. Note the symmetry and the orderly feel they impart. With the model home arrangement, the long panels are not necessary. Love your striped fabric...exactly what I'd envisioned. Back to pics, perhaps you might want to re-frame some of your small pics, using larger mats. Just some thoughts.
Do you like the look of the model and it's clean lines? It does give a much more spacious feel. How about removing everything from the walls, and all the small decor. Using the model pic as inspiration, return items very gradually, stepping back to look after each addition. This is what many experts would advise. Lots of work, I know, sigh, but worth it in the end to get a like you will be content with.

I see what you are getting at.

I think the main difference I see between the inspiration photo and your space is the horizontal line around the room. And the visual weight of the pieces.

In the inspiration photo, the sofa is a lower level than the bottom of the windows. The 4 picture grouping fills in the space above fully. So you eye runs nicely from the chair, across the sofa (filled in with plump pillows) to the TV cabinet.

The darker color of the window treatment help ground that to the sofa color, and pull that whole wall together.

In your space right now, I feel as though the eye is jumping up and down as it travels across the space.

Some suggestions would be to have all the lamps in the space have the same top height. Take all items off the top of the bookshelf. Consider filling in a lot of the space in the shelf with baskets that contain the smaller items, like the books.

The clock on the wall by the TV seems kind of "stuck there" (but it is a nice piece) Consider putting it where you have the kitchen clock, or perhaps on the wall in the corner by the patio door and 2 windows.

Try the mantle clock on the bookcase moved to the tv cabinet on the right side.

And looking at the far opposite wall, where your 4 windows are, I thing that a wall artwork arrangement of 4 square pictures very similar to your inspiration picture would be the best option.

You could consider getting black and white photos done and matted for a nice personal arrangement.

Put a few books under the lamp on the side table to raise it up closer to the other lamp's height.

Assuming they hired a professional designer to do the model living room, what I see is that under the best of circumstances, that living room is awkwardly set up. In the model room, there is space for three, maybe 4 people to sit. Only one seat directly faces the TV set.

Look at the furniture in that room. One small sofa or loveseat. One armchair. One TV stand. One end table. One large coffee table that was chosen to fill up the empty space in the center of the room to make it look more furnished. Imagine that room without the coffee table and it starts to look a lot like the OP�s room. There are three lamps, one of which appears to block part of the TV. And then at least 4 plants, to make the room appear more furnished and welcoming. I think they did a wonderful job making that room look open and inviting, and hiding the more obvious flaws in the design of the room.

The room�s layout simply doesn�t function well. Either you have the sofa on the wall in the model room, and then you have a hard time watching TV, or you put the sofa on the window wall so you can see the TV set, and then you lose the view out the windows and have an awkward layout.

OP, it�s not you. It�s the room.

Working with the furniture you have, the first thing I�d do is take out the two small chairs. They don�t work with the rest of the furniture. Then I�d try to put the sofa on the wall where it is in the model room, and buy a table top TV swivel stand so that you could easily watch TV from there. Move the blue chair to the same position as the woven chair in the model picture and place an end table between the sofa and the chair.

Down the line, look for a coffee table similar to the one in the model picture�glass or Lucite to keep the space looking open, and slightly oversized to fill the space better. And maybe a smaller unit to hold the TV.

I would also go with plantation shutters. The windows are very modern in size and shape and your fabric does not complement either. The roman shades in the model have textural interest and do not introduce a pattern. Shutters would add heft and architectural interest to the room.

If your desire is to follow the model room I would basically set it up just the same way as best you can. Short of buying all new furniture for the new place---which is darling and bright---- I think you are going to have
trouble making it look just like the model.

I don't agree at all with the long curtain suggestions. . . . They would "fill up" the wall, but is that what the space really calls for? Anything to the floor would emphasize the smallness of the windows and almost make a mockery of them, IMO.

I really like the suggestion of a platter between the windows. What about a really nice grouping of ironstone or something w/ a blue and white pattern?

OR

Since you can count me in on the addition of panels maybe move the wall clock between the 2 windows?

For the windows (don't laugh - I'm not pattern-mixing-savvy!) what about a valance in the floral and panels in the stripe? Here's my thought: really wide (think almost fill the wall) panels would visually widen the windows and soften the narrow tall wall. I think that doing the stripes as the panel would actually visually enhance the impact over all.

If you are planning to regularly use the 2 small chairs move them to beside the TV so that they are easily accessible. If not used often stash them away if you have space or get rid of them (borrow from the DR if you need extra seating). Then put a pretty potted plant beneath each window. Maybe in a blue and white fish pot type planter.

Your fabric choices are great.

For the back of the bookcase maybe you can pull a color from the fabric like the gold and paint posterboard or something to wedge into the back sections of the bookcase. Make sure it's a complimentary shade to the tone of the wood of the bookcase. That way it would visually lighten the look of the bookcase, keep an elegant look and tie in the curtains. I wouldn't do blue because I think that it would be too expected and be too matcy-matchy.

After seeing your inspiration picture, I would like to see your couch where your bookcase is. You may have to move your TV/cabinet closer to the corner (toward the kitchen). Then put your blue chair in front of the window wall, sort of slanted toward the TV and couch. Or, leave the chair where it is and put your bookcase in front of the window wall, with a couple of floor plants on either side. A coffee table when budget allows. Make the sofa pillows out of fabric that matches the shades you made and add other white/blue decorations around.

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. I've been moving things around in my mind for the last day or so. Today I moved the bookshelf into another room and moved the tv and dresser between the small windows. The tv will need to be wall mounted but I can tell already that it's going to make the room a lot more open. The dresser works in this room because it stores a lot of items for my grandchildren.

Because this is a rental apartment, I'm not permitted to change the blinds provided but I am able to add curtains and paint. When I get some pillows made, I'll post some more pics. I really appreciate all the good ideas. I'm anxious to make this place feel homey.

I'm sorry, natesgram, I did not realize this is a rental. On the one hand, that makes things a bit easier if you're not staying there long term. . . you can just put in some quick fixes and not worry about major changes. Good luck!