You don't mention your wall color. Are you interested in changing that?

One of the reasons your brown elements seems disparate is that they are all displayed against that cool white wall color, which makes them stand out rather than blend in.

The wall color in all the rooms is a warm cream. Almost every wall in this house is exposed adobe brick. Interior adobe walls tend to look best done in white or cream. We just had these rooms painted during the kitchen reno in November. If we change the wall color, we'd have to carry it through to the rest of the connecting rooms, too . . .which we don't want to do.

First of all I love your room and your kitchen and your...
You know what I mean.
The pillows, I always change mine with the season. I think a combo or yellows and reds would be nice. You can make "slipcovers" for your winter ones.
I think to lighten up the room, I would change rugs. The one you have is perfect but I think if you put a light sisal rug or maybe an off white shag rug it would really change the mood.
The stereo unit, I wish you could get rid of it and find something nicer that looks better with that gorgeous tv unit you have (can you hear the envy?).
If you have to keep it, how about using that mahogany gel stain you were planning on using on your table/chairs.
I think the lamp is original and matches your eclectic room but I wouldn't put it on top of that unit (it kinda highlights it). Does it fit on the tv unit?
Mariana

I really like the yellow fabric, Lynn. It's bright and summery and definitely lightens things up. I love your whole style- the way you've kept true to the adobe and southwest vernacular without "doing" southwest, if you know what I mean. The hand-beaded art is gorgeous.

I think the more rustic coffee table you mentioned will work really well in that room. I love the rug you have, it reminds me of some beautiful places I visited in Santa Fe. I like your lamp, but agree that if you moved if off that tower, it would be better. I was thinking oh, it would be great on the console to highlight the art, but then realized the TV comes up there. Is there another side table in the room? can that cart be a side table?

It doesn't seem like you really have too much to do in this makeover--you've already got good furniture, one of a kind art, cool walls, original looking pieces in the room, and oh, that fireplace!

Go with the yellow, make a few summer slipcovers and maybe move the lamp after you've stained that piece (if you can't find another place to put it). In a perfect world, you could just have the console on that wall with that great art, but we do have to live. sigh. and watch movies and TV.:-)

Not sure I'm adding much to the discussion. I always love seeing pictures of your beautiful Southwest home. I really like your room -- except that stereo component cabinet. Normally I would be for refinishing a piece of furniture rather than stasrting from scratch, but that glass cab just does not fit with your other furnishings. I think you need something rustic, maybe a bookcase with Octillo rib doors (so that there is space between the ribs for the infrared whatsits of the TV/stereo components).

Not sure the club chair fits in the scheme as well as the mission style chair. I would likee to see a brightly colored throw/sarape -- maybe a Mexican or Navajo style?

Thanks for all the ideas!
~ I agree, the component tower needs to go. I'll start looking for one that fits in better with the room.
~ I'll use the yellow fabric for some new pillow covers, too. I think I might look for a coordinating fabric for some of the other throw pillows for the Spring & Summer. Perhaps a stripe that has more yellow in it with red and green or black.
~ Nothing, unfortunately, can sit on the tv console, as the back 3/4 of it is a lid that raises up with the tv. That's why I have the lamp on the tower next to it. I may switch out the santo lamp for something else, though.
~ As for the rug, light colored anything would be filthy here in less than a week, between the dogs and the fact that there's a lot of dirt and dust outside here in our mountains. I do like the idea, though, alot!
~ a new throw for the club chair? Great idea! The Navaho blankets and serapes are too thick and itchy for me, although they sure would brighten up that corner! I'll look for something similar that's softer and very washable.

Really cozy and charming room!

Love the lamp -- consider switching to a creamy white shade for the warmer months.

Love the idea of a sisal rug -- but perhaps bare floor might work for the summer too?

Yes -- switch out the cushions to ones that are lighter and brighter -- and add a matching soft cotton throw to the chair.

Adding some silvery items -- like a bowl for the coffee table -- perhaps filled with creamy pebbles and a large cream candle?

Replace the twigs in the jar on the mantel with creamy white flowers or even simply switch the whole thing for a silver flower jug.

I love this room just exactly as it is. I love the contrast of the dark furnishings against the white adobe walls ... it's so fresh and inviting and beautifully earthy.

Component towers are such a pain--I've been through so many rounds with my stereophile husband. If you can, get one that's exactly the same height and finish as your TV stand--that extra inch or so jogs the eye.

You've got big scale furniture, big architectural features and small scale accessories. I'd pare down on the doodads, and only use those that match the mood of the rest. One big striking thing trumps 3 or 4 little ones. I'd rather see one really big pot.

Ideefixe, I know what you mean about small accent pieces. That tiny black Indian Santa Clara pot on the fireplace mantel was just over $100. I'd love, love, love a big one for the coffee table but it would run us well over $2,000. It wouldn't fit on the kiva fireplace mantel either because they're very narrow by design.

Lynne, my first thought when I read Ideefixe's suggestion was, have you priced authentic Native American pottery lately? LOL! I really like the accent pieces that you currently have. They're a good fit on the mantle and most definitely in keeping with your overall style. (No wait -- I take that back. I hate them. You are more than welcome to send them to me, and I'll "dispose" of them for you. ;-))

Jen I've tried that line...it never works with Lynne unfortunately.

Ok Lynne..I hate hate hate the tower as well. It's wrong in just about any way I can name. I'd like to see the "weight" in that room shifted a bit by using a lighter component piece, but definately by using something that isn't taller than the tv cab at least (and where's that from darling???)

I love that lamp..don't remove it.

I do have some trouble with the new art Lynne. Not the actual pieces, but the arrangement feels crowded in a bit to me above the large tv cabinet. I'd like to see it rearranged and perhaps include a couple other accessories in the arrangement (some of your gorgeous silver crosses?) I'd like to see the arrangement have some more "bulk" over that bulky cabinet if that makes sense?

Gad that fireplace is gorgeous woman! Chip it out though and you'll have room for another component stand...and I can take the fire place off your hands.... :oP

Jen, yep, the good stuff is so expensive now, especially the Santa Clara pots. I'd love to have a huge one, though.BTW, thanks for the offer to "dispose" of my things for me (ROFLAO!)

Igloo, I'm glad you like my fireplace. I painted it myself a few years ago. I just used 2 regular new kitchen sponges: one cut into a convex shape; the other into a concave shape . . . plus a lot of rags. I painted the small designs on the hearth with a tiny brush and a lot of wet Q-tips to wipe of mistakes! We bought the tv lift cab from a place in California online. I also saw it on Costco's online store last year, but not recently. They probably have better delivery people. The cab's great; the delivery was a nightmare, though! I know what you mean about the art being too tight. DH hung them. The wall is all exposed adobe bricks and it took 4 hours for him to figure out how to get them the same distance apart with the nails all in the middle of bricks and not in between them. I've been really wanting to ask him to spread them out a bit more, but I'm afraid he'll shoot me ;^P I'm going to mention it to him soon, though. As for the tower, what do you mean by "a lighter component piece"?

Hey Lynne -- not sure what's available in NM, but we have found several very nice (soft) Mexican blankets that are not scratchy in the Tucson area where I'm from originally. Only problem with the soft ones are that they tend to come in softer colors, and I had in mind one of the really bright primary colored blankets for your club chair. Hmmm. Will have to think about that some more.

Lynne, I love your room. I love your new artwork. I love your fireplace which seems to lend a bit of whimsey to your decor.

I feel pretty helpless here next to some of the fabulous suggestions you've gotten.

1) I'd paint the component tower black to make it disappear, then I'd look for some type of colorful sarape to drape over it, to give it some charm/pizzaz. Maybe you can cut legs off at the bottom to make it the same height as your other piece?

2) Yes, I like!

3) New throw and/or pillow. Is the other leather chair green? Turquoise? How about something to pick that up?

4) Can't see it up close but probably no to replacing it. Sounds like you like it, and looks like it adds some interest.

I sorta want to do something with your windows, but I don't know what and I'm having trouble seeing what you do have there. Maybe something like the macrame curtain shown HERE (scroll down. Or maybe some variation on THIS. I'm having trouble communicating what I'm thinking, but I think I might play with this idea. If done right it could be very cool (and yes I know if done wrong it could be very NOT). Maybe just a wall hanging. I dunno. It's just a vibe I'm getting from that room. shrug

Ok what I mean by lighter is..and this will be fun to describe since I can see it but don't know if it exists, is something perhaps metal, with open sides verses that rectangular box. Something effiel tower shaped even, which would be ok tall, because the overall effect of the open structure would come across as "light" verses heavy, as a block of wood with glass does. (Did that make any sense?)

Actually it should make sense...since I just scrolled up and saw the coffee and side table are both metal. I'm thinking something that would allow you to put the goober on the lower shelves and leave the top open for decorative items.

I can't believe you did that fireplace. What a great feature to your room Lynne! You certainly have some decor talent in your blood.

But most of your stuff is crap really...so send it to me :oP heh heh heh

Thanks for all your suggestions, Oceanna! Um, let's see . . . the other leather chair is dark green. Both chairs are in great shape and super comfortable for lounging and watching tv. The Santo lamp, BTW, is an antique chalkware piece that I had mounted on a lamp base. I love it, but was wondering that might "clash" with the Native American pieces. Then again, New Mexico is known as the land of three cultures, Hispanic, Anglo and Native American, and we mix our art, foods and architecture together all the time out here. It probably looks a bit weird to many people, but I'm glad that you can appreciate it. Below is a pic of it, taken a couple of years ago.

And, just to really blow everyone away by the eclectic mix of our 3 cultures in this room, this is the artwork hanging over the patio doors in here. It does have a rather Spanish look to it, though. ;^P
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We were posting at the same time! I don't know if that would work, as that tower is completely filled with components (cable box, Blue Ray thingie, receiver and the big subwoofer). There's no place else to put them either. I think I'm going to look for a rustic black tower with grillwork, punched tin or whatever on it's door.
Thanks for the comps on the fireplace. I'm really happy with how it turned out. I like doing that kind of stuff. I just bought another antique, turquoise framed, multi-paned window the other day and am planning on doing a reverse glass painting on it for the front portal. Kind of like the famous ones at the La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe.
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Lynne,

If you just want to brighten things up I think that a new rug would help a lot, one with more vibrant colors. I have seen some that would bring out the color of the fireplace beautifully. I think the fireplace needs something blue next to it. A nice piece of pottery, a large vase, or something along those lines. I would probably check out Shelu in Old Town, I believe they are supplied by mainly New Mexican artists.

For a component tower, I would probably go with something with either divided light glass or something resembling the sombraje shutters. Ernest Thompson has some beautiful ideas on their website. Of course, then you would have to decide between multi-color or the stunning alternation of white and black, or whatever else they may have.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ernest Thompson Sombraje

" Something Blue", Tish? Hmmmmmm, that's an idea I hadn't thought of. The main colors in the room are red and green (and of course, the brown leather and cream walls). But, there is some turquoise in the carpet and over near the kitchen I have these pieces of art on the wall. The shaman even has real turquoise nuggets on him.
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Are you thinking a turquoise blue? Like a pot to hold kindling on the hearth or a taller, narrow one? That might add a real pop of color there! I may run down to Jackelope this afternoon and see if they have something along those lines.

Oh, Lynne, Lynne, Lynne ... *tsk* - that Santo lamp is just awful and I highly recommend that you ship it to me as quickly as possible too, so that your beautiful home may be free of such clutter. (LOL! OK -- you should know by now that I practically covet your things, and this lamp is da bomb, baby! Love it!)

Your thinking re the combination of cultures is right on the mark, IMO. Then again, I have a cabinet filled with Hopi kachinas, Navajo folk art, and on top are an Acoma pot, a piece of Mexican pottery, and an old Mexican Santo. It all definitely works together. I hope you'll continue to incorporate/encompass that cultural diversity in your decorating, because it's wonderful. :-)

Lynn, how 'warm' is that warm cream on the walls? I'm just about reconciled to doing a cream in my Mbath. What's your paint name?

Red

Jen, LOL!
Red, the paint is BM's Navaho White

Red, the paint is Navajo White