Wow, lots to consider. I'm not sure how limited your budget is considering all that you've mentioned. Here are some things to consider:

1) Flat screen where armoire is now - on the wall or on a console of some sort?

2) If DH needs recliner maybe you need 2 non-recliner looking recliner's instead of a loveseat. Then, get your new sofa and put on the long side, directly across from TV if DH doesn't need recliner right in front of TV (mine does!). Personally, I'd stay away from slipcovers if this is the main area your kids will be using for TV watching. I would not match the recliners to the couch either but I'd match them to each other. I'd also add an occasional chair near your current armoire, future TV/console/window. You'll also need a table in between the recliners which I think you'd put where your sofa is today. You may want a coffee table and a rug under that...

Or, maybe put sofa on the diaganol with a table behind it and then put a recliner close to where you have yours now with another chair across from that? This would keep the FP and the TV in site for all of the seating.

3) Paint. Everyone says it is cheap so consider what color you want your walls. Is the color now something you need to change? It looks nice to me and is bright & cheery.

4) wall by laundry pocket door/rail. I'd leave it empty aside from putting a picture on the wall or family pics. I wouldn't see the need to fill that spot right away. If you put a bench there it will likely become a dumping ground for laundry stacks or other front-door items. That is functional and I'm good with that but everyone is not okay with having a 'dumping ground' like that.

5) dining - is this functioning as a dining room or more of an eat-in kitchen? Seems your table is too small. Is there a leaf? A rug will help but you have lots of space to fill. I don't think I'd get an etagere for the left side but I would fill your walls with art. It'll really warm the space up. Your wood is beautiful.

6) I don't know anything about blinds but you are correct, curtains have to go - too short and they don't add anything to your rooms.

I might suggest you go to a local shop known for mid-priced stuff and have someone come to your home to work with you. Or move the furniture you have around to see what might work?

Good luck, I'm sure you'll get some great suggestions from this group.

Thanks so much for all your suggestions, whenicit! I know I have lots to consider, the problem is I've been considering this stuff for about 2 years and I'm tired of "considering" and ready to DO! :) I'm admittedly too darn indecisive! I just want my home to feel warm, inviting, and lived-in. Not the constant 'just moved-in' look!

I'll try to answer your questions...

1. I think I'd probably like some sort of console for the flat screen. This is a new option that hasn't been pondered over and over, because I never thought dh would give up our lovely 27" sanyo that he won at a softball tourney about 8 years ago! But he finally gave in to the idea of a flat screen. Now we just need to find one. We thought about mounting one above the FP but we think it'd be uncomfortable looking up at it. The mantle is about 60". PLus we need space for the dvd/vcr, movies, etc...

2. Dh WAS adamant on keeping his recliner in front of the tv, but has kindly given in to maybe putting it in the corner (left of the FP) and turning it as much as possible toward the tv (flat screen will hopefully be able to be seen from this angle.) I'm intrigued about your idea of turning the sofa on an angle. I'll have to play around with that and see how it looks.

I was also wondering about getting 2 chairs vs. the loveseat. Are chairs more popular these days than loveseats? We're thinking of leather for dh's recliner so maybe 2 leather recliners or 2 leather club chairs with one big ottoman? Also, I was thinking of leaving the sofa on the left so when you walk in the door, you'd see the sofa table & accessories. Do you think it'd be better to have the 2 chairs & table by the front door instead?

Love the rug idea too! I do think that would tie everything in. But is it a faux pas to put a rug on carpet or is that ok? I'm so clueless on these things! :)

3. Yes, paint is definitely staying. Took dh waaaaay too long to paint all this, so he'd probably leave me if I asked him to change it (we've only had it like this for 1 year!)

4. What about putting an accent chair here in the corner and that way'd I could pull it up to the other seating when I need it? Maybe a wicker or hyacinth chair or something? I love that texture!

5. Yes, you're right it is very much an eat in kitchen! This is our cheap "we-have-young-kids-right-now, we'll-get-a-better-one-later" table :) It does have a leaf though. I definitely need some art - have been trying to teach myself oil painting for this very reason!

6. Yup, the curtains are my fault. I shrunk them in the dryer! Thankfully, they were just ones I found on clearance at Walmart :)

Thanks again for all your help! I love this forum - you guys have such great ideas! Now I just need a whole day to surf in peace without refereeing over polly pockets and picking cheerios up off the floor! :)

With the ages of your kids, I'd be leery about buying anything that I couldn't wash as a slipcover, although I adore the idea of a sofa with a slipcover! Since you said that you are on a budget, I'm going to give you my ideas based on using as little money as possible.

I like the current color of your walls and think your house would look nice with neutral colors for good quality base pieces. You could work in color in the soft goods: pillows, curtains, rugs.

I'd put a small table in the corner by the fireplace on the current armoire wall, possibly one that is kid-sized, unless you have one in another part of the great room. That would also be a good space for a mommy desk if you don't have one somewhere else in the house.

I'd put a flat-screen over the fireplace and make the fireplace the focus of the room. The current tv wall would be a great place for a sofa table, but you could use the armoire as (toy?) storage and create a decorative area around it, possibly with a quilt hung on the wall behind/beside the armoire. Since DH is handy, maybe he could build you a shelf to go above the quilt on one side or the other. I've seen quilts on sale at Crack*er Bar*rel for $60 to $100, so they aren't too outrageous.

I'd put up curtains and a rug that drew colors out of the quilt. I think a bright, primary colors quilt would give you the most options for colors, especially since you're going to have primary colors in the kids' toys for a couple of years. That would give you the option to keep the walls the current color and add reds, blues, yellows and greens in other areas for pops of color. I'm leaning toward primaries because I "think" I see something red over the range hood in the kitchen?

I think your table is too small for your dining area, but you may have a leaf for it somewhere. I'd buy a rug that fits the room well and carries the primary colors of the quilt into the dining area and I'd use a quilt with a base of one of the primary colors as a tablecloth, maybe turned diagonally on the table.

A darker color couch would be nice in the living room, and wouldn't show wear as fast. However, I know that the microfiber suede couches come in several nice neutral colors. They hide multitudes of stains and are easy to clean, as I know from having two teens and three dogs! You could add pillows in bright colors to carry the color around the room.

You could also consider a couch/loveseat with a recliner in it. I'd be more inclined to do a couch and a couple of chairs than a couch and a loveseat, although the area may be bigger than I think from looking at the picture.

I think part of the problem is that the small chest and the coffee table are too light for the room. They blend into the carpet. Is there a way to stain them a darker color or paint them a medium brown?

As for the railing by the stairs, I'd put something that the kids cannot climb there, so a chest is out, IMO. I would probably use the sewing table you have by the armoire now, or I'd hang another small quilt from the railing. It might also be a good spot to put family pictures on the wall and leave the floor area open.

As for curtains, you could do blinds and valances, which would be easier to clean. Or, you could do tab top curtains in a darker primary color with blackout liners under them.

Also, I'm not sure if you have a green thumb (I'm jealous!) or if the plants are silk, but I think greenery makes a house feel homey very quickly. Fake, but nice, plants by the fireplace and on the wall with the armoire would be nice and have a cottage feel. You could possibly put some greenery on top of the armoire like you have above the entrance in the kitchen picture.

I hope some of this helps. I call my "style" early garage-sale, but it looks more like the cottage style I see online.

I'd keep some of the furniture you have. I think the sofa looks very cottage-y and inviting. I also think the table works with it. Not buying a new sofa will free up more money for things like lighting, the rug, window treatments, pillows, etc.

What I'd do is go to the library and check out some decorating books. Narrow down what you LOVE. If you look through PB catalogs, pinpoint exactly what it is you like about the rooms. Picture your finished room vs. pieces of it here and there.

Also, consider what else the room will be used for. I think bookcases really warm up a room and your kids will love easy access to the books . . .so add some in and suddenly your room has even more functions than just watching TV.

If you don't already, start looking at your local Craigslist to see what kind of unique pieces you can find! It's sort of a pain to use CL with little ones, though . . .hard to just run over somewhere when you have young children in tow!

BTW, I am a SAHM with 3 little ones as well, and I can SO relate to wanting the house decorated so I don't have to stare at what I don't like when I'm home!

I too think the sofa looks cottage-like, and might be a keeper (with a slipcover). Of course, nothing about the kitchen says cottage.

One thought might be to place new TV on low stand where sofa now is. Some of the flat screen TV stands have backs which could separate your entry from the living room. Then the sofa on the long wall with artfully arranged artwork above. Recliner (hopefully a new one) more or less where it is now, with a second, similar in style chair near it.

First of all: Welcome! You have a lovely home. :)

Second: There's no need to do everything at once. Take your time. I would also suggest that you focus on one room at a time--a whole-house decorating project would be quite overwhelming. Collecting pieces over time requires patience, but is so rewarding. I think decorating really is an "organic" process and shouldn't be hurried. Your home will come together before you know it and the result will be warm and comfortable.

If you like cottage style, check CraigsList often. Depending on where you live, you can find some excellent pieces for very reduced prices that are often MUCH better quality than what you would find in the stores today (at least, what you find for a reasonable price). Accent pieces, in particular--tables, benches, etc. You just never know what you might find on CL. For example, I found two RH solid cherry "Marston" nightstands in perfect condition for $50/each. They retail for $995/each.

Here are my further humble suggestions:

1) I think you may be right that the TV will be too high if mounted over the fireplace. My cousin has hers mounted over her fireplace, and it's extremely uncomfortable to watch TV from her sofa! I guess it might depend on the height of the fireplace, but yours looks fairly high? I like your idea of placing the TV against that wall--but I would place it on a console rather than on the wall itself, I think.

2) I'd keep the sofa--I love its lines and use a slipcover. If you really want a new sofa, however, I'd definitely buy the slipcovered style. I've attached a link to Nantuckit furniture company (it's a division of Rowe furniture)--which provides software which lets you play with different fabric on any sofa on their site--which is lots of fun. :) And I would buy a sofa from Nantuckit (we almost did, in fact) before I'd buy a sofa from Ballard's--I think the quality is probably much better.

3) Sofa facing the fireplace, two comfortable chairs facing the TV.

4) An area rug under the coffee table--5x8 or 6x9? Lay some newspapers out to get an idea of the size you will need.

5) LOVE the color of your walls. Nice mantel arrangement, too.

6) Go to PB and RH and see if you like any of their curtains/drapes. Then watch for them on ebay and buy them at a seriously reduced price. :)

7) I agree that the DR table is too small for the space, but you can take care of that later. For the time being, a rug will help fill out that space. :)

wow, you guys are full of great ideas! Thanks so much - I'm getting excited just thinking of the potential and possibility of finally finishing this space :)

Lissa - such great info, thank you! My current couch is Rowe and has a washable slipcover. So do you think an upholstered couch would hold up better? I love to change things up sometimes and like the idea of getting different colored slips for summer & winter but I need to price them out. I was going to get new slips and cushions for my current couch but at $699 and above for a slipcover, I just decided to get a new couch. My current cushions are down and are all smushed thanks to years of jumping on by my girls.

So do you think the tv above the fireplace wouldn't be too high? I'm not sure what the protocol is on tv viewing height? LOVE the idea of a sofa table/couch on the armoire wall though, with some big bold art above it!

And yes, that is red you see in my kitchen. Here's some better pics:

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I sized them pretty small, but hopefully you can get the idea. I think my problem is I love a bunch of different styles and a bunch of different colors. How do you narrow it down to one and get them all to mix cohesively?!? I love the reds, greens, yellows of tuscan design. But then I also love the neutrals and chocolate brown colors. And then I'm drooling over some cute little dining chairs in black/white check at Ballards! ugh!

Yes, the palm is real (dh is suprised I haven't killed it yet!) and I want to get some more for maybe the railing area and also near the FP. I love greenery too (have to - my parents have a greenhouse business!)

anele, I have a library trip planned this week. And bookcases are a great idea! Dh and I were contemplating maybe a media console of some sort for our flat screen with 2 taller bookcases flanking it? We're still not sure though... It's good to know there's other sahm's out there staring at blank walls - LOL! There's just SO much I want to change and so much potential. Dh just doesn't understand why I'm online so much - well it's easier to shop for furniture online than hauling 3 little ones all over the place! :) Thanks for your thoughts!

mjlb, thanks for your help too. It's so great to get a fresh perspective on my space. I NEVER would have thought about putting the tv where the sofa is, but it just might work and would also serve to divide off our entry way. I'll have to discuss with dh! Thanks!

Please keep the suggestions coming! I'd also love to know any great websites to check out for inspiration or affordable furniture, etc... thanks again :)

Only a few thoughts from me, I think your house is beautiful. With kids as young as yours, I'd get rid of the coffee table and get a nice ottoman that you can double as a coffee table with a tray when needed. I think slipcovering your current sofa is a great idea because it looks like it's in great shape, just off in color.

DEFINITELY don't put the TV over the fireplace, it's not only uncomfortable to watch, but the rising heat can cause issues for your tv. I also wanted to mention that if you will have people sitting and viewing from an angle, you may need to get a plasma instead of an LCD because the LCDs tend to get black/ghost images on them from the angles.

One last piece of advice, when you are trying to make a LOT of changes I think it's important to take it slow and find pieces you REALLY love instead of getting "good enough" things to fill spaces. Shop craigslist, thrift stores, antique stores and ebay and see what you can pick up second hand, it really stretches your budget and in many cases, the old stuff is built so much better than anything you'll find in most furniture stores today.

~~Veronica

organic smallhome - thank you! You are totally right - I think since I'm finally feeling somewhat my old self, I'm trying to rush and pull this place together. But I will try to focus on the living room for right now and just make sure to coordinate everything with kitchen/dining.

Unfortunately, I live in a fairly small town and our CL isn't that great. But I will still keep an eye on it just in case. I am SERIOUSLY jealous of your RH score! I would die if I ever found a great deal like that!

That's too funny - my current couch is Rowe! I was going to try and get a new slip & cushions for it but the store quoted me $699+ for the slip and I think $400 for the cushions? Do you know of anywhere else that sells Rowe slips? What color slips would you recommend? I was leaning toward a natural/off white color that I could bleach and then maybe some type of velvet for winter. I will check out the Nantuckit site.

That's an awesome idea to lay out newspapers to measure for my rug! I love this forum!

thanks again :)

Forgot the link, if you're interested.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nantuckit Furniture

I love the idea of a natural/off-white color for summer and then a darker color for winter. Not sure that velvet would be a good choice, though, with three little ones--but a microfiber would be perfect, I think. I priced a new slipcover for my Rowe sofa and they quoted me over $600, too. I think I might do it, anyway, though--that is, once I get the basement windows replaced. :)

RE: the TV over the fireplace . . .I wouldn't do it. I am not nearly as picky as DH about viewing the TV, so I didn't think it would matter if we raised it about 8 inches because of a piece I got. BIG mistake, even though our TV isn't high to begin with (it's exactly at eye level if you sit on the sofa). It was ridiculous. The piece I bought found a home in a different room.

I agree with everyone else that the tv over the fireplace might be too high. Someone said there are issues with ghost pictures and with heat from the fire. I would probably look into doing the entertainment wall where you have the armoire and use a tv stand with bookcases on either side. You could use baskets on the bookcase shelves, along with accents in whichever colors you choose.

Because I've been there, done that, I suggest making sure the bookcases are attached to the wall in case a little one decides to climb them. :)

As for your couch, if you like the bones of the couch, why not see about getting some foam inserts cut to replace the insides of the cushions? Also, most department stores sell slipcovers for couches. Wally world's quality isn't that great, but theirs run about $100 and they are washable. If you sew, it's fairly simple to make a slipcover yourself.

I would probably look for furniture on Craig's List, especially the bookcases and tv stand. Even if the woods weren't exact matches, the price will be much less than buying new and paint covers multitudes of defects. Saving on the furniture would allow you to put a little more into the rugs and accessories, although I see rugs all the time on CL as well.

Adding more greenery (I'm jealous of your green thumb!) and some accent pieces will make it feel more homey for now. As you add in the other things, slipcovers, rugs, bookcases, you will see it all come together.

However, I don't think it looks bad right now, at all. Your home has a great layout; you have some really nice pieces in there, and everything isn't too matchy-matchy. I'd feel comfortable sitting on your couch or having a cup of coffee at the kitchen table. To me, that's the true test of a home. If I don't feel like I could touch anything in the house, I won't come back. I'd visit you more than once! :)

Thanks again everyone! I got on CL this morning and there was a PB Charleston sofabed on there for $300!! Someone else is ahead of me, but if it falls through I just might have myself a couch (it does need a new slipcover though, so I'll be scouring ebay for that!)

So if I can't get the couch, where should I start? Do you buy your main furniture first (couch, chairs) and then get drapes, rugs to match. Or should I maybe find a great rug or piece of art that I like first and then pull my colors from that? I just like so many different things, I'm having a hard time incorporating it all...

And Lissa, thanks again for the sweet comments! If you don't mind watching Cinderella over and over and drinking juice boxes instead of coffee - you're welcome anytime! ha! :)

Rug first. :)

gotch ya! I'm off to rug shop :) thanks again!

Christy,
I really like the layout of your house and I think your wall color is lovely. I don't think you should put your TV above your mantle. It's too tall and I think it would be very uncomfortable having to look up to watch TV. I think a white-slipcovered couch is perfect for your room. I have white-slipcovered furniture in my family room and I absolutely love it. They're so easy to maintain and keep clean. I can spot clean with bleach pen and I wash them every other month. They fit in my washing machine and come out looking brand new. I have 3 very active kids and one messy dog. How about moving your family room furniture closer to each other? They look too far apart maybe move the couch closer to the fireplace. The room could definitely use another chair and table. A nice big comfy-slipcovered club chair would look great. I'm not sure if live near a Home Goods store, they're a great source for tables and chairs. The black cabinet in your DR looks smooshed in that corner. How about angling it kitty corner and moving your table back? This would take up more room and not make the table look like its too small for the area. Would the black cabinet fit on the other side of the window? If so, you could hang a mirror, artwork or pretty decorative iron type fixtures on the wall by the door. Whatever you decide remember to have fun and don't let it stress you out. Good Luck.

laurensmom, Cinderella would be a nice change! These days I listen to red hot chili peppers and my son's guitar on full volume. I'll take a juice box, too! :)