How about bamboo blinds for the windows? The blinds might add another touch of the brown-black tones that you have used in your furniture and accessories plus a nice touch of texture too. Check out the Smith & Noble website (they do all kinds of window treatments) -- might be some ideas there.

Would you consider repainting the top of the dining area to the same shade as the main living area -- so the visual "line" is continued all the way?? For example -- when you see the visible "break" behind the lovely chair by the stairway --- thats where a continuous line of color might keep the viewer's eye moving around the whole space.

In the dining area -- remove the tablecloth -- and try placing a black or brown bowl with fruit in the center of the table. Or perhaps a long retanglar dish filled with creamy white pebbles and three votive candles?

As for the tall wall above the dining room entrance -- perhaps a tapestry might work?

Here is a link that might be useful: art.com -- tapestry - artwork by Don Li-Leger

Teacats read my mind regarding the tablecloth! The style of it is at odds w/your furniture. I too, was picturing a substantial bowl of fruit there. Substantial, not dinky! You have fairly large pieces that call for accessories on the bold side w/clean lines. Choose a bowl made of an earthy, not delicate material. Think wood, metal, or ironstone, not porcelain or delicate glass. This is a cheap fix! Also, it might help to lower the light fixture over your dining table. The standard distance between table & the bottom of fixture is 30". Yours looks like it may be considerably higher...another cheap fix that will enhance what you have. You have some nice things, by the way, & a pretty house! Congrats, newlywed! Be patient, you're off to a great start.

Thank you both for the suggestions!

The tablecloth is not normally there, I was too lazy to remove it after dinner last night! There normally is a bowl on the table, but I like the suggestions of a more substantial one in its place. I will also see what lowering the light fixture will do for the room.

The wall colors are a problem, as the living room is painted 3 different colors to deal with the lighting in the room and the large wall expanse. The wall behind the sofa is a golden straw color, but the wall behind the chair by the stairs is more of a creamy wheat. The wall where the window is is another color as well.

The wall above the dining room is huge, you cannot see how large it is in the pics. It is at least 15 feet wide and at least 13 feet tall. The wall behind the sofa is 24 feet tall. Very odd lines in this room and because of that, I am at a loss.

Bamboo has nice texture, I like it. Would you be referring to Roman style blinds? For both dining and living rooms?

I love the tapestry suggestion, but I cannot seem to find one that would be large enough. i do love the Gustav Klimt ones and the William Morris ones, too bad they are not large enough. I was just at a Klimt exhibit at the Taft Gallery in Liverpool England a week ago, I had a copy of "The Kiss" in my bathroom for years.

I love the art above the sofa and think that's your jumping off point. Those colors can be repeated in an area rug, pillows, more art, etc. I think the side table and the lamps are both on the small side, and beefing up the lamps esp. will make more of a statement. The candle sconces look a little too big to me, and I can't tell where the chair by the stairs is in relation to the other chair and sofa. Better to group them in a conversation area, and put a book case or credenza by the stairs.

Is that wainscoting really that red or is it my monitor?

And I pretty much agree with everyone above about the dining room. I wish the china cabinet came right up to the ceiling. That's an awkward space--please don't put fake ivy trailing down the sides! I think an area rug with a texture would be good in the dining room as well.

ideefixe- I agree, it is an awkward space, the entire house is full of awkward spaces, but I just have to make do for a few more years. I too like the art over the sofa, it was one of my cheapo finds at Cost Plus. Only 65 bucks!

The red color on the wainscoting is not so much red as it is crimson. It can be repainted, but what color? Flooring will be replaced with hardwood as soon as I can figure out what kind and color. Any ideas?

Chair by stairs directly across from sofa area. Very awkward space indeed, not sure what else to do with it though.

So bigger lamps? I can probably swing that, but the tables have to stay DH will have a cow, as he recently picked those out himself after months of having none.

Thanks for the compliments Stinky Gardener, I like my stuff too.

Hmmmmm -- perhaps the "flat-fold" blinds might work? A simple but stronger look -- and you could then choose whether to use curtain panels (maybe just "no-close" panels at each side??)

OR -- for a cheaper, faster alternative check out basic roll-up bamboo or matchstick blinds at shops like Pier One etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: smith and noble website -- natural woven blinds

What do you think of this blind color Lhasa/ Sand 4475 from S&N

VERY nice color!

Jan

Good, now tell me where to hang them. Top to bottom, or leave the smaller window on top open?

Can anyone give me some lamp ideas? I am unsure of what size to look for. I like the black wood or iron ones that i have been finding, but size is frustrating

Top to bottom -- draws the viewers eye up!

Don't laugh but I just found my new living room lamps (no pics yet!) at Big Lots -- a designer named Jennifer Farrell did a collection for them. Larger -- and black with a slightly matte finish -- and on sale for half-price right now. Plus a whole collection of decorative items and furniture too!

Wow, those are nothing to laugh at! I have seen the Jennifer Farrel stuff at Big Lots. She has some great quality stuff.

They also had a great buy out of Pier One stuff last year. That was fun too.

Oh, her stuff looks like my style! I will find a big lots and check it out, although I have never been...

Could you paint the wainscoting the same white color as all the trim on the windows and atairs? I think that would help with the flow and help to unify the rooms. If you're partial to that shade of red you could bring it back into the rooms in a patterned drapery color that combined red with some of the other colors, (golden wheat, straw, light bown).....IF you decide on drapes outside the blinds, that is.

I can paint the wainscoting, as it has been suggested to me before. I just thought it would be a PITA and was putting it off....

What strikes me is that nothing in your rooms says "you" at all. How about a couple of framed photos somewhere? Or some art, besides what's over the sofa. Maybe a few pieces of handmade pottery. Everything just looks a little sterile and lacking in personality. Everything is also very matchy -- matching end tables, matching lamps, matching chairs. You might throw in a couple of antique pieces for some variety. Also, it's not entirely clear from the pic, but your dining room chandelier looks a little high to me. You're off to a good start, but you just need to add some personalization and the space will feel more welcoming and warm.

In the living room window I would reverse the table and chair and angle the chair towards the couch for conversation. However, I could also see myself there looking out the window and daydreaming or using it as a reading corner. For those purposes I would want a basket or something to hold magazines and a beautiful, cozy throw.

You could even try to put both chairs there with the table between them. Then, you could put a nice desk or credenza next to the staircase with an ottoman or the extra dining room chairs flanking it for additional seating as necessary. Maybe even a flip top game table.

I would also paint the upper part of the tray ceiling to coordinate with your dining room walls to set the molding and nice detail off. If you keep the crimson wainscotting, I would go with a deeper color on the walls above it. What is on there now seems to wash out next to the crimson. A deeper color may carry more if it's own weight.

Congrats on the recent marriage.

One thing I noticed is the chandelier in the dining room is too high. Once they are cut too high, you cant just lower them, there is no cord left. I would replace the chandelier with something a little more dressy. Two floral sconces on either side of the hutch would look great on those walls. Definately paint the sides of the inner tray the dining room wall color. A pretty floral on the table (without the table cloth) would look great. I must say, I love the marroon, it makes a statement.

I agree about trying the two chairs together, across from the sofa. I would get a smaller chair for the window area, I wish I knew the name of the type of chair I am thinking of. They have a decorative wood back, wood arms and padded cushion seat. I think the window area would look better with a smaller scale chair.

I do think you need chunkier lamps....your end tables are small so you cant go too wide or the lamps will look out of place. I am not sure I would go taller as I would wider...they need some more substance. I agree with the tapistry idea. I had a friend who picked a pretty upolstry fabric had it scaloped on the bottom and trimmed in a heavy fringe. It was hung on a fancy drapery rod with finales in a space similiar to yours. It looked great.

Have you considered an area rug for the DR and possibly the GR also? What a difference it can make in a room!! It's best to get one with a lot of different colors, but make sure it has your accent color.

Home Depot and Lowe's carry some nice looking rugs. And yes, it's okay to use them on top of carpeting. ;o)

Ahhhhhhh, this is great, you have all come up with some wonderful suggestions and I am doing what I can to implement a few of them.

I posted some new pictures, ones that hopefully show how small the room actually is. This is what was originally the formal living room in this house. We don't use it much at all, in fact, it is used exclusively by our house kitty, as evidenced by the towel on the window chair. She lives in here, for some reason she loves this room. Could be all of the natural light.

When I purchased the chairs, I tried them both in the window, both under the stairs and ended up in the arrangement they are in now because of the space issue. It causes me SEVERE distress to feel crowded or smooshed. Weird, but it is my issue. The arrangement now suites us, but the sterile atmosphere does not. That is what I am trying to fix, as I am well aware that it looks "off"

The husband can lengthen the light in the chandelier, he always leaves about 6 inches extra when he installs them so that they can be adjusted. I removed the tablecloth and now you can see the wood of the table. The dining room is too small for my furnishings, but we make do, as I love this stuff and do not want to get rid of it. It is sturdy and has hosted many children who did their best to destroy it and couldn't!

I am open to paint changes in the dining room, so I will go that direction after I get the living room sorted out.

I purchased some of the Jennifer Farrell lamps last night, not sure if they look okay. Maybe something with more heft, like a bulbular bottom would be better?

We will be replacing the stained carpeting with hardwood soon and then using area rugs in both rooms. With my furnishings, what do you think about beech floors?

Again, thank you so much, you guys are giving such great advice!

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Anyone? I could use some opinions on the new lamps if anyone can help me, as I am stuck here.

Thanks

I don't think the new lamps look that much different from your original ones. They're taller, and have bigger shades, but essentially look the same---to me.

If you like the red colour of the wainscot, why not keep it and play off that? You need some punches of colour, and it looks like you have red in that new print above the sofa. A tryptych on that large wall over the dining room that incorporates red, black and your softer colours, would be interesting! I'm not sure that a tapestry, which is very "old world" in feeling, would be the right accessory to your furniture.

Agree that the break in wall colour near that one chair is visually disturbing. I am not at all sure that I am seeing the true colours in your room because of the obvious glares and lighting issues in the photos. Generally speaking, though, I think that gold, crimson and black go very well together. Since you have so much natural light I would spring for at least one big, real, tree in a beautiful decorative planter---an urn, perhaps, or a fiberglass ceramic-looking pot. Living plants can often bring a room to life.

I think the room could use a little glitz and sparkle. With all the dark wood it comes off looking a little flat.

I would change out the frame on the picture above the sofa to a gold tone~you can leave the dark sconces. Although I like the JF lamps, it's just more dark in the room. I would like to see lamps with a gold tone base also~glitz. I'm not talking high shine,just something metallic to add some 'bling'~all rooms should have a little IMO.;o)

I wonder if you all would use the LR more if the furniture created a more natural conversation area?

I second the idea of flipping the window table and chair (pulling the chair out enough to keep the register free) and think you can create a stretched "U" shape area.

So: chair + ottoman -- angle towards sofa; round table (remove square table); sofa -- moved down towards chair/window; table; stairwell chair where plant is -- angle towards sofa with back to DR.

I can't judge how wide/tall the DR cabinet is, but I wonder if you move it over to where the angled wainscotted wall meets the stair wall, perhaps putting it on an angle.

I *think* you have the floor space for that, and then you could rotate the DR table and chairs 90 degrees to create more space between the LR and DR.

Other changes aside, unless you regularly have 8 for meals I'd try to find another spot for the two extra DR chairs -- in bedrooms or an upper hallway?

I think the hardwood floors you mentioned will really add the wow factor that the rooms are missing. While I like those lamps, they still are not the right fit for your room. You need width to the lamp, the candlestick look gets lost. Dont go higher on the size, just get wider in the base.

Kswl, I like your tryptych idea over the large expanse of wall. I will look at things today that will be large enough. The ficus tree in the room IS real in an organic looking pot. The predominant colors are a muted crimson red, amber gold and black with the darker woods of the furniture.
Blind company coming today to measure for bamboo shades.

I agree that the lamps are not a big difference, I will look for something with more heft. More bling would be great, but remember, I am already struggling with a man who things all oak and brass is the way to go! LOL!

House vixen, I will attempt to move the LR furniture in the pattern you suggested and will move the tree to the area where the two wall colors meet. There is nowhere near enough room on the angled wall to put the china cabinet there, although I wish their was, as your idea was one I had considered before I brought the pieces into the room when we bought the house. We entertain often and need all of the chairs, but I may be able to repurpose them.

I am ordering the hardwood floor samples as we speak.

What do you think of this piece under the stairs? I am so decoratively challenged...

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VERY sorry, I thought the plant was not real! :( :(

The wall colour in your latest photo above looks taupe. I would use the same gold colour as that on the walls of the main seating area, and take the runner off the bar (or replace it with something more interesting, perhaps a bamboo runner?). I would add an ice bucket to the niche where your martini shaker sits (since it is not a wet bar you'll need a bucket if you don't have one already), and get rid of the plant at left, replacing that either with a large fern or something that partially obscures the print. I do like the print and the bottle collection together, that is a nice play on shapes and function :) but not convinced that it is all Big Enough for that space. A larger plant would help .

The wall is taupe, this is in the area of my home between my kitchen and family room. I was just wondering if it would fit the space in my LR as I have received advice to move something else into that space instead of the chair already there.

nthemdl, your lamp style fits your living room perfect! Can you tell me the brand & color of your paint behind your Sofa? I luv it!! So soft & pretty. Thank You! razenette

razenette, the paint is Radiance Paint made by Parker Paint in FLAX