Thanks for your ideas Terrie!

I really like your idea of the stripes. I've seen it and you're right it adds interest without being overwhelming. The wall where the couch is ends just a few inches past the picture(flowers/vase) this opens up into my kitchen.

I forgot to mention that the area rug and the burgandy chair are going. ( If I can tear that chair away from my DH, he LIVES in that chair,,and our dog lives on his bed,, sighhh)

Another problem I thought of is my flooring is dark but not as dark as it appears in the pics so wouldn't darker color be wrong?

Yes, I am going to get some curtains after I do the paint. OMG that's going to have to be another post. I was thinking a creamy color or something with just a bit of the accent color in it. I'm flipping back and forth from green to red as the accent!

Holy cow, I have got to be the most lost person when it comes to decorating!

If you don't want to repaint the room, there are some other things you can do to add some pizzazz to the room. I see a lot of beige and brown. You said you're getting rid of the rug, so if you get a new rug, bring some more color into the room there, and pull a couple of colors from the rug for some accents in the room -- a big colorful vase, throw pillows, etc. For example, what I see in the pillows and throw blanket you have now is... more brown and beige. I also see quite a few small framed pieces on the wall. Replace them with larger, more colorful artwork. You've got one large painting on the wall opposite the island which brings in some nice colors. You could use a larger piece over the sofa, and on the wall where the two smaller pictures are hanging side by side. I think I'd eliminate the small picture that's on the wall to the right of the TV, or possibly move it down a few inches so it "belongs" to the table below it.

Love the green in the small vase that is on the table near the kitchen island. Maybe you could bring some more of that green into the room. Also, the lamp sitting next to the vase seems a bit too small in scale to me.

I think if you bring in some more color and 'interest' to the room, you won't notice so much how small it is.

I dont think I would do any stripes or feature wall but I would do a nice tan or taupe color, as terrie suggests. I would perhaps take one of the colors out of the pillow you have on the couch. The deeper color will make your trim work pop. I really like the color of your floors, have you though of changing your white mini blinds to wider wood or faux wood blinds or better plantation shutters in a darker color. That way you are bringing some of the floor color up onto the wall. Then above the sofa I think you need a picture in a nice dark frame to balance out the window and the entertainment centre you have. Or may even a mirror in a dark frame that could certainly open up the room and bounce the light around the room.

I think partly your boredom is due to most things in the room being at the same height level. Adding some tall things to the room, like panels on the window, and a big wall hanging (quilt, fabric, artwork, architectural salvage door, etc.) behind sofa would balance the TV unit. The lamps also seem too similar - I'd add a floor lamp next to recliner, a larger table lamp in corner, and maybe a non-wired wall sconce as you come into the room.

{{!gwi}}

Love the door you can see through opening! Were money no object, I'd reproduce the lower part of the door as wal paneling!

mjlb.... how'd you do that??

The aqua from the rug might be pretty on the accent wall, and would recede. I did add a bit of crown moulding along the ceiling to brighten things up.

Can you move the fp down just a few inches, and the tree out of the corner a bit so it can breath. It helps it look more centered.

Some spicey color splashes, say, in artwork would be nice. I see you have something to the left already.

Nice changes, mjlb made. Something large over the sofa and panels would really add a lot.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I wouldn't do anything until you get your new rug and chair. You can introduce a lot of color depending on what rug you choose. Then I would look for some drapery panels for more color.

I would definitely add the crown moulding for interest.
Also, go much, much, bigger with art and lamps

As for room color, I would lean towards a deep rich spice color that compliments the sofa and the reddish chair.

Jim

SweetRain, I'm following your room very closely. It's almost a twin to mine.

The main difference is my room has a 33" inch open doorway in the area you have your tree placed (on the left hand wall). I can't center my TV stand on the full wall because there's a floor/heat vent there so I'm thinking of a tall corner-shaped entertainment stand to go in the right hand corner of the back wall.

I love all the suggestions that have been given here.

I was trying to put one loveseat, two recliners, three small end tables, and an accent chair in my room. I don't think it's going to work. LOL

The most beautfiful part of your room? The sweet puppy! She's lovely. Is she a dobbie or dobbie mix? If DH didn't "have" to have hunters, a dobbie would be my choice. After "babysitting" two of them for several weeks, I feel in love with the breed. (I have two big dogs to fit into my room!)

As long as you're changing the rug. This might be a crazy idea, but the fp wall really needs some focus. I like the effect of framed, rich color (not busy images).

And Jim's spice on the walls, with two different rug colors, high and low contrast to the furniture footprints.

Sorry all the image sizes got skewed all over the place!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I would not do an accent wall in such a small space. I think it would just make it seem more chopped up. I like the spice color idea, either in furniture or as a wall color. The room is too monotone now, IMO. Consider a nice pale blue green or a craftman-type green besides the spice color for the walls. Both of these colors would be nice with the wood tones. Drapes would help a lot too, just not beige! What colors are in the kitchen, or adjoining area?
Diane

If you are planning to replace the rug that should be the first decision. If you find a colorful rug with an interesting design it will be like art on the floor. Easy to choose your color scheme from that.

Your wall color looks greyed and cold on my monitor so you could change that but choose a new rug first. Paint and WT's are easier to find.

I like squirrel's addition of the five art pieces around the TV -- to my view, it definitely widens the room.

sueb20 - my photoshop skills are very limited, so for a 'quick and dirty' sketch, I print the photo to my black & white printer, freehand draw on it with red marker, and then scan it as a jpg.

WOW!!!!,, Thank you so very much everyone for all your ideas!,,

Sueb20 repainting is no problem at all. I understand what your saying about bringing in color with accessories etc.
roseabby,, I am working on finding drapes and "something" for over the sofa but I'm trying to wait until I get the new rug and chair.
I don't know but I'm still liking the look of the feature fp wall.

Caroline, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who is struggling with trying to get enough seating in this lil ole room. haha,, isn't it fun? Why coudn't we be blessed with a few more feet? Also, the pup you see is actually a German Short Hair. Holy cow,, what energy this dog has. But a beautiful dog with a wonderful personality. Don't let him know I said this but, it's my DH's new son!,, haha.

I also see what everyone is saying about getting the rug first and playing off of that. I am leaning towards either rust or red for the main color. Am I wrong? Would it be to heavy? or should I go with a beige with red or rust splashes in it?

Squirrelheaven,,, I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEE you. Thank you sooo much for your time in showing me what a feature wall would actually look like rather than what my mind usually sees that ends up looking not even close to what I envisioned!

I not a cold color lover. (as I'm sure you have figured out with all the boring beiges and taupes and tans etc) So the feature wall with the blue is probably gorgeous to someone else just not me. I know,, I'm boring! lol

But I can actually picture what it would look like with a spice color now.

mjlb, I'm really liking your idea of the floor lamps. It would also give me a little more room. hmmmmm the hunt is on!

I will keep everyone posted as the room trangresses. I also hope for your opinions as the changes transpire just to keep me on the right track.

I would not paint a warm color accent wall in your space. That color will only advance on you and make the room appear smaller. I think you should add colorful art or accents. You may want to consider the addition of mirrors to reflect light around the room.

Hi, I see a lot of rectangles and squares in that room. I would introduce some curves.

How about getting a round coffee table, you might be able to pick something up on CL. And agree that WT would soften the room, love the panels.

I don't think you should do an accent wall either. Nor is painting the room needed. I agree with others to bring in your colors with accessories.

I think the rug you have is a good choice. Using the colors in that for accessories would work great. The spice and green colors in the rug are nice. Unless you just want to buy a new rug, But if you don't you will have more money to spend on art and accessories and a new chair.

Curtains and art and throw pillows would be a great place to add color.

The quilt behind the couch is a great idea. I bet you could find one on ebay with the colors from your rug. And the round coffee table idea is a good one.

You have got a great room to work with, and buying the accessories is the fun part. Maybe if you decide to keep this rug you could take a bigger picture of it and people could give you some ideas for accessories. Or a picture of the new rug.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR FIREPLACE SURROUND/MANTLE! WHERE DID YOU GET IT? OR IS IT CUSTOM BUILT?

Thanks again for your input! I'm actually starting to get ideas and visualize what you all are saying.

I am getting a new carpet though. I just hate this one. Actually, I was never really in love with it in the first place. But, I thought maybe I could learn to love it. Nope!

home_dreamin, the fireplace was a purchase from of all places,,, Costco! I think it's Sam's Club in the States. Correct me if I'm wrong. We searched all the furniture stores and just couldn't find what we wanted until we went for groceries and there it was. And thank you, I love it!

So this weekend I'm off to see if I can find a new carpet. Wish me luck!

I might be a little late in this discussion, but I'm researching how other people deal with a TV on the center of a LR wall.

At 11 feet wide, your LR is quite a bit narrower than it is long. In the first pic that you posted, it looks a bit like a decorated hallway. I'd do what I could to make the room look wider than it is.

I'd paint the bottom of the TV wall a darker color like in the pic below, to anchor the space and add some richness to the room. maybe add a chairrail at the height of the TV stand, too. I'd get a rug that either has no pattern on it at all, or stripes that run across the narrow dimension of the room (no boxes, no flowers!). I'd choose pillows and other accents that add splashes of color, but have little to no pattern in them. It's a small room, and I think too many patterns really add visual clutter. (I should have made the pillow red, or something, for a bit of pop.)

Does the coffee table have a glass top? I'd get rid of that. it adds visual clutter. try to get a coffee table that has storage in it, so you don't have to have random stuff on top of it. declutter, declutter, declutter. Try to keep surfaces clean and open.

And I agree with the others, who say to add some vertical elements. And I agree with you, to keep the room a lighter color. I like neutrals. Again, because it's a small room, and you don't want it to seem cave-like.

Just my 2 cents!

I'd love to see what you've decided on!