Only my opinion - There is nothing wrong with the brown furniture. There is too much white for the blue to be a part of the room. I'd be tempted to paint the fireplace wall the same blue. You still have the white on the bottom of the walls and the trim for added crispness. Don't let go of the blue just add more of it. IT's an elegant colour and looks good with the floor and the furniture.
Then, with the new area rug, get one that has a bit of the blue in it to tie it together.

The blue is pretty stark against the bright white trim. Any chance of you repainting the trim a cream? If not, and you want to keep the blue, then you need more color in the medium tones to create a bridge between the dark and light values. Use a more medium shade of blue for the panels on the fireplace, and paint the rear of the bookcases as well. You need some fabric for the windows to soften them. A medium blue would work well for that as well. A rug with all shades of blue and some tan would finish it off.

Or there's always the classic red, white, and blue room. Paint the panels a deep red and do some red fabric for the windows. A beautiful traditional oriental rug in a deep red could b the foundation for the whole room.

I really like the blue and it works with the brown furniture. I agree with LWO that you need to bring something else in to bridge the gap between the stark white and the blue.

I would paint the ceiling. Either do it a couple of shades down on the color strip from the Newburypoint Blue or do a 25% saturation of that color. I would also use that color for painting the bookcase wall - the backs of the bookcases and the paneled areas above them but keeping all the trim white.

It looks like you have a bay window and from what I can tell from your photo, it looks like cellular shades. I would paint the top "ceiling" area where the window bows out the same color as the walls (it is currently white) and if budget allows, if you prefer the no-curtain look, get different cellular shades in a darker color, something in the brown family. Woven shades are pretty popular and those would work on the windows as well.

I don't think you need to do a lot to make the space more cohessive.

Great suggestions!

the trim is SW Dover white, so it is soft (albeit not soft enough for the blue) and I can't repaint (its carried throughout the house, cabinets...)

I can definitely paint the panels....this is good idea. still thinking i need something to decorate the picture boxes.

So my color palette...stick with blue, add in a medium blue, i have the dark brown leather chair, rust-brown couch...work with the browns and blues? Is it OK if I don't tie the dark blue in to the curtains or rug, but if I just do a lighter hue of blue, or do i need to bring the blue in somewhere?

thanks again!!

Your room
{{!gwi}}

Lovely room.

Here is what I would want to do if it were my space.

It seems like, except for the TV, that most of the items in the room are at midlevel or below. I would try to add more visual weight to the upper part of the room. Window valances or curtain panels wold be #1, then I would also paint the underside of the bay window ceiling in the navy blue. I think this would cozy up the space, and balance out the colors nicely. Then I would add some framed art in a set, framed in a a medium cherry color on either side of the fireplace. I would probably get Audubon prints, or botanicals, or other realistic type of art. I would matt in a color close to the sofa. This would bring some deep tones higher up into the space.

Then I would get a different rug that was less of a square geometric, because I think you already have the squares in the sofa cushions, stone in the fireplace, and wood molding and french doors. I would get either a textured neutral rug, or a traditional style in wool that has the colors of the stone and the furniture and the blue, and the window treatment fabric.

Right now there is not a very strong relationship between the wall color and the furniture. I think the rug and possibly some window treatments would be key to relating the two together. The dark blue and brown tones in a rug and window treatments would not have to "match" the blue, but would have to be close in saturation to act as a bridge. I don't think light blue would help.

I would also consider painting the soffit inside the bay dark blue to eliminate the narrow horizontal slivers of dark blue.

Upon reflection, I think that the strong blue and white is nautical in feeling, while the browns, sage and fireplace stones are earth tones. So there's a conflict, which you probably sense, in the room.

I like the blue walls, and don't see why they can't work with what you have. If you paint the underside of the bay window (as was suggested), I think the room would seem larger. For me, the main problem with the room is the bulls eye of the black TV on white woodwork. I know the difficulty in mounting TV over fireplace, so I'm sure you did not do it lightly. However, I think the TV would look better on the wall across from the window, and at a lower level. Then you could arrange your furniture in a conventional way: either sofa in front of window, with one chair angled toward TV and the other nearer fireplace and angled toward the window; or sofa facing fireplace, with chairs flanking the fireplace.

Sigh. I think I've been looking for that fabric to tie it all together, and have come up with nothing. If I could find it, I'd commit to drapes and move on from there w/ a rug. In head I'm picturing some nice patterned floral w/ the blue tone, some mid beige, brown, a hint of the sage, and a bit of the white. I'm starting to think I do need to give up the blue (I love it, but its easier to give up the paint than the couch or chair!) and start with two base colors - the rusty brown and sage (ho hum). And my mind goes blank.

You might want to consider some furniture re-arranging. Those three large pieces seem to be set at odd angles. And how much space is in the foreground of the picture? It looks like a big room that might benefit from two seating areas. Would you consider moving the TV from above the fireplace? Are there two windows on the left side of the room or are there three?

There are three windows on the left side in a bay window. Right behind the chair on the left is the walkway to the front door, and there's about 4 feet behind the green swivel chair before the transition to the kitchen/breakfast area. Stairs just to the left, you can somewhat see the rail.

I completely agree about the furniture arrangement, I've struggled with this. I lost the vote on TV placement b/c my husband was pretty firm about wanting to see the TV from the kitchen. It angles down very slightly, and (to my surprise) is a pretty good angle/height for viewing.

I suppose it'd look better to put the swivel chair next to the fireplace on the left, and center the couch w/ the windows. But for functionality, the green chair is where I watch TV, and the dark brown is my husbands TV spot. Hmpf. I've got fighting colors, fighting form and function, and I haven't defined a style...this room is frustrating!! :)

I would start by having beveled edge mirrors cut to fit the inside of the two panels on either side of the fireplace. They will make the tv feel less like a big hole in the middle, and will break up all the white. They should also reflect the dark blue walls in the room, so will bring some of that darkness to that area without actually painting the inside of the boxes blue.

If you could get electrical run, it would be wonderful to hang a sconce on either side in the center of the mirrors.

I would replace the black firescreen (or paint it) with a pewter color screen and tools. It will bring some of the cool color of the walls and trim to the fireplace.

I agree that you need to paint the ceiling in the bay in the blue, rather than the white, to make the area feel less choppy.

I would center the couch on the window, and put the sage chair either at a right angle to the couch, or down in the right corner by the fireplace. If you don't add the sconces by the fireplace, then I would like to see a taller floor lamp by the sage chair down in the corner by the fireplace. A taller lamp and side table by the dark leather chair, and a round end table at the entry end of the room by the couch, with a nice lamp.

I think your rug needs to run the other way in the room. Here is one rug from JCP that I thought could work, either in the brown or blue colorway, though I am more inclined to think blue, to bring more blue into the seating grouping.

linden street chunky loop

I was thinking that these panels might work in there, in the blue colorway. The blue is much softer, but if it is in a similar tone as the blue walls, it also has the beiges and brown tones in the background, and would be soft yet bring some texture and pattern.

Amelia drape in blue colorway

Since you seem worried about how to decorate the panels on either side of the tv. I would consider (after you pick your drapery and rug) putting pictures or some popping other color or a dramatic wallpaper. Maybe paint the lower inset part of the shelves blue or a contrast shade. Add blue accessories and some glitzy mirrors or shiny objects.
Can you hang a light/chandelier style in the center of the room?

I agree with Les about the rug change. it was the very first thing I noticed. The rug you have now is nice enough, just doesn't do the blue/white paint any justice. I'd do a more of the same presence of the blue in an area rug and I bet you'll see a huge difference. I like the one Les suggested, or something like this would look great too.

Here is a link that might be useful: rug

I like Julie's and Les' ideas but would not add a window treatment. I like how it looks neat now.
If you don't use mirrors or artwork in the panels (both great ideas), I'd consider doing a stencil in the wall color inside them, such as a damask or other repeating pattern. With the mirrors or stencil, I'd love the sconces.
The lighter color fireplace screen is a nice idea as well.
I'd like a less geometric rug in your room. Something with a hint of blue would be nice. I think a pillow or 2 that have some blue would look good.

Nice room!

Another vote for painting the back of the bookcases and the window soffit. Maybe the panels above the FP? I'm thinking one of the warmer tones in the stone that works with the couch. I like the idea of giving that wall some weight/unity and making the TV not so stark.

I am possibly the world's worst photoshopper, LOL.

I have no vote. This is just to help you envision paint effects.

Better Homes and Gardens had a makeover sometime this last summer - dark brown furniture as the starting point. They went to a sunny light aqua blue on the walls with accents of straw and grass green and turquoise. You could find it at the library. I wanted a big brown couch so I could have that room. :)

A larger rug would unify the space.

You have a strong primary scheme with the bright white and navy blue ... and a strong earth-tone theme with the furniture and the rug and the floor.

They are not happy sharing the same space.

If yo like the furniture, it would be easiest to soften the white to a cream or taupe and paint the walls a dramatic earth-tone color.

I love that shade of blue. But I agree with those who saiid that the color needs to be spread to other areas in order to try to make the blue/white work with the earth tones. I also think that even if you change the blue to an earth tone, you will have a similar problem, because the bright white competes with the dark furniture, and there's so much of it on the tv wall and from the waist/down on the other walls. For that reason, I think window treatments are important, to bring some color down below waist height on the window wall. And a larger rug, picking up on the deep blue (If you keep that color, or whichever color you ultimately choose).

The suggestion to paint the back of the panels flanking the tv on the built-in is great, and relates the color back. If you want flexibility to go back to white, you could have a square panel cut to that size and paint that, then attach it to the wall.

If you keep the blue, finding a curtain to go with the brown should be feasible (brown and blue work well together), but I don't think the sage green chair is likely to coordinate with the blue.

I do agree with painting the top of the bay window. The blue on that wall almost gets lost without it -- kind of a "oh there you are!" down at the end when you finally see it.

I was thinking of using the same blue to paint the back of the bookcases and the inside of the panels. Then your decorative pieces could be as simple as some white pottery, candles, etc. If you don't have light pieces against it, it could get too dark. Celticmoon's beige works well to warm u[p the space and bring the walls together. You could also combine the two ideas and paint the back of the bookcases blue and the panels above the beige. That make the mantel and panels very versatile in terms of what goes in front of them and accents them at the same time. The blue will be like another wall behind those books and things.

First things first. Do you like the blue and want to keep it and make it play nice with the room? Because there are different solutions for you depending on the answer to that question.

One point to make is that the green chair doesn't play well with the blue. It's too washed out and beigey rather than GREEN. The blue demands equally strong supporting characters. Your other furniture stands up to it well, but the chair does not. Either slipcover the chair, or use it as the direction of the wall color and repaint the wall something browned or greyed down in an earth toned like a army green.If you like the blue better than the chair, you could slipcover the chair. Something in a strong graphic print, like a navy on white damask, or a red print with a strong presence of blue in it. I'm a sucker for red with blue and white woodwork, so I admit that the red print slipcover would be my personal choice here, along with a red traditional rug.

Whichever color that you choose, it needs to be carried through the space. That's your biggest problem now with the blue. There isn't enough of it. The WHITE WALL just shouts at you, especially with the WHITE wainscoting on the other wall and the WHITE blinds on the WHITE window. Paint the panels and the back of the bookcases whatever wall color that you choose, and get some fabric on those windows, either in fabric shades that go on top of the blinds or in drapes. You need some print or texture in the fabric to go with all of the strong solid color statements the rest of the room has.

The rug will be the major element in the room that brings the whole look together. I suggest that you shop for it first, keeping either the blue of the wall or the green of the chair in mind as your inspiration, and then use the secondary colors in the rug as your accent for pillows and some other accessories. It will need to be much larger than the rug you have currently, and it will need to be COLORFUL. It can be a traditional red, or primarily the blue of your wall if you want to keep the blue, or it can be a more rusty shag type or mix of earthtones with red or rust like the one you currently have, but the rug will set the stage for everything else. It should be a big shot of COLOR and PATTERN and be BOLD and LARGE. Once you find it, everything else should fall into place.

You are all really giving me hope...thank you!!

I do like the blue, but just not to the extreme that I would not repaint if consensus is that it's gotta go..it looks more primary in the pic and a nice rich comfortable deep blue in the room. The white is a bit softer in the room than the pic leads to believe. So, I can definitely slipcover the green chair (hadn't thought about this...going to have to research as I've never slipcovered before).

I've searched endlessly for rugs and fabrics to make curtains to pull with the blue. Thanks for the previous rug suggestions, they were great (!!), but either sold or less than 9x12. The rug you see in the room is 8x10 and I agree I need bigger than that...I've been looking for 9x12.

Any recommendations on where else to be looking online for rugs and fabric? I've tried local furniture stores, C&B, PB, JCP, Macys, Overstock, Home Deocrators...John Hancock, Joanns, fabric.com, and local shops near me for fabric. If I could just find that rug or curtain fabric for inspiration and I'd be off!

OK, so definitely paint the panels...thanks for the visual..you're all right it needs to be done. As well as behind the bookcase. I like the idea of the sconces. I'll decide color once I get rug/curtains selected and see where the wall of white needs to go.

I can't get excited about red...too red white and blue in my head. I'm probably just not seeing it right. Rust or gold feel right. Various shades of browns, blues, golds or rusts?

Guess what I'm saying is I'd like to work with the blue but I'm starting to lose hope that I'm going to find that "it" item to pull it all together w/ the blue...and I'll have to give it up.

I'm starting to feel the heartburn. Finalizing plans with the cabinetmaker this week for the kitchen renovation, and I know that I need some cohesion between the kitchen and the hearth room, and I'm feeling that "can't do this until I decide that" anxiety.

My niece had her living room almost exactly the colors in yours and had the same problem so she called me and I went over and we both decided to change the wall color to Whythe blue and the lower half to a light beige. It was just the correction she needed. In one day everything worked, she went on to get PB chocolate brown velvet drapes and introduced a few items that had the looks of the whythe blue in artwork, pillows etc. The room now looks terrific.

You like the blue and it looks great with the white trim. I have no issues with keeping the blue and white.
Another idea is if you try wallpaper for inside the panels and bring in the blue and brown that way. It would be very small areas and if you put sconces in there, will be very classic.

I think that once the rug is changed the chair will be fine as it sort of works off the stone colors.. I think the rust colors in the rug are too strong for the stone colors and the chair.

Try ebay for the area rug if you have not found one elsewhere (see link below).

Here is a link that might be useful: area rugs on ebay 9 x 12

Glad you'd like to keep the blue paint. I don't think you necessarily need to change the sage chair, as the color ties in well to the stonework. I also would not change the color paint on the bookcases -- I think they look quite nice even now.

My photoshop skills aren't wonderful either, but I'd be inclined to change the TV proportions with paint:

Maybe something like this? Pottery Barn Eva. Also, I think warmer color lamps shades would look good (I photoshopped it roughly below):

Here is a link that might be useful: PB Link

Oh yeah -- you are getting there. The stone around the fireplace looks so much warmer and prettier with color around it.

I like that rug, but I would also suggest looking at Marshalls if you have a Home Goods store in your area. There are two I'm going to go back and look at here -- both with blue in them. And I'm going to look at PB too. Thanks gwbr54!

Oooh...I do like that PB rug!

I can envision that rug w/ my furniture...tho I see myself putting it down and convincing myself that the blue like shown on the walls on PB page would be magnificent and repaint soon thereafter...but then wouldn't be all bad, would it? :)

I keep forgetting about Home Goods..only been once, I'll need to go again shortly!

For lighting, you might consider two mini chandeliers hanging down on either side of the fireplace rather than the more expected wall sconces. And the Photoshopping has changed my mind about painting the back of the bookcases blue. I think they should be painted your rust accent color instead, and add in some rust pillows. I also think your ceiling needs some color. Something to create some more interest/differentiation in the sea of white.

What a lovely room. Here's my idea for the fireplace wall. I was doing mine while gwbr was doing pretty much the same thing....

I really like the blue. The sharp contrast with the white is a bit hard on the eyes though. I think painting the panels blue would help. Would you consider painting all of the white something more tan or even dark brown (more like stained woodwork)?

Don't hate me .... the white was all golden oak....very yellow, very shiny oak. Painters started stripping and staining it dark walnut, but the panels below and on the bookcase are all veneer and could not be sanded down and against all efforts, looked horrid when restained. In a panic, I had painters ditch the effort and carry the trim color through. We bought the house last year...it was completely uninhabitable, and in a hurry to get paint on the walls to cover crack and hole repairs, I picked a paint color for every room with no idea of how I'd intend to eventually decorate. My daughters room worked well, the rest of the rooms...well...you see how this is going.

My hesitation to paint has really been that it was just painted 1 yr ago, professionally, and to redo, is on my time and with my quality (which is decent by DIY standards, but I'm no pro). Not a lot of sq ft to paint, but lots of trimming....

The trim all flows through the kitchen as well....which is getting ready for WHITE cabinets...and soon I'll have to move over and pick a wall color for the kitchen....

Ohhh I'm just propogating these bad design choices aren't I? I haven't even told you yet the dining room, yet to be decorated, has the same white wainscoting and VERY DARK BROWN WALLS.

How about these:
http://www.nextrug.com/maple-mp41-loloi-maple-mp-41-navy-red-rug-traditional-wool-rugs/
http://barnwoodurbanism.blogspot.com/2011/02/score-bold-new-area-rug.html
http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=84886&index=0amp;memberName=runner1029
http://websterinteriors.com/hrpxstudy.htm
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/adeline-rug-blue/?pkey=crug-sale
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/bird-floral-rug/?pkey=crugs-blue-green
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/decorating-and-accessories/area-rugs/rhapsody-9%27x12%27-rug/s237632
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3806362
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3806349

I am going to be the naysayer, but the panels above the fireplace and the back of the bookcases painted in the blue makes that wall absolutely too busy and chopped up visually. I do appreciate the folks who photoshopped those views, because I was pretty sure that it was too much, and that proved it to me.

The PB rug that gwbr54 posted seems like a great choice. I didn't realize that you were looking for fabric to make panels - that certainly widens your choices. I thought you wanted ready-made. Have you been to fabric stores to take home samples of the decorator fabrics? Have you considered calling in JCP custom drapery folks for a consult? They can find fabric for you so you can see it in the space, and they often have sales on their custom work.

Don't give up - it will all come together.

check craigslist too.

Too bad you are not near Milwaukee - see link

Here is a link that might be useful: nice rug in your colors

i really love the blue (great choice) but i like the trim color around the fireplace left as is. i have to be honest and say, i think the problem is really with the furnishings. three different pieces in different colors, fabrics and scale. they seem to be working against each other. is it possible to move the chairs to other areas of the house and introduce two smaller chairs of the same style/color to go along with the sofa?

I don't know how my 2 cents count, but I really like the first two that CelticMoon photoshopped with the 2nd one being my preference.

dody

I was visualizing the exact same thing as Celtic photoshopped!
Blue inside the panels above the fireplace, and the bay window surround.

The TRIM should be white, not half the room.

It will still flow into white cabinets in the kitchen, and you could do a lighter shade of gray-blue on the wall there.

The DR could be a contrasting color, like terra cotta to carry through the brown shades.
Basically stick with variations of blue/brown/rust and the downstairs will certainly flow. But not be all one color.

It looks as though there is only seating for about 4 people? I'd add a loveseat.
And make sure there are enough tables for people to sit drinks on, unless that isn't your thing.
The beige chair seems far back and the brown one has it's back to that one. Maybe group them better for conversation purposes?

Great rugs!!! Though I'm still drawn to the PB one. The blue in that rug is this color:
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/benjamin-moore-natura-paint-old-blue-jeans/?catalogId=5&bnrid=3580801&cm_ven=GoogleBase&cm_cat=Shopping&cm_pla=Home%20page&cm_ite=Datafeed

Not as deep as my Newburyport...do we think the that will be OK?

As to the panels, what if I go with a wallpaper. Thinking maybe something not bold...with the white, and pull in maybe the gold or light brown or rust, in a pattern. So it breaks up the white, but doesn't look as choppy? Carry it down to the bookcase?

When I'm searching fabrics...would I then pull the same color for panels? So if I do a gold or brown/rust on the front wall, pull this color to the panels? Solid?

Maybe pull more blue, tie both the blue on the walls and the blue on the rug, with some pieces put on display on the bookshelves? The items on the shelves, and on the walls, are not necessary to stay. I have a happy home for the rug and the art work in the adjoining room, which for the next 6-8 years will be toddler play room...

As for the furniture...this is why I've been reluctant to hire a designer. In our old house, I asked a designer to help me to select furniture. He was persistent that I needed THREE different color and texture pieces. It went against what looked and felt right to me, but I doubted my taste (I'm an engineer afterall, what do I know about style?). I don't have a good referral for a designer around here that I feel I can trust, and I'm not about to go pick one willy nilly to spend good $ and end up being disappointed.

Though I did the virtual with the blue walls on the fireplace wall I totally agree with Les. Personally I'd remove all the extra woodwork above the bookcases and mimic the crown/frieze in the rest of the room and paint the now unadorned walls, above the bookcases only, blue.

I like the white built-ins as well. How about adding a nice art piece to the two areas above the book shelves? I agree about painting the ceiling in the bay window the same blue as your walls, and also adding one of the rugs suggested above and definitely window treatments. I also agree about the comments about the 3 totally different furniture pieces. While I agree that they shouldn't all match, the 2 arm chairs especially should relate to one another. Right now, they are completely different styles, colors and scale. I'd also add a coffee table and some other accent tables.

Good luck! I know how it is to struggle with a room!